A Smell Is Worth a Thousand Words . . .

"Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived." ~Helen Keller

There is something really special about smells. They have the power to grasp your mind and take you back to any memory in your experience, to make you feel really safe, or afraid, or comfortable or sad.

My mother's old wooden cooking spoon has absorbed the smell of many a year, and no matter how many times it has been washed and scrubbed, time's compelling odour abounds. The smell of garlic, onion and tomato paste permeates it and whispers golden memories of evenings shared with loved ones now miles apart.



The smell of molasses cookies always takes me back to my grandmother's ample lap and the feeling of warmth and love as I cuddled there, the creak of the rocking chair and crinkling sound of linoleum as someone walks across it.

One time when my children were babies I opened a bottle of gripe water and was instantly transported back to a time that was long hidden in the recesses of my mind. I can't even begin to describe the way I felt, but I felt instantly comforted and safe...



Occasionally when I am in a chemists, I will encounter a smell that in my memory reminds me of being a teenage girl, getting ready for Saturday night, washing my hair and rinsing it with this pink hair conditioner that I can't even remember the name of, but I remember the smell and it always makes me feel excited and warm inside.

The smell of Ma Griffe perfume always takes me back to my mother's bosom and the memory of watching her as she got gussied up to go out for a night on the tiles with my dad.



The top dresser drawer of the high boy dresser in the spare room at my mom's still smells like a combination of leather, tobacco, cork grease and butterscotch wafers, or in other words, my dad. He was a consummate clarinetist and used to keep a hidden stash of butterscotch wafers in that drawer along with his cork grease and wallet. He's not been there in that room for a very long time, but the smell lingers on and reminds one of secret forays into the forbidden stash of buttery sweetness.

Evening in Paris, burning leaves, a freshly sharpened pencil, a wood fire, musty moth balls . . . these smells and others all hold the keys to magical moments in time, known only to me, little treasures and gems hidden in my mind just waiting for me to take them out and hold them in my hands again, if only for a moment . . .



Some of you were wondering yesterday about the differences between English and North American measurements. Over here, we bake a lot by weight, so a good set of cookery scales is a must. I am so used to using scales now, I much prefer baking with them than by any other method. I did do a post about measurement conversions very early on, which you can access HERE. It may be a good idea to print it out so that you can reference it more easily when you need to. I am quite happy to answer any questions that any of you have, either on here, or via e-mail. My e-mail address is MarieAliceJoan at aol dot com!

I am happy to say that Terri came through her operation safe and sound. She was in the operating room for 3 hours and when I spoke to her daughter, she was still in recovery. I am sure your continued prayers would be more than welcome. I am not sure when she will be allowed home, but it will probably take some time for her to completely recover and I doubt that she will be back to work ever. I did joke with her about her being the bionic woman with her new shoulder, but in truth I doubt she'll be able to withstand hours of ironing ever again, but at the ripe old age of 84, I reckon she has earned some rest.




*Blueberry Pancakes*
Makes 12 to 14
Printable Recipe

During the summer when I was growing up, we all headed in to the woods and fields surrounding our home, ice cream buckets held aloft, to pick the proliferation of wild blueberries that grew there in abundance. My mother usually only ever made blueberry pies with them. Once I had kids of my own I used to treat them to these delicious blueberry pancakes. I like to think that in doing so I created for them some very happy memories.

2 cups flour
2 TBS sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
pinch ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
8 TBS butter, melted
1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries (wild are best, but alas not always available, so just use what you can find)

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together in a large mixing bowl. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, until frothy. Beat in the buttermilk, mixing in well. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry mixture, mixing well to combine. Stir in HALF of the melted butter.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat (if you are lucky enough to have one) or a large non stick one (if you are not.) Grease the skillet with some of the remaining butter. Make 2 to 3 pancakes at a time by ladling 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake, keeping about 1/2 inch between the pancakes. Scatter some blueberries on top of each. Cook until bubbles form on the tops of the pancakes and the bottoms turn golden brown, some 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and continue to cook until the other side is golden and the centres are cooked through, some 2 minutes longer. Repeat the process, greasing the skillet each time with some more butter. Keep pancakes warm in a slow oven until all are cooked. Serve warm with butter and Maple syrup. Cooked bacon goes very well with these!



What crunchy and spicy on the bottom, and creamy and delicious on the top??? Check out The English Kitchen to see what I'm on about!!