The other day I was looking through a West Elm catalog and my heart almost stopped when I noticed a bowl mixed in with the table items. It was a white enameled bowl with line drawings of mushrooms going around the top. I grew up with that bowl and loved it! I've never seen anyone else have it. Countless salads of crisp lettuce with mandarin oranges and glazed almonds were tossed in it by my Mom. It's one of my favorite serving pieces of hers. So when she visited a month ago I showed her the picture, laughing at how her artistic taste is still in fashion!
And a couple weeks later, a box arrived at my door and she had sent me the bowl! (thanks Mom!) I am so excited to use and enjoy the mushroom bowl. I was pretty shocked when I put it next to my own appetizer ceramic platter and saw the similarities in line and character of the drawings. Just goes to show, with the discussions of inspiration, how deeply rooted our inspirations are. Years of seeing a style, an illustration, a color... it influences the way you see things. It also makes me realize how much I like to have some sentimental touches in my kitchen. As they say, it is the heart of the home, and it's full of memories from smells and tastes and favorite recipes and... the mushroom bowl.
What do you love in your kitchen? What puts the smile of good memories on your face?
