Mary Janet MacDonald launched her Facebook group, Tunes and Wooden Spoons, in the spring of 2020, more for a lark than anything and to have some fun with family and friends.

Mary Janet MacDonald launched her Facebook group, Tunes and Wooden Spoons, in the spring of 2020, more for a lark than anything and to have some fun with family and friends.

Well, she has been having a ton of fun. Never, though, did she think in her wildest dreams that her Cape Breton Cinnamon Buns would turn her into a social media sensation. Today, her followers have grown to more than 50,000 and she is must-see viewing for anybody who loves down-home cooking, and Cape Breton charm.

Tunes and Wooden Spoons, the cookbook, is the one we've all been waiting for. Complete with her most popular recipes, and, mixed, of course, with more than a pinch of that famous Cape Breton wit.

Mary Janet MacDonald is the most unusual of celebrities. She took Facebook by storm just as much for her warmth and kindness as for her prowess in the kitchen. Her cooking and baking skills were learned at her mother's apron strings as were mothers before her. She conveys those recipes with a deftness and a recognition of the importance they have played in her life as a mother and grandmother. And to top it off, Mary Janet seems to know or be related to every musician and step dancer in Cape Breton.

Mary Janet MacDonald's profile page

YOUR BELLY WILL GO WILD
"If your feet love Mary Janet's down-home dancing and your funny bone loves her down-home wit, your belly will go wild with her down-home cooking."
— Linden MacIntyre, award-winning author The Bishop's Man
MADE WITH LOVE
"Thank you, Mary Janet, for making us welcome in your Cape Breton kitchen with delicious treats, a good cup of tea and musical fun. When so many of us couldn't get home to our families, you brought home to us. These recipes are memories of our mothers and grandmothers, and all of them were made with love."
— Lesley Crewe, best-selling author of The Spoon Stealer
THE REAL DEAL
"In my travels, I am often asked about the local food traditions in Cape Breton. For me, it was the baking that left the best memories! In this beautiful book, my aunt Mary Janet shares many of the incredible local treats of home from her own kitchen. Having seven children and 12 grandchildren herself, I can assure you that these have been tried, tested, and loved over the decades. This book is the real deal and Mary Janet is the queen of Cape Breton baking! You will simply love every recipe." — Natalie MacMaster, award-winning fiddler
A PART OF TRADITION
"Nova Scotia has weathered the COVID pandemic storm by focusing on caring for one another. Mary Janet has used longstanding traditions of music and food to foster connection even while we are physically separated. This book is a wonderful legacy of these connections and a reflection of Nova Scotia's heritage. Thank you Mary Janet for being an important part of Nova Scotia Strong!"
— Robert Strang, Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer of Health
FEEL THE WARMTH
"Having taught Cape Breton step dancing for many years in Canada and beyond, Mary Janet's patience and mastery come through in her cooking discipline as well. Whether it's love of family, love of Gaelic traditions, or love of baking — you'll feel the warmth jump right off the page and into your heart, as if you were sitting beside her in her kitchen, on a Sunday afternoon."
— Dawn Beaton, Artistic Director, Celtic Colours International Festival