Sunday, July 29, 2012

Baking Time Cookie Jar

This is the Ozark summertime cookie jar.

Named "Baking Time" from
Clay Art of San Francisco,
circa 1995.
Clay Art is known for their small line
of black Americana.
I found her at Burlington Coat Factory in 1999,
she was my first collectible cookie jar.

All her colors matched my kitchen very well
Plus,
She reminded me of my 4 years in college
at The Savannah College of Art and Design
in Savannah Georgia.
Many of the great cooks there that kept me fed
looked a little like her.
Have you ever been to Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House?
It's in Savannah and it's a Great place to eat, 
in an old fashion way.
Everyone sits at a table together and 
passes the serving bowls around the table. 
It's a pretty famous place.
But I digress...
 
Many websites refer to her as
the Mammy, or Aunt Jamima cookie jar,
but Clay Art never gave her an official name.
Whenever I see her I think of the slogan
"If you ain't eatin' WHAM. You ain't eatin' Ham."
A phrase uttered by Louise Beavers 

as housekeeper Gussie, in the film
 

"Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House".

Her phrase saved the family's house.
A very fun film. 
Maybe I'll call the cookie jar Gussie.
 

Ebay image 
Clay Art even offered matching salt and pepper shakers.
I never collected those but now I wish I had.

I used to keep her out year round till
the Ozark collection started growing.

Now she's only displayed in the summer season.

She has such a cheery expression
I bet she bakes good cookies too.

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