The Magnolia Journal Spring 2022

follow along on instagram: @JOANNAGAINES nurture THE FIRST GREEN SHOOT OF THE YEAR sets the world in motion. We watch life return to all that once lay bare as nature starts showing off a confetti of colors—the air bright with possibility. This is the greatest gift that spring offers our hearts and minds—it reminds us that we can begin again. Because every spring is an origin story, an invitation to nurture all the good that has already taken root. Whether it’s the bud of a tulip we planted the fall before or one of the earliest crops breaking through the soil, that first sign of new life in the garden shifts my attention to the season now at hand. No matter how long or cold the winter has been, a new chapter is…

What’s Taking Root at Magnolia From our spring collection online to our workshops that inspire you at home to our menus here in Waco—the spring season and this issue’s theme of “nurture” are taking root across every corner of Magnolia. Shop at the market + online From the Garden Shed Our spring collection has all the essentials you need to keep on growing this season, including watering cans, planters, tools, and more. And in due time, you’ll see that the work was worth the wait. Spotlight: The Greenhouse We love the flourishing that can take place in a greenhouse, which is why you’ll notice them on the cover of this issue, at Magnolia Market, in our story on page 44, and beyond. Be transported to one right at home with our Greenhouse candle, filled with scent notes…

I saw it just the other day: a window with schoolchildren’s faces pressed against it. They were standing as close as they could get, noses squished against the glass. All of them watching the rain. For a moment I wondered what they thought of me—walking without an umbrella, soaking it up, wanting the raindrops on my skin. Then I turned to them and waved. When I was sure all their little faces were watching, I started to dance. And oh, did they laugh. Thanks to the rain. I remembered it just the other day: the coffee shop I stopped by every morning before my very first job. It was a new city full of new places and people, and I was trying to find my way. One morning it started to rain…

Becki Shepherd leads our food operations at Magnolia, but she’s also a dear friend. Over the years, we’ve shared many meals in each other’s homes, and I’ve learned a lot from her about the power of food and the way it binds us together. She has a way of showing you that those moments in the kitchen or at the table, which may appear ordinary, are actually nurturing something within us—something deep, good, and lasting.—Joanna my grandmother, who we called Mema Pat, loved to cook. Almost anytime you went to her house you could find her at her avocado-green range that was the center of her kitchen. Whenever I could be, I was right by her side. Mema Pat was my favorite person to be around, and she’s the reason I’ve…

Nothing here relies on shine or perfection. This isn’t a room that will break apart or rock under your feet. It’s a place you can settle in, curl up against, rub shoulders with. And if you happen to chip a plate or drag a chair across the floor, it will forgive you. Nothing is sacred—and this is why it is. SOMETIMES WE FIND PLACES THAT HOLD US. These rooms don’t show off or over-announce themselves. They don’t make us wonder where we can set a cup of tea or prop our feet. They speak ease and invitation. A worn velvet couch ready for after-dinner lounging. A bowl of fruit set out for the picking. Abundant leaves and flowers draped over shelves and pots. A candle lit. Bread on the board. Aromatic soap…

Start with a base recipe that keeps it sweet PREP: 25 minutes BAKE: 14 minutes MAKES: 3 dozen cookies ⅔ cup butter, softened½ cup sugar¼ tsp. kosher salt2 egg yolks1 tsp. vanilla1½ cups all-purpose flour2 egg whites, lightly beaten (optional)½ to 1 cup coating (optional)⅓ to ½ cup fillingTopping (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 2. Beat butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium to high 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. 3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. If using a coating, roll balls in egg whites, then coat in chosen ingredient. Place balls…