Candi Glicken

When Mom inherited her grandmother's special set of china, there were only eleven place settings. Since sets of dishware usually come in even numbers – it is, after all, a couple’s world--this was a puzzle.

The story goes that our beloved Bawba was having one of her incredible family dinners and was, of course, using her fine china.  Bawba kept Kosher.  Kosher is a complicated dietary system used by the more religious Jewish people. The main rule is that you NEVER mix meat and dairy foods at a meal.  Bawba’s china had to be for meat, as brisket is a mainstay of Jewish holiday main courses.  Apparently, the woman serving the food and helping clean up, put something that was used for dairy dishes in one of Bawba’s bowls or plates.  Catastrophe!  

Bawba went to the rabbi to ask if she’d have to destroy her set of china. The rabbi listened intently to my great grandmother's tale of woe. He then told Bawba that she should bury one place setting in the backyard.  The symbolic destruction of the place setting would be enough to save the rest of her precious china.  So, somewhere in the backyard of a building near Kimball and Spaulding in Chicago is the twelfth place setting of Bawba’s china.

I am now the proud owner of the dishes since Mom passed away and have used them on a few special occasions. I’d love to have all twelve place settings of Bawba's hand-painted, antique china. So, if you find a plate, a bowl, a cup and saucer buried in the backyard of your condo, please give me a call.