Your post brings back so many memories. I still use the Tangshan wok that my mother hand-picked for me over 40 years ago. Gives the best smoky flash-fries ever.
"[...] it’s not only recipes that provide connection to our family and our past, that kitchen tools we use can do very much the same." This is such a lovely thought!
I have my grandmother's colander, which is not particularly unique in and of itself (or even terribly useful, being all banged up and wonky), but it serves as a lovely little memory-prompt of the times I sat with her on a little stool while she made dinner and saw it hanging on the turquoise-colored kitchen wall.
Oh, wow, what a great memory. You're making me remember a well-loved, slightly dented old colander my mom had...haven't thought about that in ages, not sure what came of it. So happy you have your grandmother's and such delightful memories with it.
I was very sorry to lose my grandmother's electric waffle iron, which she received as a wedding gift in the 1930s. It shorted out one day, and my husband took one look at the asbestos-coated innards and said, "I love you, but no, I cannot fix this."
It's OK, though. I've got lots of other ancestral stuff.
Scallop shells! Revere ware! Meat grinder for oranges and cranberries! This speaks to me of my 1960s childhood. I retain some of these things my mother had, and appreciate you reminding me of lovely dinners gone by.
Ah yes, so many memories rest waiting in our kitchen cupboards! I have some Texasware mixing bowls that remind me of my Mom, a swirly clear pyrex-type bowl my Nana always served red jello and fruit cocktail 'salad' in, My Grandma's huge blue enamel bread dough pan that I still mix and rise my dough in, and one plate, and one porridge bowl passed down to me from my Mom that belonged to my Great-Grandmother Mammy. When I eat porridge out of that bowl, I think of my Grandpa Gene as a boy eating his porridge, and I put a little butter on it just like he always did. Thanks for your post, and for today's reminder that it's a very good thing to keep, cherish, and use these sweet and sentimental things.
Your post brings back so many memories. I still use the Tangshan wok that my mother hand-picked for me over 40 years ago. Gives the best smoky flash-fries ever.
Oh how wonderful, what a treasure that is for you to have!!
Oh yes, it's a family heirloom - better than gold or gems 😊
"[...] it’s not only recipes that provide connection to our family and our past, that kitchen tools we use can do very much the same." This is such a lovely thought!
I have my grandmother's colander, which is not particularly unique in and of itself (or even terribly useful, being all banged up and wonky), but it serves as a lovely little memory-prompt of the times I sat with her on a little stool while she made dinner and saw it hanging on the turquoise-colored kitchen wall.
Oh, wow, what a great memory. You're making me remember a well-loved, slightly dented old colander my mom had...haven't thought about that in ages, not sure what came of it. So happy you have your grandmother's and such delightful memories with it.
I am the proud owner of an ancient Revereware pan. My own, not my mom’s but the secrets it holds!
Those pans were clearly made to last!!
I was very sorry to lose my grandmother's electric waffle iron, which she received as a wedding gift in the 1930s. It shorted out one day, and my husband took one look at the asbestos-coated innards and said, "I love you, but no, I cannot fix this."
It's OK, though. I've got lots of other ancestral stuff.
Oh, I can related to it being hard to have to give that up. Hopefully making waffles on a newer iron can still channel those memories.
Scallop shells! Revere ware! Meat grinder for oranges and cranberries! This speaks to me of my 1960s childhood. I retain some of these things my mother had, and appreciate you reminding me of lovely dinners gone by.
Ha, this made me laugh....fellow 60s kid here.
Ah yes, so many memories rest waiting in our kitchen cupboards! I have some Texasware mixing bowls that remind me of my Mom, a swirly clear pyrex-type bowl my Nana always served red jello and fruit cocktail 'salad' in, My Grandma's huge blue enamel bread dough pan that I still mix and rise my dough in, and one plate, and one porridge bowl passed down to me from my Mom that belonged to my Great-Grandmother Mammy. When I eat porridge out of that bowl, I think of my Grandpa Gene as a boy eating his porridge, and I put a little butter on it just like he always did. Thanks for your post, and for today's reminder that it's a very good thing to keep, cherish, and use these sweet and sentimental things.
Oh Lynn, what fabulous examples, thanks so much for sharing these items and the memories they hold.
I love this piece, Cynthia, and I have a special tool with a very long history that will be featured in Bee's new book which I cannot wait to read!
Oh, wow, that's so very cool!! I'm so looking forward to seeing that book.