From Mama's Kitchen
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...for those who savor the look and flavors of yesterday's kitchen... |
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June 2006
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Mama's Kitchen is a free newsletter about kitchen collectibles. This newsletter is designed to be entertaining and educational, but also a dialogue among those who have a fondness for kitchen items of all kinds. I hope you'll join us for a few memories, giggles, laughs and some useful information about kitchen collectibles. I am not an expert in any field, but I have been buying and selling kitchen items for over 9 years and loving them for a lifetime. Remember collecting anything should be fun. This is especially true when you can use your collection on a daily basis. Please let me know if there is a particular item you would like featured in upcoming issues. |
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Just when I thought I'd seen it all, I'll come across an interesting gadget or a version of something common that I have never seen. I am fascinated by trivia that is kitchen related. I thought I would share a few of my most recently learned facts about the history of kitchenalia. “Spiffy Kitchen Collectibles”, Krause Publications, 2003, by Brian Alexander.
...The history of getting something free with a purchase goes back to the 1800’s....figural candy containers...provided an extra sales incentive for customers. ...In the 1900’s Nabisco started selling crackers in their own tin which could be used for storage later. ...Mother’s Carnival Oats made by Quaker Oats in the 1930’s contained a piece of Homer Loughlin China similar to the colors of the Fiesta Dinnerware. ...Quaker Oats had a mail in promotion for Blue Ridge Apple Pattern Dinnerware in the 1950’s. ...Duz Detergent contained a piece of Golden Wheat China in the 1950’s. ...A Silver Leaf Libbey glass was contained inside Silver Dust Detergent in the 1960’s. ...Big Top Peanut Butter came packaged in Early American Glassware in 1957. ...Swift’s Peanut Butter came in Wizard of Oz Glasses in the 1950’s. ...Kraft Cream Cheese came in a Pyrex Baking Cup in the 1960’s. ...Purity Oats came in a metal red & white Apple Canister in the 1950’s. ...Breeze Detergent Box contained a Canon Face Cloth in the 1960’s. ...Oxydol Detergent Box contained Three Wooden Spoons in the 1950’s.
Our mothers and grandmothers religiously saved Top Value and S&H Green stamps for all those wonderful items that would arrive in the mail. How many of us remember Dish Night at the Movies? I know I do and I certainly remember licking those stamps. Some of the most sought after Kitchen Collectibles made their debut as a premium to something. |
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Take a large cupful of bread dough; roll out on the molding board; spread on it a piece of butter and lard together, as large as a goose-egg; sprinkle a little flour over it; fold it up, and pound with something heavy a long time; take a small piece at a time; roll out very thin; stamp with a clock key, and bake very quickly. |
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Treasure House Of Universal Knowledge,, Henry Scammel, Compiler, 1891.
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Dough Rising Box A Dough Rising box such as the one pictured probably dates back to the mid to late 1800’s. Some came with leg extensions and even rollers on the inside to help you knead the dough. The one pictured has a large space to place the dough on the inside. It was usually placed near the fireplace or stove or even out in the sun for the dough to rise. You could even knead the dough on the top if you so desired. They were commonly made from poplar, tiger maple and pine. You might find the insides painted with mustard paint. Book Value depends on the box, age, quality and rarity. The ones I found in the book “Kitchen Antiques” were valued at $450.00-$1450.00. The one pictured is a fairly simple design and most likely common. I valued it at $150.00 and had no trouble selling it. Do you have an odd piece of kitchenalia that you'd care to share or ask others to help you identify? Just e-mail a picture and your thoughts to mamas@tias.com and we'll post it and any responses here. |
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Rolling On the Dough Board - Rolling Pins Rolling Pins were initially carved from one piece of wood such as pine or maple. The first one pictured is an example of this early type of rolling pin. In the 1900’s ball bearings were added to make the center section roll more easily. You also started to see paint being added to the handles. Glass rolling pins date back to the 1930’s. The idea was to put cold water in them to make rolling the dough easier and not have it stick to the pin. The most popular of these today is the Pyrex Rolling Pin. You also had the Springerle rolling pins that were used to make decorative imprints in the pastry dough as seen below. With the advent of plastics, the rolling pin was changed yet again. The most popular colors made by Ekco were pink and yellow. Many people collect and display rolling pins. In today’s eclectic design element, I have seen them used as kitchen borders, towel racks, valance rods, and as a wall covering. Yes, I know someone who did a whole wall from floor to ceiling in rolling pins. Now that’s what I call a design statement!
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I cannot roll pie dough. I have tried recipe after recipe, gadgets galore, at least a dozen different types of rolling pins, pastry cloths and too many other things to mention. I am a rolling pin failure when it comes to pie dough. In fact I think the day that ready made pie crusts went on the market should be a National Holiday. My mother was not a great cook and for the life of me I can’t figure out how she could roll the most perfect pie dough time after time. I’ve followed her recipe to the letter and it still falls apart. She would slap it together, roll it out, and lift it off the board and onto the pie filling without a crumb tearing or falling off. Then like an artist, she would hold the pie up in one hand and trim it with a paring knife. It was always evenly cut all the way around. No fancy pie edgers for her, she would use her knuckle and then back to her paring knife to cut in whatever design on top struck her fancy. She made beautiful pies and she made them quick. The best part of watching her make a pie was what came afterwards. She would take all the trimmed left over dough and roll it into a big circle. She’d give me the biscuit cutter and let me cut out all the circles I could. We’d put them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. They’d go into the oven at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes. As soon as they were cool enough to eat, my brothers and I would devour every one of them. We called them Johnny Cakes. I don’t know where the name came from and my mom never told me. I suppose it was her way of making me feel important. It was one of those times that I felt the closest to her. I still remember how wonderful those Johnny Cakes tasted. I just wish she had given me her talent for making pie dough.
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A new use for that loaf of bread has come to my attention. Use bread to pick up the fragments of broken glass safely. I tried this one out and it does work great!. Have you got a great kitchen tip or question, please send it along to mamas@tias.com |
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The home page of Mama's Treasures has been revamped to make it easier for you to find your favorite collectibles. I've also added a new category called the "Half Price Table." Any item ordered from this category will be discounted 50% after the order is placed. You’ll see a new Category called Dad’s Place which contains gift suggestions for Father’s Day. Joining my mailing list also makes you eligible for promotional coupons and advance notice of sales. 15% Off Sale starting June 1st. Sale does not include Gift Certificates or Half Price Table Items. Every order enters you in a drawing for a $25.00 gift certificate. The winner will be announced on June 30th. New items added include a Kromex Pink Spice Set, Canister Set & S&P Set; Kromex Aluminum Range and Spice Sets New Bakelite Utensils; A&J Blue with White Stripe Utensils; West Bend Canister Set; Federal Dot Bowls; Libby Orange Juice Glasses; Ransburg Canister Sets; Tomato Juice Glasses; Texasware and Brookpark Bowls; Vintage Aprons; Cookbooks & Potholders; Pyrex Primary Color and Pink Bowls; Wesson Oil Mayonnaise Beater Jar; Pyrex Flameware Teapots, Coffeepots, & Double Boilers; Vintage Sewing & Hankies; Primitives and much more. Drop by and visit at www.tias.com/stores/mamas. I love to chat, answer questions and we always consider reasonable offers. |
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- What's it worth? Try Kovels' free online price guide to over 300,000 antiques and collectibles. It can be found online at http://www.kovels.com
- Looking for an expert to help you with repairs, or an appraisal? Or just some help finding an auction house or a collectors club? Try this free service at http://www.tias.com/stores/kovelsyellow/
- Looking for prices for antiques and collectibles?
PriceMiner.com has millions of them. Most items listed include color photos as well. Sign up today at: http://tinyurl.com/c6oqc (Not affiliated with Kovels.com) - Get an online appraisal for just $9.95 from “What's It Worth To You?” http://whatsitworthtoyou.com/tias.htm (Not affiliated with Kovels.com)
- The Latest News regarding Antiques & Collectibles Take a look at http://www.new-antique.com
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Thank you for reading! Thanks for reading! Feel free to forward this to a friend. |
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