"Heirloom" cooking tools and memories (wine, ingredients, skillet)

[rrah]

Given that this is the holiday season for many, and that many of us cook and bake things we don't normally do, made me wonder about the "heirloom" cooking tools others use during holidays or year round.

I was cleaning out my tool drawer and noticed a set of metal measuring spoons. They are nothing special or exotic. They were probably purchased at a dime store. I think my mother gave them to me in a box of cooking stuff when I was in college.

Because I don't use them often, doing so brings back memories every time. I remember my sisters and I helping our mother with holiday baking and getting to be the one to measure out ingredients with the spoons. I also used them when I baked for the holidays with my own children. Don't know if they will hold the same memories for my children. I do know it would make me sad to lose them.

Do you have similar memories about certain cooking tools?

[writerwife]

Yes.. I have my mother's old cookie press. It works better than any modern one I've tried and I use it every year to make certain Christmas cookies.

[greatblueheron]

I have my grandmother's slotted spoon with wooden handle...glad for the memories.

[littlelou]

I have to admit I grabbed many things from my mom's junk drawer when she passed. My sister had inherited her mother-in-laws tools (she was a professional chef) and her step-mother in laws tools. Everytime I cook I use the "grandma" fork - a 3 tine, wooden handled fork that every home had near the stove, I have many of her Sterling serving spoons - and yes I polish them. Probably my favorite "antiques" are the 1940's Hamilton Beach mixing bowls from my Grandmother. I cherish them and if something happened to one of them, I'd be crushed. I hand wash and towel dry and after I'm sure they're completely dry, wrap them in a towel and put away on a shelf by themselves. My dog uses one of my mom's small serving bowls as a water bowl, it's just the right size, height for him. I also have an iron trivet that was Mom's. And I have the only piece of Crystal from their china set. My nephew got the china - and they use it weekly - but there was only 1 crystal wine glass and my niece wrapped it in bubble wrap and slipped it into my purse without her mom knowing. she told me later it would have been broken too quickly cuz my sister wouldn't have cherished it like I do. I have a knife that my Granddad got from the Rural Electric co-op in the small town they lived in - panhandle of Texas. My Grandmom put it it a box of Depression glass dishes she left me (I was the only one who admired them - fascinated with the garnet red color as a child) she packed all the pieces she had and marked all over the boxes that they were for me. Told my Uncle and my Dad she'd haunt them for eternity if I didn't get them. And with her - they believed her... My dad was surprised when he opened the drawer to get a knife and came up with that one - didn't know Grandma had done that.. He remembered getting things like that from the Co-op.

[Heidi60]

I have Grandma's old stainless steel pots and pans. While watching a vintage Julia Child show a few months back I noticed she used the same cookware, which reminded me of Grandma watching her program when ever she could.

[turf3]

Best one is my grandmother's cast iron skillet. Far superior to the crap sold today.

[silibran]

I have a few things from my family, but I have a bunch that I picked up for myself along the way. My meat mallet is my grandmother's, as is my glass bacon press. I also have her old 1C measuring cup, but it is tinned steel and it is rusted, so I don't use it.

My mother's cooking gear was hopeless and I didn't need or want anything she had when we had to dispose of her cooking things.

But, I own two vintage iron skillets, a vintage rolling pin, an old and excellent potato masher made from one piece of stainless steel, a few pieces of vintage Pyrex, some old drinking glasses, various white serving dishes, stoneware platters that my mother collected, a 100 year old glass bowl, a celery glass, and some old silverplate serving pieces.

But, I also have some things I've bought for myself or were given to me early in my married life. Some of what I am using now is vintage 1970. (The date of my marriage) So I suppose those pieces are considered vintage now.

[BijouBaby]

So maybe it's not heirloom from my family, but it's heirloom for SOMEONE'S family...

I picked up an old, aluminum turkey roasting pan at a thrift store that I frequent. It's probably from the 40's or 50's. Being aluminum, it's light as a feather and has a raised rack inside and a high dome lid. It really did a great job roasting a pretty big turkey and have done rib roasts in it too. I love it because it's so light weight and is easy to clean. Has that cool vintage look. I love things from the 50's era!

[mschrief]

When I married my son's father, I didn't have a wedding shower, but my mother went out and bought up some kitchen tools.

My favorite was a razor sharp potato peeler.

When I divorced him 13 years later he kept it.

I still grieve it.

[xPlorer48]

I use daily my grandma’s Revere Ware pots. I have some of those red, yellow, blue and green bowls from my childhood but can’t remember the name now. And, I have a partial set of 1950s black handled set of utensils.