Tools that make life for the Cosie Easier

[Delmonico]

I've been out sorting gear and getting it better arranged today and have more to do.  I'm taking pictures of some of the gear and will post some that are interesting and handy to have.  Some may be useful to you, some may be more than you need for your cook camp.  I like old kitchen gadgets and many have came in handy at events.  I'll post them as I get them cropped, but to start with, my rolling Pin and the bag it goes in.  This was turned from a piece of scrap from the now defunt Hatfield rifle Company at St. Joe.  A friend of mine worked there for a while and got this piece for me. 

I might have got carried away with the stain, but it was so nice a piece, what else could I do.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Keep it away from the wife or we'll be callin' ya lumpy.   

Slim

[Tricky Trina]

That rollin pin looks like it was made with an absolutely beautiful piece of wood!

I love reading your posts, Del - so very, very interesting and informative!  I learn something new almost every time!

Trina

[Delmonico]

The Hatfield rifle Company was well know for the quality of wood in their Suther Style Muzzle-Loaders.  That is Tigerstripe maple with a red under tone from alkanet root stain, a golden oak oil added over that and then a light brown over that and then linseed oiled.   It took two weeks to put on the finish, it is never washed, just wiped clean with a rag with a bit of lard on it.

Yes it is one of my favorite tools.

[Delmonico]

Here's one you might have seen before.  These came in many different styles and were a big selling kitchen gadget in the later half of the 19th century.

[Delmonico]

There were several forms of canning jars in the 19th century, the one most folks think if is this type, with the glass lid, wire bail and rubber ring to seal it.  The first one is a Ball brand, 1/2 gallon, I use it for brown sugar, these are back being made again.  They do not recomend them for canning and neither do I, but the make great containers for items in the cook camp.  They keep moisture and insects out well.

The second one had some type of fancy coffee in it, I got it as a Christmas present, this one has Salertus (baking soda) in it.

[Delmonico]

Here's another one I use a lot.  It is a potatoe ricer,  you put peeled, boiled potatoes in it and press them through.  You can thin use the squeezings for mashed potatoes, they are the best you've ever ate that way.  Also use it for poatatoe pancakes or potatoe dumplings.  Since I make a lot of Czech food, I make a lot of these dumplings.

[Silver Creek Slim]

My mother has one of them 'tater ricers.

Slim

[Delmonico]

I'm headed to the shed to work on gear, expect more pictures later.

[El Peludo]

Whirlybird eggbeaters, jars, and potato ricers; some of each have a home in our collections of family heirlooms.  My kids and grands think we're wierd for keeping all of that "old junk"; but, as they get older themselves, and finally begin to understand the history of time, they are beginning to appreciate it more.

[Delmonico]

I like finding a garage sale where they kids/grandkids are getting rid of all that old junk.  I have got some of my best pieces at such.  Paid $14 dollars at one a couple of years ago and walked out with three paper grocery sacks.  Yes they got good homes.

[Delmonico]

Besides the ricer, one can use a potato masher.  I don't have one of the wooden ones that look like a German gernade, yet.  Will have one made when I find the right piece of maple.

The first one I have several of, I like using them to stir gravy with when makin a lagge oven full.

The second one is from Cracker Barrel, a little different design.

[Delmonico]

A good triangle is handy to call folks in.  This one is about 30 inches on the sides, all different lengths for different tones.  Made by Harlan Kruger a blacksmith friend of mine.  The steel is from a torsion bar off a combine.  Good steel, tempered well, it vibrates after the tone gets below the level of human hearing.

Yes the plywood on my shed door was assembled by the "Day Shift."

[Delmonico]

These are two items from the one garage sale.  The first is a adjustable potatoe slicer.  The second is a crinkle cutter for veggies.

[Delmonico]

Here's one that most folks don't need in our age of pre-sifted flour.  It's nice to mix baking powder and other dry ings. sometimes.  Sometimes I'm where someone is doing a grinding demonstration of corn meal or flour, then it's handy because they often want me to bake something out of their grindings.

I have another smaller one of a different type, I'll add it when I run across it.

[Ozark Tracker]

Del, all them pictures today brought back a lot of memories,  I can remember being in grandma's kitchen and using the crank flour sifter and thte potaote masher.

[Delmonico]

You can tell I like old kitchen gadgets, these were for the most part according to my research around in one form or another in the late 19th century.  What I look for is tin plating, nickel plating and wooden handles. 

I hit garage sales and thrift stores, the potatoe ricer was $5 at a Goodwill and the coffee grinder was $20.  I also buy any knife with a carbon steel blade.  Some of these I replace handles on.  Paid 50 cents for a Green River Skinner like Dixe sells, the handles were broke.  I just used some scrap maple on it and it is a favorite camp knife.  When I get the the knives all straightened out I'll snap a picture of the whole mess.   I carry plenty of paring knives, sometimes someone offers to peel.

[Stump Water]

Whirlybird eggbeaters, jars, and potato ricers; some of each have a home in our collections of family heirlooms. 

Here too.  I'm gonna hafta post some pics of the corn sheller, apple peeler, cherry seeder, shingle knife and mallet (shingle knife ain't the right name, but I can't think of it right now)... and I got some a' them Ball mason jars with the bail too.   

[Delmonico]

Froe is the word.

[Delmonico]

These are just the things I haul around with me, I do pick and choose what I take though.