Another take on tools and their deeper meaning. As they pass through different hands, cooking utensils can magically connect us to loved ones who are no longer with us.
Not sure which I enjoyed more - Hank's Ode or the Comments. Both made me smile and sent me back into 'memoryville'.
Thank you. Now back to the field, it is spring in Saskatchewan and seeding wheat is in full swing. Currently seeding 'the Homestead' which was the grandparents home place staring in 1907. Tiny old house, old shelterbelt, old orchard that the deer and moose have taken over. Warm weather, migrating birds by the thousands, the ticks are out :( and the days are still getting longer. Happy spring folks and I look forward to future reads.
This is an everyday for me, with my go to favorites currently split between the East and the West. There’s a sense of loss when I go to grab my favorite (insert tool here) and realize it’s 2000 miles away.
I love my small white Corning ware ceramic 1 qt pot w awesome borosilicate lid. Use it for everything.
I make coffee in it, the way my dad taught me, by dropping the grounds in 2 cups of water and heating it (never a single bubble or boil - that will burn the grounds) for 30 min or up to an hour or even two hours if I want a really rich creamy taste.
I have a 3 qt pot SS as well that I love - copper bottom - but he lost his lid at a gathering. So he’s never quite been the same since. Hunting for appropriate hats for him usually makes me try another pot. Will have to purchase a lid of another brand because I don’t think this pot is made anymore and I miss using him.
Several years ago I had such a pot give up the ghost. She passed on an elk hunt which for whatever reason helped me deal with the loss. Gave her all and went doing what we loved I guess. We cooked together on camping, rafting and hunting trips for over three decades! The pot was an antique when I bought it. Enameled 2 qt. pot, white with green trim, with matching lid which I don't even recall buying; either a garage sale or a thrift store most likely. The enamel was coming off on the outside from various drops and dings but the inside was intact. I don't recall what was cooking inside that meal but the enamel gave way during the cooking and the meal was crunchy. Like eating egg shells. Not appetizing.
She's been replaced but the new pot simply is boring.
I have a generic 3L stainless pot, second loop handle. Mine has a glass top, which I like. I guess I can't share a photo on a post comment. It's suitably charred and resists complete clean up. Inside cleans up good. Anyway, it's probably about 30 years old. Likely a TJMaxx buy. I couldn't even begin to describe the mileage. It's been a daily driver as long as I've had it.
For me it's the cast iron frying pan I first learned to cook with--the pan my mother insisted I take with me when I moved into my own place. It's heavy, been reseasoned I don't know how many times, and it still gives me perfect stir fries and pan-fried meals. It's a friend whose been through a lot with me, including teaching my son how to make toasted cheese sandwiches.
So true about tools. I used to do woodwork and a quality, well-built tool just makes you smile. A real "inside smile" that you can feel deep in your core. Almost spiritual. This feeling is almost exclusively with hand tools and on rare instances with power tools (but only ones you hold). There are some modern tools that give that feeling, but most were antiques, made when things were built to last. NOTE: if you are buying something that you are going to use for many years, spend the extra money for quality - you won't regret it - though I draw the line at Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch ovens😊)
That was quirky, a little, but an interesting and entertaining read. Thank you. I was surprised though that you chose a "little steel pot" over some other cooking implement, say a cast iron skillet or a particular knife (fetish or not). And re. coffee choices, I don't know if you have Trader Joe's in your new home, but I really like their Five Country Blend: https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/fairtrade-organic-five-country-blend-075122
I grew up an athlete in high school so I wasn't much of a cook after I married. It was Christmas Day about 30 years ago and hubby bought me a whole set of Analon cookware from Macy's. I was so mad at the time and thought to myself he doesn't listen to me! At the time I wasn't much of a cook and instead I wanted a sewing machine since I was pretty good at that. Maybe he's trying to tell me something!!! LOL I took a cooking class here and there and started to learn techniques and more recipes. I subscribed to Bon Appetite and I was hooked!! Creating beautiful and fancy meal after meal and one day hubby said I only want meat and potatoes!!! 😆🤣 One year I was brave enough to cook paella for the first time and for the entire family for Thanksgiving and it turned out great!! I was hooked!!! Since then I have had paella parties, taught people how to make it and they purchased their own paella pans and burners!! Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I still have the set hubby bought me and every time I use them I think about that day I opened them for Christmas. 😁 I know I should probably get rid of them, maybe??, but I really love the whole set and I use some almost every day.
We recently had to change out a substantial amount of cookware because we got an induction range. We let go of an entire set of All-Clad pots that we had had for nearly 30 years. I definitely had some time combining with them before they left, reminiscing about meals past.
It’s undeniably comforting to reach for an “old friend”. For me it’s an old Griswold that used to be my father’s. Have a great day and thanks for supporting the current 👍🏼
The older I get (78 so far) the older my tools are. . .some are old enough to vote. And they do indeed feel like old friends. I have a new friend that was gift from a 12 year old young man who is a piano student of my wife. He hand carved a knife for me and said it was for harvesting mushrooms. Tools are special friends when they remind you of other friends. Wish I could add a picture of the knife, it is really cool.
This has the same vibe as a meme that always makes me smile, "One of the weirdest things about being an adult is having a favorite stove top burner. No one ever talks about it."
Another take on tools and their deeper meaning. As they pass through different hands, cooking utensils can magically connect us to loved ones who are no longer with us.
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/apr/29/death-divorce-loss-kitchen-objects
Not sure which I enjoyed more - Hank's Ode or the Comments. Both made me smile and sent me back into 'memoryville'.
Thank you. Now back to the field, it is spring in Saskatchewan and seeding wheat is in full swing. Currently seeding 'the Homestead' which was the grandparents home place staring in 1907. Tiny old house, old shelterbelt, old orchard that the deer and moose have taken over. Warm weather, migrating birds by the thousands, the ticks are out :( and the days are still getting longer. Happy spring folks and I look forward to future reads.
This is an everyday for me, with my go to favorites currently split between the East and the West. There’s a sense of loss when I go to grab my favorite (insert tool here) and realize it’s 2000 miles away.
Yup 💕
Love this, relate to this
I love my small white Corning ware ceramic 1 qt pot w awesome borosilicate lid. Use it for everything.
I make coffee in it, the way my dad taught me, by dropping the grounds in 2 cups of water and heating it (never a single bubble or boil - that will burn the grounds) for 30 min or up to an hour or even two hours if I want a really rich creamy taste.
I have a 3 qt pot SS as well that I love - copper bottom - but he lost his lid at a gathering. So he’s never quite been the same since. Hunting for appropriate hats for him usually makes me try another pot. Will have to purchase a lid of another brand because I don’t think this pot is made anymore and I miss using him.
Well said Hank,
Several years ago I had such a pot give up the ghost. She passed on an elk hunt which for whatever reason helped me deal with the loss. Gave her all and went doing what we loved I guess. We cooked together on camping, rafting and hunting trips for over three decades! The pot was an antique when I bought it. Enameled 2 qt. pot, white with green trim, with matching lid which I don't even recall buying; either a garage sale or a thrift store most likely. The enamel was coming off on the outside from various drops and dings but the inside was intact. I don't recall what was cooking inside that meal but the enamel gave way during the cooking and the meal was crunchy. Like eating egg shells. Not appetizing.
She's been replaced but the new pot simply is boring.
I'm still watching for another old replacement.
Mark
So True a full kitchen of cast iron makes me happy every day!
I have a generic 3L stainless pot, second loop handle. Mine has a glass top, which I like. I guess I can't share a photo on a post comment. It's suitably charred and resists complete clean up. Inside cleans up good. Anyway, it's probably about 30 years old. Likely a TJMaxx buy. I couldn't even begin to describe the mileage. It's been a daily driver as long as I've had it.
For me it's the cast iron frying pan I first learned to cook with--the pan my mother insisted I take with me when I moved into my own place. It's heavy, been reseasoned I don't know how many times, and it still gives me perfect stir fries and pan-fried meals. It's a friend whose been through a lot with me, including teaching my son how to make toasted cheese sandwiches.
Hank,
So true about tools. I used to do woodwork and a quality, well-built tool just makes you smile. A real "inside smile" that you can feel deep in your core. Almost spiritual. This feeling is almost exclusively with hand tools and on rare instances with power tools (but only ones you hold). There are some modern tools that give that feeling, but most were antiques, made when things were built to last. NOTE: if you are buying something that you are going to use for many years, spend the extra money for quality - you won't regret it - though I draw the line at Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch ovens😊)
That was quirky, a little, but an interesting and entertaining read. Thank you. I was surprised though that you chose a "little steel pot" over some other cooking implement, say a cast iron skillet or a particular knife (fetish or not). And re. coffee choices, I don't know if you have Trader Joe's in your new home, but I really like their Five Country Blend: https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/fairtrade-organic-five-country-blend-075122
I grew up an athlete in high school so I wasn't much of a cook after I married. It was Christmas Day about 30 years ago and hubby bought me a whole set of Analon cookware from Macy's. I was so mad at the time and thought to myself he doesn't listen to me! At the time I wasn't much of a cook and instead I wanted a sewing machine since I was pretty good at that. Maybe he's trying to tell me something!!! LOL I took a cooking class here and there and started to learn techniques and more recipes. I subscribed to Bon Appetite and I was hooked!! Creating beautiful and fancy meal after meal and one day hubby said I only want meat and potatoes!!! 😆🤣 One year I was brave enough to cook paella for the first time and for the entire family for Thanksgiving and it turned out great!! I was hooked!!! Since then I have had paella parties, taught people how to make it and they purchased their own paella pans and burners!! Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I still have the set hubby bought me and every time I use them I think about that day I opened them for Christmas. 😁 I know I should probably get rid of them, maybe??, but I really love the whole set and I use some almost every day.
We recently had to change out a substantial amount of cookware because we got an induction range. We let go of an entire set of All-Clad pots that we had had for nearly 30 years. I definitely had some time combining with them before they left, reminiscing about meals past.
It’s undeniably comforting to reach for an “old friend”. For me it’s an old Griswold that used to be my father’s. Have a great day and thanks for supporting the current 👍🏼
The older I get (78 so far) the older my tools are. . .some are old enough to vote. And they do indeed feel like old friends. I have a new friend that was gift from a 12 year old young man who is a piano student of my wife. He hand carved a knife for me and said it was for harvesting mushrooms. Tools are special friends when they remind you of other friends. Wish I could add a picture of the knife, it is really cool.
This has the same vibe as a meme that always makes me smile, "One of the weirdest things about being an adult is having a favorite stove top burner. No one ever talks about it."
Truth!
Totally
Yes, I also have a favorite burner
100% accurate.
Wonderfully borderline kinky--or is it just me?
Ha! Hadn't thought of it that way...
Well, sometimes a good cooking pot, like a good cigar, is just a good cooking pot--and sometimes it's not. Ask Sigmund, he knows.