Winter Cleaning Jag

I’m on a roll. I have dug up four vintage utensils that I stowed in my old Sparky gas range, that’s in our entry hall, and didn’t remember where I put them. I can’t remember if they were on the way out or on the way in.  But whatever that was, they are staying put now, somewhere in my teeny kitchen space, which is already quite full. But I will prevail with these somehow. Perhaps I’ll be hanging up the three that have big holes in the bottom of the handles and stuffing the extra one with my other zillion forks, spoons, spatulas and the like. 

These are so cute and well made that I feel like I’m back again in the old days, perhaps the 40s or 50s. Well, let me tell me about each one of these beauties. The largest is a FLIPPER LIFTER, made in England, which looks like a very wide pancake turner over thingy with holes in it. It is so big that I actually could use it in the garden, but never would of course. It is too pristine and will be saved for those special occasions when I make a thousand huge flapjacks for all the people who never visit us because they live on the other side of the world. In other words I’m not sure when or how or what I will use it on. But I will persevere and at the very least try to think about what I can flip over using it. Probably myself, knowing how accident prone I am. The handle is wooden and painted yellow with a nifty green racing stripe just above the hole but the paint is peeling a bit and it’s in just average condition unlike the shiny metal on the other end. It has a companion piece, also with a slightly dodgy yellow wooden handle with a green stripe. This particular item was made by Skyline, an English company, and it is called a BATTERWHIP, with a contoured fan shape and seven prongs. In script, under its name, is the inscription, Curved to fit the Bowl and I don’t think I’ve ever used it and probably won’t in the future. But I will keep it and hang it proudly next to its flipping mate. 

My favorite piece is called a KITCHAMAJIG. That alone should get your heart pumping and that is a registered Trademark, also from England. It crushes, strains, whips and lifts as described on the front. I’m not sure what it will crush, strain, whip or lift and it will be the easiest to decorate the wall since its handle is of the same metal and the opening for hanging up is rather large. The last piece I could not resist buying in some unknown outlet, is a slotted spoon, with the slots resembling check marks. It has a rich mint green colored wooden handle with a thin darker green stripe and is well worn. I will use this one often without having to put on my thinking cap to figure out how I will use it. Plus as an extra inducement, I have a matching fork that I'll use sometimes.

Somehow I’m so attracted to these kinds of tools like the ones my granny and my mother used, and I like the retro colors schemes and patterns and dorky names very much too. Today’s tools just don’t have any soul compared to these handy wonders. So I prefer to regress stylishly to another era, when nothing was made from plastic and life was definitely in the slow lane. Who knows? I may even have to don an apron while I'm preparing my culinary masterpieces as I slather on gravy or strain the juices of my crackling roast dinner, to put into the gravy. But it's a step too far trying to picture myself crushing my dinner or my dinner partner with one of these. Oh well. I'll figure it out in due time.