Saturday, February 11, 2012

Childhood Flashback



Isn't it funny how a memory from decades long past can come flashing into our minds?

One such recollection is of my mother using an old-fashioned iron meat grinder. She kept it in a chilly pantry off the kitchen.

She always pulled it out on holidays, particularly when making turkey stuffing. The meat grinder had metal clamps that Mom screwed onto the kitchen table.

It was quite a contraption. She'd stuff the heart, giblets, liver, and so forth into the cup part of the grinder and then turn a big handle.  The squished innards came out and were caught in a bowl.

Sounds horrible but her stuffing was so absolutely delicious that no store bought boxed stuffing could even come close to it. Just thinking about it gets the taste buds going. 

Now how did that meat grinder memory ever come back into my mind at this time of year?  There's no Tom turkey ready to be cooked in the oven.

Well, here's how. The other week, I went to an estate sale. The woman whose home was being emptied apparently loved dollhouse miniatures. 

Upstairs on a table of miniature furniture and doodads was a plastic bag filled with a variety of dollhouse accessories. I bought it on the spot for a buck.

Once home, I emptied the contents out onto the kitchen table. There, before my very eyes, was a tiny, perfectly formed meat grinder. It was an exact replica of the one my Mother used!

Well, wonders never cease!  Happily, no miniature sized giblets will be going into it.  It will just be part of an old-fashioned  dollhouse kitchen.

WHAT WAS THE LAST OBJECT YOU SAW THAT MADE YOU THINK OF YOUR CHILDHOOD? 

12 comments:

Kit said...

Oh I love that you found this in the bag! How exciting! Kit

diane.stetson said...

Well it's not exactly my childhood but I still own and use an electric hand mixer Dad got me when I was engaged over 47 years ago and it works just fine. I remember that grinder too Susan.I had one like it when I was first married.

Lady Linda said...

Do you like mimi's? I think we must be kindred spirits. I bought one of these at a doll show a few years back for my dolls! It's such a cute mimi.
Tell me more about the dollhouse kitchen.

Linda O'Connell said...

Yes, that would be an oldie, goldie. Fun find for a dollar. We have a dollhouse museum in our town.

Anonymous said...

I love old things, they have so much history and memory in them. That was a great buy!
Have a lovely day!

Eva

Karen said...

I just gave my meat grinder to my daughter! I'm sure it wasn't nearly as cute as the little one you found.

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

I had to chuckle when I saw the meat grinder. I have had my parents one on display in my Kitchen for many years now. My Mom used it to grind nuts for her nut and poppy rolls for the Holidays and my Dad used it to make Kielbasi. I remember helping him by stretching the casings over the nozzle and he would turn the handle and the meat would come out and go into the casing!
Thanks for bringing to mind some great Childhood memories!

Hugs,
Debbie

Debbie said...

I just recently pulled out one of my Grandma's pie tins. It always reminds me of Thanksgiving, and Christmas dinners. Gran brought all the pies: apple, cherry, pumpkin, mince meat, and blueberry.
Your little grinder is sooo cute.
xxoo

Linda @ A La Carte said...

That was just meant to be for you! I am so glad it brought back good memories. I'm trying to think what brought back childhood memories for me...mostly I see things that remind me of my girls being little. Oh yes, I saw an original Barbie doll box only that sold for an amazing amount online...crazy...just the box no Barbie. Oh but had I just kept all my original Barbies...sigh! Who knew! hugs, Linda

Bookie said...

My mother had one of these too. This is what she used to grind the cheese for her pimento cheese. By the way, I made pimento cheese this morning, the same recipe as a few weeks ago. It is wonderful all over again...but alas, I have to do somethng about cholesteral and this might be last cheese for a while.....

Heirloom treasures said...

How nice.
xx jeanetteann

Chatty Crone said...

I think that you had to get that - it reminds me of your mother. My mother in law had one and even made her hamburger meat from steaks.
Sandie

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