Friday, November 30, 2012

Another Sentimental Treasure Bites the Dust


Well, another sentimental kitchen item bites the dust, and I killed it.  I know nothing lasts forever, but I didn't think it would go down like this.  I have not been so traumatized since the demise of my electric frying pan three years ago.

This may seem like a silly thing to be upset about, after all, a double boiler is easily replaced.  But this was not an ordinary double boiler.  This item has been with me since I left my parents' house at the tender age of 18, with nothing to my name but some clothes and an old car.

I had rented a small, unfurnished house, and my grandparents, who had little or nothing as well, set about helping me get started with "adult life."  They scoured garage sales and auctions, and before I knew it, I was set up with a bed, a washing machine, my grandparents' old silver kitchen table, and my great-grandparents' old couch and chair.  I made a purchase for myself as well - a color TV, from a garage sale, for $2.  What they didn't tell me was that it had only ONE color - green.  But I digress.  I also had a kitchen full of various gadgets.  I saw the double boiler and had no idea what it was, so I stored it in the back of the cupboard with the hand-held potato masher and other mystery items, and went on with my life.

Eventually though I discovered my "culinary side" and I used the double boiler frequently.  I often thought how well-made things used to be, that I could have a second-hand double boiler for 35 years and it was still awesome.  I loved that thing - it had a smaller than typical footprint, and had a deep well, perfect for dipping candies at Christmas.  And it reminded me of my grandma, and how she lovingly took what little she had herself and put together a functional kitchen for me.  I can honestly say I never used it without thinking of her.

And, it was during just such an acitivity (dipping candies at Christmas time) that it met it's demise.  The large, hardened glob of almond bark in the bottom of the pan was driving me crazy, so I picked up the Murder Weapon -


- and attempted to stab the glob in half for faster melting.  Unfortunatly, the sharp blade went through the bottom of the upper pan -

- and managed to even pierce the bottom of the lower pan as well.



Is that "Taps" I hear?

I'm going to keep that knife in mind if I ever have an intruder in my home.

And now, I can't bear to throw it out, although it's completely nonfunctional for it's intended job.  I'll need to find a way to repurpose it.  Perhaps they'd make the perfect pots for kitchen herbs - they already have drain holes.  :)

9 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry for your loss :-) I was thinking about a planter for a nice flowering plant or something - you can think of your grandmother every time it blooms.

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    1. Thanks, Debi - they'll make great flower pots. :)

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  2. My mother had a double boiler as well. She would use it to make oatmeal in the morning, as it stays creamy and no lumps. That way, it could be served over a coarse of time and still be fresh and tasty. I do not know what became of it. They were made of aluminum and at that very thin so heat could be conducted quickly. I would check with amazon or ebay as I am sure you will be able to find a replacement.

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  3. I am extremely sorry for your loss! I think there is nothing gonna be stayed for ever. Anyway, I was so worried with my boiler but I had to get boiler replacement eventually. I loved your all above pics which made your whole story great. God Bless You and Happy New Year!

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  4. Karen - I wanted you to know that I nominated your for a "Liebster Blog" award. Here is the link: http://www.abbieandeveline.com/2013/01/11/a-dearest-honor/

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  5. Karen, I have this double boiler's sister. (I think. The one I have is about 6 3/4" in diameter at the bottom, and the smaller top pan is about 5" wide. It is 6 3/4" high without the lid and about 9" high with the lid.) It is not a family heirloom and has been sitting in my lower cupboard gathering just since I got it in a box of stuff at an auction. Would you like it? I know it wouldn't be the same as the one in your photo but you could make new memories with the one I have. Let me know if you'd like it.

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    1. Nancy, how sweet of you to offer it to me! I'm making friends with the new double boiler, tho, getting along okay with it. I'm going to plant herbs in the old one next spring. But it was very nice of you to offer, and much appreciated. I swear, genealogy bloggers are the nicest people there are. :)

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  6. Karen, I'm laughing so hard right now! Isn't it funny how attached we can grow to these little things in our lives? I can relate to your story so well. Just last week I had to acknowledge that I can no longer use a beloved stainless steel espresso stovetop coffee pot. I bought it 31 years ago in Venice, Italy, and it has been my trusty companion all this time, bringing back memories of that trip and creating even more as I shared many a cappuccino with family and friends. The rubber gasket has worn away after all these years. I don't know whether it's replaceable, but I can't let go of the coffee pot. (Besides, I think it knows too much about me.)

    I agree that your double boiler would have a great new life as a planter and would bring you much joy.

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Linda! I hope you can breathe some new life into your coffee pot. It would be hard to let go of something that special...

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