Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 1)

[Darienne]

got a domed clay bread baker--sassafras brand--last week at the thrift for $3--works great for the no-knead bread. Need to exeperiment on times for this --my first loaf was a little under-cooked to my taste--i like a little char in the crust.

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=186451&CCAID=FROOGLE186451

Ah! The simple uncomplicated joys of second-hand shopping!

[Kim Shook]

Not yard sale shopping, but I wasn’t sure where else this belonged. It’s all old stuff, so I guess its ok here!

My grandmother is doing some clearing out at her house and, this weekend, during my visit loaded me up with a PILE of books:

I think I have a community cookbook from every church in Reidsville NC !

But these were actually kind of cool, I think:

Here are the title pages and front photographs:

These books were all published in the early 40’s and I can’t wait to read them like novels! I was fascinated by these books as a child and can remember wanting so badly to go to a party that was serving that platter of petit fours!

[andiesenji]

I have all of those cookbooks - from my grandmother - and they all contain interesting recipes for foods that have been somewhat "forgotten" or fallen out of fashion.

I can't tell you how many times I prepared the coconut haystack candies from the last book. Yummy.

[Kerry Beal]

Four two litre Cambro containers for 25 cents each. I will have to find lids for them, but I know I've seen them fairly cheaply at my local restaurant supply.

[Special K]

Two goodies today: Trail of Crumbs, a memoir by Kim Sunee, and a nice copper egg white bowl. Score! I've wanted that bowl for a long time, but would never pay $100+ for it. Got it for $15.

[hummingbirdkiss]

estate sale find

can you guys tell me what this is?

thanks http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/1265489637/gallery_51681_6827_789.jpg

[David A. Goldfarb]

estate sale find

can you guys tell me what this is?

thanks http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/1265489637/gallery_51681_6827_789.jpg

Looks like a nutcracker, unless I've grossly misread the size from the photo.

[hummingbirdkiss]

well that was the first thought but it has an adjustable size and does not close completely and has those little grabbers on it? I bet it is a nutcracker but it seems so different from one? any guess on the age or where it is from?

[Porthos]

I cook for one of the guilds at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire and found this barely-used 2 qt SS sauce pan for 2.69 after my senior's discount. It is quite heavy and the non-stick surface is intact. It will be a handy pan to melt butter in which is what I bought it for.

Edited February 18, 2010 by heidih
Delete OT (log)

[andiesenji]

estate sale find

can you guys tell me what this is?

thanks http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/1265489637/gallery_51681_6827_789.jpg

It's a lemon squeezer - looks to be Victorian but could be Edwardian. Note that this is not to squeeze half a lemon but the lemon wedges served with raw oysters and placed on the table with the oyster plate.

The Victorians had a table utensil for everything.

A place setting could consist of many pieces but not all were placed on the table at the beginning of the meal. The "rule of three" was followed, six flatware pieces for the first two or three courses, with three pieces on each side of the charger or plate. The used flatware was removed with each course and then new pieces were placed prior to the next two or three courses.

Edited February 18, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[dougal]

well that was the first thought but it has an adjustable size and does not close completely and has those little grabbers on it? I bet it is a nutcracker but it seems so different from one? any guess on the age or where it is from?

I have one. Been in the family for more than 70 years. Its been used as a nutcracker all that time.

The 'stops' at the hinge prevent you from going right through the nut, pulverising it.

You fold it one way for big nuts, the other way for small ones ...

I don't think its a very good nutcracker though!

Personal preference is for the 'thumbscrew' type, but I haven't binned the ratchet one that was bought for my father's arthritic hands.

Lemon segment squeezers look more like this.

Edited February 18, 2010 by heidih
Delete photo/add link (log)

[hummingbirdkiss]

thanks so much for the ideas you guys take care!

[Kerry Beal]

Had some time to kill before heading to work today - stopped in at the Bibles for Missions thift store. Got a nice looke 0.5L Isi whip cream siphon will all it's parts for $3.

[andiesenji]

Had some time to kill before heading to work today - stopped in at the Bibles for Missions thift store. Got a nice looke 0.5L Isi whip cream siphon will all it's parts for $3.

Terrific find, Kerry. That is a steal!

I had to pick up dog food this morning (local feed store that is nice enough to order the stuff I feed) and noticed a box of vacuum sealer bags sitting next to the desk where the owner camps out during the day. I asked if he was planning to vac package some of his bulk items and was told, "No, one of the kids (his kids work in the store) opened this box and opened one of the inner boxes to see what was in it. The box was delivered by mistake and now I can't return it. We don't use them here or at home."

I asked if I could buy the case and he said, "Give me $20.00 and it's yours."

I estimate I got about $85.00 worth of bags. Actually stumbled over the box.

[Porthos]

I had to pick up dog food this morning (local feed store that is nice enough to order the stuff I feed) and noticed a box of vacuum sealer bags sitting next to the desk where the owner camps out during the day. I asked if he was planning to vac package some of his bulk items and was told, "No, one of the kids (his kids work in the store) opened this box and opened one of the inner boxes to see what was in it. The box was delivered by mistake and now I can't return it. We don't use them here or at home."

I asked if I could buy the case and he said, "Give me $20.00 and it's yours."

I estimate I got about $85.00 worth of bags. Actually stumbled over the box.

What a way cool deal.

[Kerry Beal]

I had to pick up dog food this morning (local feed store that is nice enough to order the stuff I feed) and noticed a box of vacuum sealer bags sitting next to the desk where the owner camps out during the day. I asked if he was planning to vac package some of his bulk items and was told, "No, one of the kids (his kids work in the store) opened this box and opened one of the inner boxes to see what was in it. The box was delivered by mistake and now I can't return it. We don't use them here or at home."

I asked if I could buy the case and he said, "Give me $20.00 and it's yours."

I estimate I got about $85.00 worth of bags. Actually stumbled over the box.

Nice score!

[rooftop1000]

Here is a great link for the dedicated hunters out there. You can sign up for weekly E-mails of sales in your area

http://www.estatesales.net/

tracey

[Porthos]

Thanks, Tracey. I just signed up.

[Lindsey]

I rushed off with a Vorwerk Thermomix with extra spare blade and seal for - 50pence!!!!! This was in a boot fair and is still my best ever buy.

[Special K]

I rushed off with a Vorwerk Thermomix with extra spare blade and seal for - 50pence!!!!! This was in a boot fair and is still my best ever buy.

You must have been very, verygood in a past life!

[David A. Goldfarb]

50p for a Thermomix probably beats my best deals, which include--

Two Mauviel 9.5" 2.5mm copper, stainless-lined Windsor pans (evasée) in the clearance section of Bed, Bath and Beyond for $19.98 each. I was walking by the clearance section, about 8 or 9 years ago, just as the clerk was putting these out. They had a couple of scratches on the bottoms, as if they'd been used once in a demo or maybe had been returned, so I asked if that was really the price, and he said yes, so I took one for myself and one for my father.

A block of six Sabatier **** Elephant carbon steel knives plus the block and a steel at a stoop sale in Brooklyn (the Brooklyn equivalent of a garage sale) for $40. They were coated in vegetable oil, which I stripped off. After using the 10" chef's knife for a few years, I decided it never felt right to me, so I sold it for $80 on eBay. Still using the others after about 10 years or so, and they seem to get better and better.

Around the same time as I got the Sabatier knives, the landlord was renovating an apartment upstairs from us in our brownstone, and the contractors threw out a 25x25x1.5" side grain maple butcher block, which I reclaimed and am still using.

[Chris Amirault]

Cocktail glasses. Lots and lots of them.

[Anna N]

So Kerry Beal and I were out in Waterloo yesterday visiting another chocolatier and on our return journey Kerry spotted 2 charity stores. In the first one Kerry scored juice glasses that she has been on the lookout for but in the second store she really scored - for me! This LeCreuset casserole holds 6 cups (approx.) and will be perfect for so many dishes when it's just hubby and me. It has a couple of tiny, tiny chips on the edge of the lid but is otherwise in perfect condition and all for just $7.99.

Edited to add:

Double bonus! It fits perfectly in my countertop Cuisinart Brick Oven.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Anna N (log)

[emilyr]

I stopped by the library on my lunch break and stumbled on the Friends of the Library monthly sale. I needed to pick up some cookbooks for my friend Jaci's wedding shower this weekend. I found the Good Housekeeping Cookbook for $3, Cooking for Dummies for $2 and for a buck I picked up for her fiance Penn and Teller's How to Play With Your Food. My cousin and little brother each had a copy of this when they were kids, and they can still make the bleeding jello heart from memory. I thought it'd be great to try to get the groom-to-be in the kitchen since he thinks cooking's for girls!

Unfortunately, I'd done the library last in my lunch break, or I could've shopped for myself. They should have whatever's left out this Saturday, so I'll probably go back. Plus, everything will be half-price.

[Anna N]

One of my best finds yet! This is a DLC-10 Classic Cuisinart Food Processor in mint condition.