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

[Kerry Beal]

Forgot to show you this one - I found this electric hot pot at the Bibles for Missions thrift store in Hamilton. It's not a Zo - but it had never been used and it seems to work well. I brought it to work today and I'm just running a couple of loads of water through it to get rid of any plasticy taste.

[Anna N]

Forgot to show you this one - I found this electric hot pot at the Bibles for Missions thrift store in Hamilton.

...

Right on! Looks great.

[dougal]

... It is a T-Fal (SEB) 4.5 L cooker that is made of very, very heavy stainless steel. It is made in France and I have googled until my eyes are bleary without coming up with any information on it. ...

To help with the Googling, the brand is 'Tefal' in Europe ... I'd hope to find any model refs on the plastic rather than the metalwork. And do try google.fr rather than just .com - Good Luck!

[Anna N]

... It is a T-Fal (SEB) 4.5 L cooker that is made of very, very heavy stainless steel. It is made in France and I have googled until my eyes are bleary without coming up with any information on it. ...

To help with the Googling, the brand is 'Tefal' in Europe ... I'd hope to find any model refs on the plastic rather than the metalwork. And do try google.fr rather than just .com - Good Luck!

Thanks. I had figured out the TEFAL change over the pond but not even google.fr comes up with much - although one can find spare parts for it that way! I am pretty comfortable that I have figured it out and am now just waiting for a replacement gasket which is on order. I am quite fascinated by it and anxious to see what it can do in terms of meals for a singleton (or a doubleton if I want leftovers).

[Yajna Patni]

often the manufacturers web site has manuals you can download. Jealous BTW! pressure cookers are the best.

My favorite recent find was a trader vic pacific Island cookbook with lots of tiki recipies.

[dougal]

... but not even google.fr comes up with much - although one can find spare parts for it that way! I am pretty comfortable that I have figured it out and am now just waiting for a replacement gasket which is on order. ...

I had presumed that sourcing spare parts might be your principal need, and that a specific model id was still required for that.

Glad to hear that you are ahead of the game!

[Anna N]

On our weekly LWL expedition we found "Thrift Store Alley" as I named it. As well as a number of non-food related items we found these:

For the bar. A handsome soda siphon which upon closer inspection will be consigned to a role as a source of spare parts since it does not lend itself to being properly emptied and cleaned. Has some sort of plastic sleeve in the interior which traps liquid. A corkscrew whose impracticality is completely overcome by its appeal and a hawthorne strainer.

Mint copies of two books (one of which is discussed over here), a 8x8 Ekoloy pan and some china protectors which I will pass along to my daughter who has the fine china.

Edited to add links.

Edited September 21, 2011 by Anna N (log)

[dougal]

...

Mint copies of two books ...

Whatever you might think of 'Good tempered', its worth looking out for the same author's 'Art of the Tart'

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Tart-Tamasin-Day-Lewis/dp/0297843591/ (IMHO best she's done)

[Anna N]

...

Mint copies of two books ...

Whatever you might think of 'Good tempered', its worth looking out for the same author's 'Art of the Tart'

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Tart-Tamasin-Day-Lewis/dp/0297843591/ (IMHO best she's done)

Thanks for the recommendation. I am not much of a pastry cook so the word "tart" in the title send shivers down my spine but if it shows up in one of the thrift stores/cheap book stores I will certainly grab a copy. I love her writing style and her passion.

[heidih]

The flea market at the Ventura County Fairgrounds last Wednesday yielded these two lovelies.

Small cast iron skillet - it has a number 3 where handle meets base and no mark visible underneath. Needs a bit of seasoning as it looks like someone over scrubbed it. Perhaps for toasting spices. $2

This silver and glass cup caught my eye as the perfect way to enjoy warm drinks as the weather cools. $1

[Anna N]

....

This silver and glass cup caught my eye as the perfect way to enjoy warm drinks as the weather cools. $1

Love that cup. It pays to spoil yourself as winter approaches.

[KatieLoeb]

That cup is begging for a lovely hot toddy in it. A shot of hooch of your choosing with a flavored simple syrup, a few clove studded pieces of lemon and/or orange rind topped with your favorite herbal tea. Nothing more soothing for the soul on a chilly day.

Alternatively you could just put some hot cider in it and call it a day. It's such a pretty cup it'll make everything taste better.

[Ashen]

Small cast iron skillet - it has a number 3 where handle meets base and no mark visible underneath. Needs a bit a seasoning as it looks like someone over scrubbed it. Perhaps for toasting spices. $2

That is a great looking cast iron pan. My father in law once gave me one he pulled out of an old storage shed , he was helping to clean out down in New Brunswick. It didn't have had any markings on the bottom . When I heat stripped it to get the rust off and do a reseason, the markings ended up just being buried under the crud on the bottom.. If you do a full strip and reseason they may be hiding under there. Also looking at the picture I wonder if that could be an 8 instead of a 3 with just some seasoning obscuring the mark.. A 3 would be about 6 inches across, and 8 just over 10 inches.

I really think it looks like wagnerware to me btw.

Edited November 7, 2011 by heidih
Fix quote tags (log)

[heidih]

Also looking at the picture I wonder if that could be an 8 instead of a 3 with just some seasoning obscuring the mark.. A 3 would be about 6 inches across, and 8 just over 10 inches.

I really think it looks like wagnerware to me btw.

Ashen - it is a "3" and about 6 inches across. I used it today to toast some mustard seeds - handy size.

[Anna N]

.....

Ashen - it is a "3" and about 6 inches across. I used it today to toast some mustard seeds - handy size.

I find mine comes in most handily when I want to test the seasoning in such things as meatballs. It's a perfect size to cook up a sample of almost anything.

[blue_dolphin]

I have a yard sale "3" skillet that looks very similar. Mine says "6 1/2 inch skillet" on the reverse with a letter "P" below and on the reverse on the handle but no other makers mark:

I like to use it when a recipe calls for gently warming spices or aromatics in oil. I find it much easier to control the temp and prevent over-browning in this little pan, even if I end up transferring the contents to a larger pan for the rest of the prep.

[Genkinaonna]

I'm hitting the thrift stores today (it's my birthday so the kids will just have to come along and not complain) to find some little cups for soup for Thanksgiving, as well as some interesting serving pieces. We'll see how it goes and I'll post if I find anything really interesting! I'd LOVE a bitty cast iron skillet like that! The only one I have is pretty large and unwieldy, so I don't use it as much as I probably should.

[ScoopKW]

I am going to TEACH my wife not to send me on her errands. I needed to run to my wife's bank to day, and put some cash in to cover a math error. The used kitchen supply place is on the way home.

Ten, count 'em, TEN gigantic, heavy, thick, copper pots and pans. (Stainless interior, thick copper exterior.) The cost was anywhere from $20-50 each. The smallest pan is twice the size of my largest copper All-Clad saute pan. Bought them all. I'll post a picture when I shine them up. I could use help with ID'ing them. No markings whatsoever.

[KatieLoeb]

Did you have to back to the bank/ATM again to cover your finds? That's the motherlode score but dangerous to the newly corrected bank balance as a side errand. Just sayin'...

[ScoopKW]

No, no bank worries. My wife forgot to carry the six when deciding how much to transfer into the "pay the bills" account.

[Anna N]

Continuing the Japanese theme of the latest Ladies Who Lunch adventure click, Kerry and I visited a thrift store where she spotted this suribachi for $2.99:

I am now its proud owner!

Edited to add link.

Edited December 8, 2011 by Anna N (log)

[andiesenji]

I love it, Anna. The black is unusual.

[jrshaul]

I bought a big cast iron frying pan from Target for about $16. It's the best pan I've ever owned - I've used more butter on "nonstick surfaces." I don't think it's going to warp anytime soon, either.

About 90% of what I own is secondhand, mostly from eBay and garage sales. Curiously, I now own better stuff than anyone else I know.

[Anna N]

I bought a big cast iron frying pan from Target for about $16. It's the best pan I've ever owned - I've used more butter on "nonstick surfaces." I don't think it's going to warp anytime soon, either.

About 90% of what I own is secondhand, mostly from eBay and garage sales. Curiously, I now own better stuff than anyone else I know.

A great deal of my kitchen is also second-hand and it is amazing what one can find, often unused and still in its original box, at garage sales and thrift stores for a fraction of the retail price.

[Anna N]

I love it, Anna. The black is unusual.

Thanks. It appears to be hand made as it is quite rough and ready and there are no manufacturer's marks of any kind.