I just read this outloud to my sister. We're together in her kitchen. She got our mom's mom's rolling pin and this old knit kind of sock that goes over it. When our aunt died recently she made sure I got her's, our dad's mom's rolling pin. It didn't come with a sock. We both have these old fashion dress kind aprons we bought together on a county fair trip. We have a pot of tea on the table, exchanging stories about them all....a good Saturday
I love using my mother's rolling pin and 1940's flour sifter, but my favorite is my maternal grandmother's potato masher. It is wooden, made by my grandfather around a hundred years ago and it sits proudly with all my other kitchen utensils today. It has a crack in it and so is no longer useful for its original purpose, but it is great when I put walnuts in a zip lock bag, lay it flat on the counter and whack away at the nuts with the "masher" to prep them for baking. It always makes me think of sitting in my grandmother's kitchen watching her cook, with her collie resting its head in my lap. Memories - and "mashers" - that live on!
from Renee M. (CA): --Just read your newsletter Kate. Life is about how we are remembered, thank you for sharing those loving memories. Regrettably, I don't have childhood memories or special rolling pins that make me smile. I had to create a new life and as a mother, grandmother and now great grandmother (Nana) I am happy to share that I created those lovely sentimental memories with my loved ones. Though I am a good bread maker, I dreaded pie crust.
After taking your online class recently, I bought your Pie Camp book and now finally, I learned pie making. Yes, I tried throughout the years, had a few lucky hits but more misses that I pretty much accepted pie making wasn't my niche. Not any more, I have made several crusts (pies) and now I get it and I'm trying different methods. Thank you Kate for providing me with the skills set to finally conquer pie crust. Take good care.
Renee- I imagine that the new life you have created, and continue to create, is so special for your loved one. Though I am known as a pie maker, I spent years and years baking bread...six loaves a week for my family. I am happy that I passed the craft on to my son.
I am thrilled that you are making pie and feel so confident about it!
I have my mother's rolling pin and it makes me smile everytime I use it. My mom was the most wonderful person who made everyone she passed daily feel happier.
But she was the worst cook. She burnt every biscuit she ever made.
When I was away at college she never failed to send me a package before every holiday with burnt biscuits so I wouldn't feel homesick.
Lee, I burst out laughing at the thought of opening up her care package! I'm sure she is smiling to know you are sharing this wonderful memory of her, too.
Oh, Kate - I was certainly tearing up as I read about your friend. I know I've visited a cookbook store in your part of the world, though I don't quite recall where or when. My rolling pins have the stories, though most of them not mine. I have both my mother's rolling pin and her mother's. They are very similar and I forget from time to time which is which, but it really doesn't matter, does it? They are not fancy - they're the regular rolling pins with the handles and the ball bearing rolling action. For a common little thing found in almost every household, they are marvels of engineering. How smoothly they roll, even about 100 years later (my mother was born in 1920, so I feel sure that my grandmother was making pies in 1921!) The gorgeously smooth wood is so beautiful. I sometimes just marvel at the pin I'm using at the moment, right before I knock some sense into the pie crust to show it who's boss!
Julie- If it was in Seattle, it might have been the one I linked to it in the PS. Our mom's were contemporaries, mine was born in 1917. On that beautiful smooth patina that pins get after rolling thousands of pies I still have some of my grandmom's pie pans...she always made her lemon meringue pie in a deep dish aluminum one with the wavy edges at the top. Treasures all. I'm glad your pin knows to help that dough know who's in charge!
Not in Seattle - I thought it was Port Angeles, but I'm really sure it wasn't in Fremont. You are lucky to have pans from your grandmom. I have a few treasures - my grandmother was a wonderful seamstress, and I have her sewing table and a pair of scissors in a case she embroidered. There are pictures of her holding me, so she knew me, but I'm afraid I didn't know her - we didn't live close, and in those days people didn't travel like they do now.
better on the rolling pin than our legs! hate those things!
WORD!
I just read this outloud to my sister. We're together in her kitchen. She got our mom's mom's rolling pin and this old knit kind of sock that goes over it. When our aunt died recently she made sure I got her's, our dad's mom's rolling pin. It didn't come with a sock. We both have these old fashion dress kind aprons we bought together on a county fair trip. We have a pot of tea on the table, exchanging stories about them all....a good Saturday
Tell your sister that I learned from another pie maker that you can slip panty hose over that rolling pin, too. Who knew?
I love using my mother's rolling pin and 1940's flour sifter, but my favorite is my maternal grandmother's potato masher. It is wooden, made by my grandfather around a hundred years ago and it sits proudly with all my other kitchen utensils today. It has a crack in it and so is no longer useful for its original purpose, but it is great when I put walnuts in a zip lock bag, lay it flat on the counter and whack away at the nuts with the "masher" to prep them for baking. It always makes me think of sitting in my grandmother's kitchen watching her cook, with her collie resting its head in my lap. Memories - and "mashers" - that live on!
To have that masher, created by your grandfather's hands and used by your grandmother's, and now you! What a treasure you have, Stevie!
from Renee M. (CA): --Just read your newsletter Kate. Life is about how we are remembered, thank you for sharing those loving memories. Regrettably, I don't have childhood memories or special rolling pins that make me smile. I had to create a new life and as a mother, grandmother and now great grandmother (Nana) I am happy to share that I created those lovely sentimental memories with my loved ones. Though I am a good bread maker, I dreaded pie crust.
After taking your online class recently, I bought your Pie Camp book and now finally, I learned pie making. Yes, I tried throughout the years, had a few lucky hits but more misses that I pretty much accepted pie making wasn't my niche. Not any more, I have made several crusts (pies) and now I get it and I'm trying different methods. Thank you Kate for providing me with the skills set to finally conquer pie crust. Take good care.
Renee- I imagine that the new life you have created, and continue to create, is so special for your loved one. Though I am known as a pie maker, I spent years and years baking bread...six loaves a week for my family. I am happy that I passed the craft on to my son.
I am thrilled that you are making pie and feel so confident about it!
I am blessed. Thank you.
And that should have said loves ONES! But, you probably knew that.
What a special edition. The connection is so visceral. Thank you. Those of us who have one of those are blessed indeed.
Yes we are! Thanks for checking in, Pili!
I have my mother's rolling pin and it makes me smile everytime I use it. My mom was the most wonderful person who made everyone she passed daily feel happier.
But she was the worst cook. She burnt every biscuit she ever made.
When I was away at college she never failed to send me a package before every holiday with burnt biscuits so I wouldn't feel homesick.
🤣🤣🤣
Lee, I burst out laughing at the thought of opening up her care package! I'm sure she is smiling to know you are sharing this wonderful memory of her, too.
Oh, Kate - I was certainly tearing up as I read about your friend. I know I've visited a cookbook store in your part of the world, though I don't quite recall where or when. My rolling pins have the stories, though most of them not mine. I have both my mother's rolling pin and her mother's. They are very similar and I forget from time to time which is which, but it really doesn't matter, does it? They are not fancy - they're the regular rolling pins with the handles and the ball bearing rolling action. For a common little thing found in almost every household, they are marvels of engineering. How smoothly they roll, even about 100 years later (my mother was born in 1920, so I feel sure that my grandmother was making pies in 1921!) The gorgeously smooth wood is so beautiful. I sometimes just marvel at the pin I'm using at the moment, right before I knock some sense into the pie crust to show it who's boss!
Julie- If it was in Seattle, it might have been the one I linked to it in the PS. Our mom's were contemporaries, mine was born in 1917. On that beautiful smooth patina that pins get after rolling thousands of pies I still have some of my grandmom's pie pans...she always made her lemon meringue pie in a deep dish aluminum one with the wavy edges at the top. Treasures all. I'm glad your pin knows to help that dough know who's in charge!
Not in Seattle - I thought it was Port Angeles, but I'm really sure it wasn't in Fremont. You are lucky to have pans from your grandmom. I have a few treasures - my grandmother was a wonderful seamstress, and I have her sewing table and a pair of scissors in a case she embroidered. There are pictures of her holding me, so she knew me, but I'm afraid I didn't know her - we didn't live close, and in those days people didn't travel like they do now.
Treasures!