Sharing Kitchen Space

Summary

The author cherishes an antique grinder passed down through generations, symbolizing family tradition and continuity in the act of making applesauce.

Abstract

The antique grinder, once owned by the author's grandmother, has been a staple in the family's kitchens for over fifty years. It has journeyed from the spacious kitchen of the author's grandmother to the bustling kitchen of the author's childhood, and now resides in the author's own kitchen. This simple yet durable kitchen tool, characterized by its dented metal and painted wooden handle, has been used to create homemade applesauce across three generations. The grinder, which the author uses to mash golden apples seasoned with cinnamon, evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and family connection. It serves as a tangible link to the past, infusing the author's present with cherished memories of loved ones and shared culinary experiences.

Opinions

The author values the grinder not just as a kitchen tool but as a cherished heirloom that carries the essence of family heritage.
The act of using the grinder is seen as a way to connect with the past and the memories of the author's grandmother.
The grinder, despite its age and wear, is appreciated for its reliability and the simple, yet delectable, applesauce it helps produce.
The author perceives everyday kitchen items, like the grinder, as significant objects that enrich the present by bringing in elements of the past.

My grandma’s antique grinder

Photo by author — the dented grinder keeps on cranking out delicious applesauce

It’s made the rounds from my grandma’s spacious kitchen, to my mom’s bustling one of my childhood, and now to mine,

where I make applesauce; cutting, coring, cooking golden apples, and mashing them through the same grinder my grandma used to make fresh applesauce fifty years ago.

This dented, metal kitchen tool, with painted wooden handle, has graced three kitchens, humbly helping a tired wife or daughter to create cinnamon spiced applesauce, simple, yet delectable.

These days, it sits in my cupboard, waiting for me; and when I use it, it links me to memories of my grandma, smashing steaming apples through this old tool I now hold in my hand.

It’s these common, forgettable ‘objets’ that keep pulling the past into my todays.

PROMPT: KITCHEN TOOLS/GADGETS

Sharing Kitchen Space

My grandma’s antique grinder