I recognized the object immediately. We had the same when I was growing up. The main reason I recognized it is because a good potato masher is a source of consternation in my house. I searched for a good masher and never found one comparable or as satisfying to use. (And don’t get me started on spatulas!) Not looking for recommendations, just nice to connect with this story/object. Wish I had our old one. I might need to pilfer it next time I visit mom.
Love the story and thinking of the little things in our life that connect us to our past. In our highly disposable world--especially here in the US--it is hard to imagine holding onto a potato masher for 50 years!
My mom had the whole set of these utensils hanging off a sleek curved rack on our kitchen wall in Queens. Masher, large spoon, 2 tine fork, square spatula, and a sort of long icing knife she never used. When cleaning out her apartment, I took all tools but the icing knife. Still use them, and regularly check for additional pieces on eBay- I now have 3 spoons, which I use all the time..
My mom has that exact same potato masher. I used it many times growing up to make mashed potatoes, yams, and or using to crush bananas for banana bread.
Growing up in the midwest my parents owned one of these and we used it regularly for mashed potatoes. When I met my now ex-wife who was from California she wondered why my parents had a "bean masher" since they were obvious very stereotypical "meat and potatoes" folks. Turns out that growing up in CA, her mom had one but only used it for cooking refried beans.
I had this same masher, too, handed down from my folks, but ultimately got rid of it because of its aggravating quality of jamming my kitchen drawer 😩
That's why mine has to live in my utensil jar on my counter!
We've got the same model, with a seafoam green handle. Also great for bruising cabbage when you're making sauerkraut
Great idea! I got hand cramps a few weeks ago, when making kraut!
We have the same masher! Got it from my wife's late great-aunt. It is sturdy, reliable and a sure bet to jam the utensil drawer at least once a month.
I recognized the object immediately. We had the same when I was growing up. The main reason I recognized it is because a good potato masher is a source of consternation in my house. I searched for a good masher and never found one comparable or as satisfying to use. (And don’t get me started on spatulas!) Not looking for recommendations, just nice to connect with this story/object. Wish I had our old one. I might need to pilfer it next time I visit mom.
Love the story and thinking of the little things in our life that connect us to our past. In our highly disposable world--especially here in the US--it is hard to imagine holding onto a potato masher for 50 years!
My mom had the whole set of these utensils hanging off a sleek curved rack on our kitchen wall in Queens. Masher, large spoon, 2 tine fork, square spatula, and a sort of long icing knife she never used. When cleaning out her apartment, I took all tools but the icing knife. Still use them, and regularly check for additional pieces on eBay- I now have 3 spoons, which I use all the time..
My mom had that same rack!
Now I'm gonna have to go questing for other pieces!
My mom has the same set. But in the drawer. We never had the rack.
https://www.travelwisconsin.com/exhibits/worlds-largest-potato-masher-382382
I have the Flint Kitchen Spoon! It was one of the only cooking utensils I took from my mother when I moved away from home. I still use it almost daily
Great story, especially with Paul's background information.
My mom has that exact same potato masher. I used it many times growing up to make mashed potatoes, yams, and or using to crush bananas for banana bread.
Growing up in the midwest my parents owned one of these and we used it regularly for mashed potatoes. When I met my now ex-wife who was from California she wondered why my parents had a "bean masher" since they were obvious very stereotypical "meat and potatoes" folks. Turns out that growing up in CA, her mom had one but only used it for cooking refried beans.
Like many in the comments, I also recognize this, however my Californian side of the family referred to it as an “avocado masher”.
Lansom makes a great line of 1880s reproductions in their “granny tools” section. It’s seems we all know these from our mothers/grandmothers ;)