Kitchen Canisters with a Story
By Mary Emma Allen
Many of the items in your kitchen either tell a story, because
they are hand-me-downs used in earlier days or are something
you've collected as you've traveled. Canisters,
either as matching sets, or odd ones you've accumulated or saved
because you like them, may contribute to your story or bring
memories of travels.
I was glancing through a cooking magazine and saw a variety of
canisters pictured. Some
were canisters families had used for several years. Others
the owners had painted or adorned with colors and designs to
match their kitchen decor. Some were collected from travels and
brought back memories of those places and adventures.
Canister sets for storing flour, sugar, tea and coffee, or
possibly brown sugar and some other item have been around for
years. I
like to browse in antiques stores and see which ones catch my
attention and possibly remind me of my childhood or
early-married years when Jim and I lived in different parts of
the country.
Various Types of Canisters
Some canisters are humorous, others represent an occupation,
another set may be in colors that coordinate with your kitchen
decor and some may have figurines for handles. You
may have canisters in the shapes of schoolhouses,
village buildings, farms, birdhouses, storybook characters,
geometric shapes, and more.
Canisters may be of pottery, ceramic, thick glass, metal,
plastic or wood. If
the outside material isn't practical for holding powdery
substances, they might be lined with plastic.
Foods Made With Canister Ingredients
NOBBY APPLE CAKE - This is my favorite apple cake because it's
moist and filled with apples.
Cream 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup shortening; add 1 beaten
egg. Stir in 3 cups peeled, diced apples and 1/4 cup chopped
walnuts.
Add sifted dry ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2
teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon,
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 cup flour.
Bake in 8 x 8-inch pan at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes, until
tests done. Serve
warm or cold, with whipped cream or ice cream.
(c) Mary Emma Allen
(Mary Emma Allen enjoys collecting old kitchen gadgets and
implements that tell family stories or reminds her of places
she's lived or visited. E-mail: me.allen@juno.com )
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