26.2.11

Retro Goodies and a kitchen of delights

On Friday I took a day off work, the lovely horse mad DD had a 'Pony Day' at the local stables, so lovely DH and I wandered around some charity shops. We laughed at the oddities, sneered at the self help books, bought some art books....and then, I saw....this

well what's a girl to do? it was so pretty and my pyrex dish had recently succumbed to unexplained damage, so I practically 'needed' it. £2.45 and it was mine! Oh the joy, I found I was really really happy to own it. I mentally shouted at myself "get a grip! you are not a 1950s housewife to be thrilled by kitchenware!" but it was no use. I love it.

After someone on twitter mentioned there was a blog that dealt with  lovely finds in charity shops I decided to blog about it, but also to look around and see what else I had 'collected', magpie fashion, over the years...

The first thing i realised was that we inherited a lot of stuff. The very plates, cups, bowls etc that we use on a daily basis are pretty retro...

chelsea bird crockery plate

chelsea bird crockery

and the eagle eyed will have also seen, that along with the Chelsea Bird themed crockery there is a recipe book, a retro recipe book ('old' for the un-trendy). It is a book from 1968, by the amazing Marguerite Patten, called simply 'Everyday Cookbook' and it's a gem. I inherited it from my mother in law and as I gazed at the pages I realised that I owned many things that were in the book, and used them in my everyday cooking too!


So here are some examples, pictures of the item, with the book opened on the relevant page, see how good you are at spotting 

 This first one, the scales, I found in the same charity shop as the pretty lidded roaster. And even though I already have a set of scales like this (and yes I use them to weigh stuff they are not just for show) I couldn't resist buying them, they were too cheap, too shiny, too pretty (I am a magpie!)

 This next item once had a lid but DD broke it (sad face) I inherited it from my mother in law as well and the exact same dish is used several times in Marguerite's cook book. Semi claim to fame.

 This coffee cup (one of a set) is inherited from my Grandmother, they are so delicate you can see light through them, I rarely use them because I prefer a mug, but they really are lovely.




And of course not kitchen is complete without a mixing bowl

mixing bowl


And while I was looking at the cook book i thought how it was so sweet in what were 'new' foods (oh the exotic avocado!) and what a kitchen should look like

Now I think I'm doing quite well, my kitchen is fairly 'domestic goddess' like


 but then I saw that the late 60's early 70's wasn't all about the food....



So I was pleased to declare I use this next thing, a lot :-)




Anyone for Baby Cham?

Posted as part of Me and My Shadow's Magpie Monday

Me and My Shadow


Post Script - I just searched Ebay for "Chelsea Bird" and was shocked! maybe I should stop eating off of 1930's plates and sell them! (then I could buy up all the pyrex/opalware) 
The new lidded roaster I bought is listed there for £20 so I feel even happier now!

27 comments:

  1. I took one look at your purchase and a voice in my mind said "Sheperds pie"! Mum, god rest her, had a bowl just like that for Sheperds pie.

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  2. Love this. I love the new retro dish, every house should have one of those and I am amazed and impressed that your kitchen is co-ordinated with a cookbook.

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  3. Oh, the big beige and white mixing bowl! They remind me SO much of my childhood, my Nan had them. I must ask her if she still has them...!

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  4. Ahh another 'sister' I was seperated at birth from!!

    I LOVE your dinner service - how glam to use that every day!

    Love how you have so many thins gfrom your cookbook. Incidentally my mum has and still used that same book.

    The coffee cups look divine too. Look forward to welcoming you to the link-up on Magpie Monday xx

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  5. My mum had the white dishes with the blue pattern on!

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  6. you have collected some lovely things, I also had the blue and white bowl once but mine had a lid. sadly I gave it away when I was de-cluttering and having a drastic minimalist phase. :)

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  7. @Rushy

    oooh now i want to bake a shepherds' pie, or maybe a 'suet crust' version, which was what my gran used to bake. :-)

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  8. @Mrs M

    thank you - i was amazed at how co ordinated i was too! accident rather than design!

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  9. @missielizzie

    glad you like it, looking forward to ooohing and ahhing over all the other magpie's finds too!

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  10. Anonymous26/2/11

    Retro porn!

    Fantastic, that pyrex dish is so pretty I'm strangely kind of jealous. As for the Babycham get up on that divine sideboard... I get through silly amount of Babycham every Christmas. Always tastes better from fancy glasses. Are any of those actually original Babycham glasses?

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  11. oooo pyrex, how I LOVE pyrex! I have several (inherited from my lovely mum), with the red rose design on them. Also some clear heavy duty glass dishes - remember them? Think they are also pyrex - that I do crumbles and jellies in.

    Gosh - that mixing bowl! we had the exact same ones at school!

    Ooo I tell you what else, we have some durex glasses my mum gave me. I grew up with them, they are pretty nigh unbreakable - perfect, therefore, for me!

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  12. @Beadzoid

    many retro glasses and old cocktail favours(?) decorations(?) but sadly no classic Baby Cham glasses, I shall keep my eyes peeled for some though!

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  13. Hello there - found you through Magpie Monday, you might be interested in my blog which is all about charity shop and second hand finds.

    I love your scales and mixing bowl. And I'm bit jealous of your bar. I'm really coveting a 1950s one, I've started collecting barware too.

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  14. What fabulous finds! I love the Pyrex dish...like everyone else said it reminds me of shepherds pie!! Yum!
    @snugglefeet03

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  15. Love that cocktail cabinet! And all the kitchenalia stuff!

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  16. @Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping]

    I think I may have to blog a post purely on the cocktail cabinet and it's contents! Glad you like it.

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  17. Fab! fab! finds. Love how you have shown them on your blog. I am really enjoying reading and looking at all the blogs taking part in MagpieMonday.
    As for the babysham, let me know if you want some actual glasses. One of my charity shops has some. xx

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  18. Oh love that post! Brilliant, and YES to the Babycham ;0)

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  19. @Karen Jones

    You've checked the prices of Retro/Vintage Babycham glasses on ebay right? :-)

    Thanks for the offer - but I just know my hubby will kill me if I buy more glasses!

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  20. You've made me want to go through all my cookbooks to spot the items I own!

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  21. oooh fab buys you have very similar taste to me i love old pyrex dishes etc its what i will be blogging about for magpiemonday later today! hand me downs and a charity shop bargain!

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  22. I am loving all your great finds! My Mum had that same mixing bowl....ahhh memories of my childhood, don't know were it ended up, but I want one now, will have to keep my eyes peeled x

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  23. Love your finds...especially the pyrex which I too have a real weakness for

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  24. Love it - matching your crockery to your retro cookbook! I am coveting your Gran's cups and saucers, they are very cool

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  25. I love your stuff, all of it. Old Recipe books are fabulous, all recipe books are really for me.
    By the way I am the oddity who needs the self-help book!
    http://gigglingatitall.blogspot.com shows how my brother and son did better than me out of my charity shop raid this week

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  26. @make do mum
    there is a matching tall slim coffee pot that goes with the cups too :-)

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  27. @mumsarcade
    Thanks for the comment - we buy our own share of self help books too, to be honest ;-)

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