06 June 2014

Friday Question: Culinary Gadgets

Check out my new Babycakes Cupcake Maker.  Tim found it yesterday at the thrift store for five bucks.  Not a dent on it and no bad smells.  Doesn't even look like they used it.

And I'll admit, prior to getting my Bella Waffle Stick Maker, I thought these novelty items, were silly.  Meanwhile, now I'm writing funky monkey waffle stick formulas, right and left and more so, loving every minute.

So for five bucks, we'll give this baby a go.  And, rather than go buy that classic round waffle maker, I talked about yesterday, we're going to hunt thrift stores and yard sales.

How about you?  Do you like to hunt for culinary gadgets at thrift stores and yard sales?  What's your best find?

PS: Yesterday, before Tim got home I found my old Chocolate Chunk Muffin formula.  Then Tim told me about this machine.  I love when stuff like that happens.

PPS: Have a yummy weekend and boogie boogie.

47 comments:

  1. We have a mini donut maker that's similar. Good buy!

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    1. Cool beans. How does it work? What have you made with it and do you like the machine?

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  2. You had me at Chocolate Chunk Muffin formula LOL

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  3. I haven't searched yardsales or thrift shops for a while now. Great find for you.

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    1. Some great deals. Have a groovy
      weekend, and thanks for stopping by.

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  4. We got a couple of blenders, a teapot and a baby crock pot!

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    1. Very nice. Do you remember the first thing that you made with the crock pot?

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  5. I have a takoyaki pan (Japanese street food round balls of dough with a small piece of tako, octopus put in) It is a heavy flat pan with holes much like the top of your pan. I always wondered if I could make sweet small cakes like this maker, in it.
    I never buy any kitchen items at yard sales... I am/have several auto immune problems and am super careful with food items. Garden, yard stuff is fine though.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Hey Parsnip. I checked out that pan. Are you going to give it a go? Looks like something might work. Is the pan only for stovetop or can it handle oven as well?

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    2. I was thinking about it. I can make takoyaki no problem so I might try. It is for stove top, you have to turn the balls so they get round.
      It is iron I assume you could put in in the oven but you need to keep turning the batter so stove top works best.
      Gosh now I am hungry.

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    3. Although, I was thinking. If it could go in the oven, and you used a baking powder and/or baking soda, the little mounds would rise. Same as a muffin pan.

      I've never had takoyaki before. But that iron/pan looks like it could make all kinds of interesting things. Thanks for sharing it with me.

      Happy Playing.

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  6. I don't do the yard sales, etc. any more as I have run out of room to store all that stuff. I need to have a yard sale so I can buy more good finds! Tim did good and I bet you'll be making lots of yummy cupcakes!

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    1. That's understandable. I think so, yeah. Might start with Chocolate Chunk Muffins.

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  7. sounds like a gadget we'd deeply enjoy. I adore kitchen appliances and gadgets!

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    1. Do you have kitchen stores or gadget stores near you? We have a kitchen gadget place near by. Then a restaurant place that carries old stuff, new stuff, used stuff, all kinds of finds.

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    2. a selection of these gadgets is very small here.. the fact that I own a citromatic (juicer for lemons and oranges) makes me a hipster here LOL And even the ones that we do have are of bad quality (although they're world famous labels) and they never last for more than a year or two or three.... Kettler is my fave gadget because it helps me cook everything quicker without waiting for water to boil in the pot

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    3. A hipster, how about that?

      I cannot find Kettler, but I did find a food blog with the word, kettler. Some neat stuff. http://www.kettlercuisine.com/ going to add her to my food blog roll.

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    4. oh, dear, kettler is just an electric kettle for boiling water LOL

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  8. Ooh, nice!
    I love cooking gadgets but never scored one for a good deal.
    Right now, I'm eyeing up a NutriBullet. :-)

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  9. I can't wait to see what you create with this new toy.

    I got a really solid microwave stand at a yard sale for $10 in the 90s. When I was on my own in Toronto I used it as a TV stand. Now it is part of our coffee/tea station. I love it and it was such a great deal and I have gotten so much use out of it for the price.

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    1. Me too. I'm excited.

      $10? Holy wow, that's fantastic. I love when we get a lot of use out of something that didn't cost a lot. Just makes it so much fun.

      I hear that Canadian Tire sells Babycakes machines. I dunno if they still do, but I saw a lady on YouTube who bought hers there.

      How are the thrift stores in your area? Ours aren't too bad.

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    2. I haven't been in a while, but we have one here called Value Village that I have spent a whole lotta time at over my life. It was near where I went to school so we would go all the time for fashion and supplies. Even got some books and art there over the years.

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  10. No, don't hunt for culinary gadgets at thrift stores. Hunt for other stuff ... books and the like.

    Babycakes Cupcake Maker!

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    1. I forget to say 'enjoy' the babycakes maker!

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    2. Hey Wendy. Books are fun to find. I love the old cookery and bake books. What's the best book you've found?

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    3. Hmm ... I've found so many. I guess my best finds have been 'very' old (and beautifully preserved) books by Charles Dickens, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, J. R. R. Tolkien, Rudyard Kipling, and of course the wonderful Roald Dahl.

      Crikey, I could go on endlessly ... and almost did. Sorry! I suspect I love books as much as you love baking :)

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    4. I've recently read a series of magazine articles on ancient Serbian dishes from the time of Medieval Serbian Kingdom - it was so interesting to read what the royals and regular people ate back in those old days before all the veggies were brought from America. I've also recently read some articles on cookies that the Crusaders took with them during their wars... those cookies stay fresh for half a year and contain hundreds of natural ingredients... extremely fun reading about such things

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    5. Wendy: Dahl is my favorite. What a brilliant man and writer. Sounds like excellent finds.

      You are welcome to go on endlessly anytime you wish. That's the best part about reading comments, is reading what you guys are passionate about.

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    6. Dezzy: That to me, is assassinating reading. Love stuff like that. Thanks for coming by and sharing. Blogging is so fun, I love hearing about your finds and passions.

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  11. I love culinary gadgets and always buy in sales!
    I love a torch I bought last month (for brulée) and a little pan for melted chocolate:)
    Happy baking and boggie boggie :))





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    1. I would love a torch. How fun is that. Do you love it? Little pans just for melting chocolate. Wonderful toy. Thanks for stopping by.

      Boogie boogie.

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  12. I like thrift stores and yard sales, though I'm not enough of a cook to get excited about culinary gadgets. I'm intrigued by your "funky monkey waffle stick formulas." Sounds as delicious as it does interesting. Enjoy all the sweetness!

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    1. Thanks for the comment, Robyn. I posted that clip that Alex added to his comment in your recent post. Funny stuff. Did you get to see it yet?

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  13. I love yard sales. They're so much fun - like a treasure hunt. Cool muffin maker!

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    1. I agree. That's what made me change my mind about buying the classic round at BB&B. I'll give it the summer, and see what treasures I find.

      What's your favorite yard sale find?

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    1. I think so. Loved the trees in your post. So very very pretty. Have a great weekend.

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  15. I still got a waffle maker I haven't even opened the box on.

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  16. I really enjoy visiting thrift shops. Not only do you find better-priced items, but you also find original things; items that you won't find anywhere else.

    You scored big with this! Only five bucks... Absolutely amazing. Looks brand new.

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    1. I like the little finds, like you said, it's not anywhere else or maybe, the item has been discontinued. Pretty neat.

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