OLD KITCHEN TOOLS
Heirlooms, Renewal, Hidden Talents, and the Crank That Still Turns
Some tools feed more than the body—they nourish memory. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how vintage kitchen tools connect us to family, creativity, and the talents we’ve tucked away for too long.
What old kitchen tools do you have from your grandmother, grandfather, or other relatives? Recently, we had friends over, and they noticed the old meat grinder attached to our pot rack in the kitchen. They also shared that they have an old nut grinder in their kitchen. Who has given you their old kitchen tools that you still hang onto?
This meat grinder was in my grandmother’s kitchen, and I was charged with using it sometime as a child or teen. So, you may be wondering how it ended up in my kitchen. I do have siblings, you know. It could have gone to other places. I know it was in my mother’s kitchen and still in active use there. I do not think it has been active since arriving in my kitchen. I have one vague memory of being challenged by my husband to demonstrate that it worked and successfully pulling that off!
So, how do things end up in your kitchen? You probably have a favorite wooden spoon. I have one that my brother-in-law made. He is a violin bow maker, so kitchen spoons were a bit off track, but one day, he was bored! Of course, the spoon has none of the fancy ivory or gold inlay you find on a violin bow, and I do not think we have ever used it, but it looks lovely.
What hangs around in your world that you have never used? You know the old saying: “Use it or lose it!” We come into the world with what I will call “pre-programmed” talents. Some children are naturally drawn to the piano in the living room. Some are constantly building forts in the backyard or nearby woods. Others love finger paints and graduate to oils or watercolors. We all seek to explore our talents and find uses for these skills, curiosities, and talents that are programmed inside of us.
Some fall by the wayside as we mature, and others become professions that will sustain us forever. Some go dormant and stay hidden away. Who knows the cause of that “hiding”. Someone made fun of how you dressed or wore your hair, so you put that flair for decorating your body away in a storage locker. Perhaps you had a booming voice and were told that you were always too loud so that one went into a soundproof booth. We all have hidden talents. What are yours? It is time to open the locker and let the sound out of the booth. Pick up that flute that you store in the attic. Open the sewing box that you inherited from your great-grandmother. Or turn the crank on the nut grinder!
You are never too old to open your storage locker and rummage around for the talents you have packed away. You might surprise yourself and author a great novel, make a pretty dress, or enjoy grinding nuts.
Want to explore the value and meaning behind vintage kitchen tools? Visit The Spruce Crafts’ guide to collectible kitchen gadgets, Jacqueline Stallone’s identification and value guide, and Craft Your Happy Place’s list of heirlooms worth saving.
If you’re reconnecting with creativity, legacy, or personal expression, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and creative renewal.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
