Sunday 1 December 2013

Treasuring the old...

First of all welcome to my new followers, Julie, Shaz and Hazel.

One of the things I was given by my late mother-in-law, was her old, but no longer in use, Kenwood food mixer. DB is great at fixing things and after looking it over, cleaning and putting it back together, it worked well. We believe it dates from between 1957 and 1960!

We were using this, during our 6 years living on rations and although it was too late a model, helped us feel more in the time period. It worked really well until one day, an awful noise emanated from it and the beautiful glass bowl had cracked into two! Not to be outdone, DB used glass glue and it went back together surprisingly well. However, I was too afraid to use it after that for fear of breaking it again and it now lives in the attic. We have found a Kenwood site that sells second-hand parts, but nearly everyone wants the glass bowl!

Ah well. A few years later, I was very kindly given another Kenwood Chef by an elderly gentleman I had got to know. He told me his wife used to use it all the time but had since died and the machine was living in his garage. He didn't want anything for it but being a diabetic, I gave him a couple of jars of diabetic jam and marmalade.

It has been in constant use ever since, mainly for mincing meat, making bread, whisking egg whites and the odd cake mixture. It does have a liquidiser with it but no lid so that is in the attic. Wonderful places attics aren't they?

This model dates from  1966 - 1979. It is probably early to mid 70's, due to the date his wife passed on.
DB recently had to take it apart and service it when I tried, in vain, to mince some rose hips and the mincer wouldn't come out of its socket!

Judging by the noise my Kenwood food processor is making - the blade chopper upper thing! - (now nearly 33 years old), it too will soon need some attention:)


10 comments:

  1. treasures for sure,

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  2. My Kenwood is very old but still going strong, I do use a processor for heavy chopping sessions as it was a gift.
    I hope they both hang on in there for a long while yet, they are an horrific price.

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  3. Lovely gadgets from the past! You lucky devil, you`ve got a handyman as husband! My dad is a handyman, too. My mum never has to throw anything out. I wish I had one of those handymen as partner.

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  4. Thank you Laurie, definitely treasures!
    Pam - sometimes you can't beat the old things. Apparently, or so I've heard, new things are not built to last, the producers expect them to be re-newed. How sad. Yes, the prices are horrific aren't they.
    Sarina, yes I am very lucky. Mind you, you seem a bit of a handy woman yourself!

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  5. I love my food mixer although it was a bit of an expensive treat to myself when I came into some money unexpectedly last year. I had previously a Kenwood chef (like your second one shown) which was brilliant.

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    1. I must admit, I would hate to be without one.

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  6. Hi DC

    I have one that I have had from new late seventies which will soon need some attention plus my mum has given me her old one. You mention that you had found a site on the Internet I found this one and do not know whether it is the same one but thought I would mention just in case. I would not be without my Kenwood either do all the bulk baking with it..

    http://kenwoodchefrestore.co.uk/Service.htm

    Take care

    Pattypan

    x

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    1. Thankyou Pattypan, it is indeed the same one.

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  7. They're beautiful to look at aswell as being useful !

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