I like free stuff!

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I have accepted a voluntary position helping once a month to teach teens how to cook at a local mentoring center. Yesterday, as I was awating the kids arrival, I was talking to a guy who owned an antique shop, who also helps at the center. We got talking about how gas-prices have hurt the tourist industry around here. Eventually, I turned the subject to cookware, and how I would like to see these kids, many of whom come from poor families, be able to get some good pans, like cast iron, or inexpensive stainless. I could teach them what they need to know, and maybe set up a day to go to garage sales and see if they could find something great. Of course I said that I would love to find a Griswold cast-iron pan or to myself.

Well, this gentleman then proceded to complain to me that he had a Griswold in his shop and that the books said it listed for $30. I said I would buy it. He said that know one else who had seen the pan would offer any more that 5 bucks. I said that they just didn't understand quality cookware. After that, he gave me the pan for free. I said no and offered to pay for it, but he said he was just glad to find someone who could appreciate value.

So I got a number 8 Griswold in virtually perfect condition for free. I'm looking forward to cleaning it up and using it. My youngest daughter states that as I now have two 8 inch cast iron pans, that she is going to liberate me of my lodge pan when she moves out. I should have said "over my dead body!", but I have never been much able to say know to my kids about such things. Now don't get me wrong, they aren't spoiled (that's my wife ), but I want them to start out on their own with something they can use for cooking. Besides, I have my Griswold.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[pdswife]

Good for you for helping out those kids!

 

[buckytom]

ummm, gw, next week, when the guy from the shop shows up asking for a return favor, whatcha gonna say? he might just have been asking you to hold on to the pan for a while, not keep it.

besides, did you ask how many times the pan was used, and had it been involved in any crimes?

just kidding. good luck with your new class (they're some lucky little bastids), and your new griswold.

 

[cloudybutnice]

Well done and good luck with the kids.
I like free stuff too. We've just bought a hard wood cupboard/dresser for the kitchen for £65 and later found the exact same thing for sale on the internet, discounted to £500. I think someone had put the wrong price on the ticket!

 

[Michelemarie]

Good for you! What goes around comes around, and I know you deserve it! Good luck in your class to - make sure you drink your cup of patience beforehand!

 

[urmaniac13]

See you will receive your due reward when you do your good deed!!
Have tons of fun with your new pan and with the kids!!

 

[mish]

Nice story, GW. I echo Michelemarie - what goes around.... When you're good to others, it comes back to you in one form or another.

ummm, gw, next week, when the guy from the shop shows up asking for a return favor, whatcha gonna say? he might just have been asking you to hold on to the pan for a while, not keep it.

besides, did you ask how many times the pan was used, and had it been involved in any crimes?

just kidding. good luck with your new class (they're some lucky little bastids), and your new griswold.

BT, ever heard - Never look a gift horse in the mouth!

Have fun with the kiddos, and let us know what you cook up.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Folowing up on the cooking class. I brought with me some pots and pans to cook in, along with a large can of tomato soup, a large can of Manwich brand sloppy joe sauce, 2 cans tomato sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, an onion, ketchup, 3 cans of kidney beans, a jar of sweet pickle relish, and some powdered cloves. We used 5 pounds of ground beef.

I showed them how to sweat the onions until tender (they had to do the cooking), and how to brown the hamburger, with a lid on to as to save the meat juices, which will be used for a later meal once the fat is removed.

In one pot, they poured in the Manwich, in a 2nd pot, the tomato soup, and in the third, I had them add the tomato sauce. We heated the three pots to a simmer and they tasted a spoonful of each mixture. Then I had them start adding the ketchup, by tbs. to the batch with tomato sauce and had them taste it. They said it was getting better. Then I had them add a little more ketchup and retaste until they thought they had enough. Then did the same with the garlic, brown sugar, relish and cloves. One can each of kidney beans was added to all three pans along with the cooked onion which was divided into three equal portions, again, one for each pot.

To make this long story short, the batch that they made was far better than either batch made with the soup or the Manwich pre-made stuff. The kids were very proud of themselves and could even remember what they added after all was said and done. I was elated, and so were the people who run the mentoring grooup.

Next month, we're going for fried wontons, some filled with crab, sugar, and cream cheese, and others filled with chinese veggies and a bit of dice and cooked chicken. The last batch will be filled with pie filling and dusted with powdered sugar. I may even have them make some egg-drop soup to go with the wontons. That should be a fun class.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[lulu]

I am so impressed that you took such class. It is also good to teach kids to keep the meat juices etc, as it it teaches them forward planning AND home economics, which I wish I had been taught. I had good cookery teaching as a kid, but not the home economics side, consequently I find it harder o plan to use my by-products and left overs and it leads to a bit of waste, which I really want to sharpen up on. They are lucky kids, and it seems you enjoyed it too, so everyone won!

 

[urmaniac13]

Wonderful job, Goodweed!!

Kids, as well as adults just get used to the convenience of the premade products and make themselves content with that and never even give a thought of creating their own version, but once they learn the right way, they find out a bit of additional effort to put the personal touch (which is not so much of a sacrifice anyway) is so worth it than just popping open a tin/bag/box etc. I am glad you have exposed them to that experience, I am sure you opened the door to the further creative adventure in the kitchen in so many of these kids.

Keep up the great work, I am proud of you!!

 

[Shunka]

Goodweed, I have a #9 and a # 12 Griswolds; have been in my family for over 70 years. I love them!!!!! You are doing such a great thing for those kids and they will always remember you for it.

 

[Michelemarie]

Good job Goodweed! The class sounds like alot of fun! What a great thing you are doing!

 

[mudbug]

Can't think of a better teacher for kids than you, Weed. Well done, and good thinking on the three versions to show them how it's really done!

 

[jpmcgrew]

I got a little excited when you guys mentioned griswold.When my dad died he left me a few cast iron pans so I just now went to check and see if I had a griswold.Yipee! I found a #8 Griswold Tite-Top Dutch oven and a 109 Griswold round skillet griddle.The other pans just have numbers on them.By the way can some one tell me why Griswolds are special? I know nothing about good cast iron.Sorry for going off topic.