Wednesday, February 28

Kitchen Table Rant

I am not a kitchen snob; I truly believe that as long as the old pan that came from Ikea or was your mums works, does the job it was meant for it's fine. What did women of this Sceptred Isle do before Le Creuset found it's way across the channel? I hate this cult of certain brands and names - to be quite honest it's no different to Chavs wearing Burberry; it's a subliminal message, well not that subliminal that you belong to a middle class tribe and quite honestly I hate that. I do posses some nice things but my choice of acquisition has always been made for functionality and/or aesthetics.
The other thing I cannot stand is celebrity endorsement. If they were giving Jamie Oliver pots and pans away I could not accept one. And as for Anthony Worrell Thompson? His face is now on ecco cleaning products; why the company thought paying him to say it was great would persuade women like me to buy it is a complete mystery?
Stella and popped into the village this morning. It was a bit of a mercy dash for me as yesterday when I made my fairy cakes my hand mixer gave up the ghost and I am lost without my trusty steed. I think it was 10 years old.
I use mine almost everyday - for obvious cake making, whipping cream etc but also mashing potato and root vegetables so why did I decided to pay 3 times the average cost to upgrade to a Dualit, after I have said all the above? Well it has a bigger "engine" than the average, and 5 speads. All the middle priced mixers had endorcements and what clinched the deal was I was able to buy it at my local hardware shop. It was £3 more to buy there than to buy online; again I feel strongly that we should use local shops even if they are more expensive than Tescos and the like. Use them or loose them.
I don't have lots of disposible money before you think that - quite the opposite actually, but for me my life is about the choices I make - all the little ones we make each day, and the consequences of those little decissions we make. I choose to eat the best quality food I can afford; I choose to buy, or try and buy things made in this country but the consequence of that is I can't have grand holidays or expensive clothes, or a big car etc.

16 comments:

  1. Gigibird - I LOVE your mixer! I am in the market for a new one myself (mine literally smokes if I work it too hard). I wonder if the one you purchased is available over here?! I've only seen the Dualit toasters. I LOVE what you've written in your post! My hubby who runs the cookshop is a firm believer in buying most everything from the local "Mom & Pop" shops. And I too am SICK of celebrity endorsements! Rachel Ray's mug is on almost EVERYTHING in the grocery store, so there are fav items of mine I refuse to buy until her face has vanished from the box!

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  2. PS - my mixer was a wedding gift... it didn't come from hubby's shop - heehee

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  3. I don't know who Rachel Ray is, but I hope she isn't as ugly as Athony Worrell Thompson!
    Do some research on hand mixers in your neck of the world - they do vary - and also it's all about how you use them - if it's just for cakes and egg whites then perhaps a cheapy will do fine.
    I'm glad you enjoyed my rant - expect more of them soon!!

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  4. Ranting is good! And Rachel Ray has quickly become an overexposed food tv personality who now graces(?) every magazine, food box, cookware endorsement... and has her own TV talk show now in addition to her cooking shows (ugh).

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  5. I agree with you - i am also sick of seeing these so called super chefs on EVERYTHING!!!
    Why do we need it - surely we are not the only folk who avoid all these over endorsed products. We should start a petition to get AWT out!!
    I also agree about supporting local shops - but then i am one xx
    Tracy x

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  6. Anonymous7:19 PM

    GIGIBIRD! you're a breath of fresh for me especially today! I have had it up to my ears with some of the phoneyness in blogoland thank you to beachy for pointing me your way! I'll be back most definitely, cause you're right up my alley!

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  7. I myself have a theory that the more brandnamed things in a kitchen, the less cooking goes on.

    We live in an affluent area of Dualit toasters and swish japanese knives - and readymeal cartons in the brabantia bin.

    And why ARE male tv chefs so ugly?

    Rant on Gigibird!

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  8. One more thing I should probably clue you in on, Lynn... remember the phrase "the cobbler's children wear no shoes"? Well, that applies to my family... "the cookshop owner's children haven't a matching dish, or pot, or pan!" NOTHING in my kitchen matches... been married all these years and I STILL don't have a set of dishes! We use all the discontinued/damaged stuff from the shop! Now THAT'S shabby for you! =) (My little rant.) I do love this post you started!

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  9. great post : ) happy mixing gigi!

    we have a dualit 4 slice toaster which gets a lot of use...infact it is very crumby + probably not looking chic + expensive like it does in magazines...but that's not real life is it?! i happily use away at a 3rd hand food processor (grandma to aunty to me!) + it's the best! and i'm all for local support...hence i shop at our co-op 95% of the time...then i do a treat trip to waitrose (to get my free magazine!) xxx

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  10. I have to confess I own a Dualit toaster (a combi) I think it's about 10 years old. Apart from it's classic good looks it does live up tp the hype - plus you can get spare parts for it so in theory all I need to worry about is who to leave it to in my will.
    When I was growing up my parents bought things that lasted for years and could be repaired - build in obsolescence hadn't been thought of.
    Jane - I have often lamented the same words regarding state of the art kitchens belonging to people who never cook!

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  11. Anonymous1:16 AM

    I have a black and decker toaster:) it's not black, it's white, it's also not stainless but it sure does toast a nice piece of bread! Yes me too-- sick and tired of things being pressed upon me from every angle, someone believing that they are the very first to discover it,& if you don't have it WHY? It's everywhere, I don't need help finding it or a link...anyway just had to pop in again...great to meet you gigi I also love this name:) & cookbooks work great!

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  12. Anonymous9:09 AM

    I agree supporting local shops is important, it's a balance isn't it between the budget you have available and where you choose to spend it for example my local butcher is great, has a super choice at a good price and I'd go there everytime rather than Tesco.

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  13. I get nearlly all of my kitchen stuff from charity shops. and i have a wonderful array of antique, vintage and just old, pots and pans, i personally do not need to waste pounds and pounds on "named' brands with so called celebrity endorsements, for what is basically a mass produced, product usually made abroard and not helping G.B one little bit, there are some who like to stock up on named brands and i am sure this gives them an element of status within their own kitchen and amounst their "friends" i know this because i see it....hopefully one day the penny with drop and they will become enlightened and not "sheeplike" and laugh in the face of such commercial clap trap but until such time, there will be more choice for the rest of us, in the more avent-garde emporiums, Oxfam, Save The Children, Cancer Resaerch, the list is endless.......x

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  14. I don't even have a toaster! Just use the grill. I really love your rants Lynn. I must admit that if something was endorsed by a celebrity I deliberately wouldn't buy it even if it was the best. I don't have a single Jamie, Nigella or Anthony gadget or dish in my kitchen and don't intend to. And as for Cath Kidston phones..... don't even get me started. She has gone way down in my estimation since teaming up with carphone warehouse.
    Really love your new mixer and great that you supported your local shop by buying it there.

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  15. Anonymous1:08 PM

    Blimey - the people's popular front right next door!! Remind me not to piss you off!! Rant on sister. The Neighbour. P.S My most loved kitchen items - which as you know I don't know what to do with anyway are mainly from charity shops and 30 years old. My mixer does smell a bit when I use it...once a year. XX

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  16. Always the shepherdess, not a sheep;) Looking forward to the next 'rant'

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