Friday, December 21, 2007

What's The Name Of This Thing-A-Ma-Jig?



Last month when I was at my Mama's, I found this do-hickey in her kitchen pantry.



It belonged to my great-grandmother and Mama let me have it.


Can someone tell me if it has a name?

I remember one of my neighbors used to make some type of Christmas cookie using something similar to this, so I called and asked her what the name of the cookie was.
Here's her arrrusssuupppeee:


Pizzelles

6 eggs
2 T vanilla or anise (I use anise)
3-1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter - melted
4 tsp baking powder
Sift flour and baking powder and set aside.
Beat eggs, adding sugar gradually. Beat until smooth. Add cooled melted butter and vanilla or anise.
Add flour to egg mixture.
Preheat iron and put about 1 T mixture on iron at one time. It takes about 1 minute 10 seconds. (You figure that one out) Turn pan to keep from overheating. If it oozes out side put less of the mixture in. Takes a few before you get the knack. If it sticks just squirt with Pam.




The inscription on this side of the doo-hickey says GRISWOLD MFG. CO. ERIE PA.












The inscription on the opposite side reads:

PAT JUNE 29 1880










Here's the design on the inside.










The end of it has this little latch to hold it together.













Here's the design again in a
crayon rubbing I did of it.










If anyone could give me any information about whatever you call this thing or some arrrusssuuuupppeees using it, it would be greatly appreciated.

Just to think I would be using something my great grandmother used
is kind of awesome.
And, of course, I never knew her.

Marilyn was kind enough to send me this link:


http://www.griswoldcookware.com/history.htm

Thanks, Marilyn.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

It's a pizelle iron.

Can't tell you how to use it... growing up, a lot of people's moms & grandmas had them hanging in the house, but by then everyone had an electic pizzelle maker. My grandmother used to *say* she made hers with an iron like that in the fireplace, but we all know she bought them direct from the Italian bakery. She was a very early Fandra.

Dennis Weed said...

Nothing says Christmas more to me than my Grandmother making Pizzelles.

Marilyn said...

Did you see that Griswold ware of that era are considered to be highly collectible?

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Thanks, all.