Substitute This For That

I've never been facinated with gadgets: blenders, bread machines, electric knives and can openers and that flat piece of plastic with various size holes in it to "measure" spaghetti. While we do have a few electrified gadgets - a 30-year-old waffle maker and a toaster and microwave bought at Goodwill - our less is more lifestyle is reflected throughout our home.

We have 10 Griswold cast iron fry pans and two Griswold dutch ovens; a marble rolling pin, flour sifter and a dough knife; plenty of bread, cake and pie pans and cookie sheets; several stainless steel or enamel coffee pots with their "innards"; a kraut cutter and two Red Wing crocks; a pottery water cooler and a butter churn; a four-sided grater and a coffee grinder.

I've lived most of my life without the "conveniences" that took up space, cost a lot and needed various parts to clean and maintain. If you want to "practice" doing without, start with the inside of your home. Next time you're doing household chores how about substituting a whisk for a blender or mixer; a clothesline for a dryer; a broom for a floor vacuum; a tub, wringer and washboard for a washer; a cast iron waffle maker (used on a wood stove) for an electric waffle iron; a four-sided grater and some arm motion with a block of cheese for the pre-grated packages; a cutting board and sharp knife for those blasted choppers; and a well-seasoned cast iron fry pan for those sandwich machines or George Foreman grills?

The picture above is a small sampling to give the timid some inspiration!