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Post by nana on Feb 1, 2016 20:29:26 GMT -5
Many thanks to my good buddy Kevin at GA Bove Propane: when I got home today Marilyn had a lovely little pilot light burning, which stayed lit all afternoon and evening, and lit the burner to heat up my oven and pizza stone and finally, cook some of the best pizza ever!!! Not like my pizza has been so shabby all these years, but as my husband said, this stepped it up a notch. Thin, crispy crust, toppings perfectly done....I am very happy! Oh, and as we were gobbling down our dinner, I did have the presence of mind to snap a belated picture.
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Post by karitx on Feb 1, 2016 20:37:46 GMT -5
Woohoo! Congrats, nana! And excellent choice on pizza as an oven test.
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Post by vaporvac on Feb 1, 2016 21:46:21 GMT -5
Yeah! That looks amazing. In fact, your entire "tablescape" looks so inviting.
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Post by chipperhiker on Feb 1, 2016 23:27:27 GMT -5
Wonderful, nana!! I'm so glad to hear that you've finally got a working oven. Is your thermowell working now, too?
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Post by mach12 on Feb 2, 2016 0:50:54 GMT -5
That's really great news - Congratulations!! Any idea what he did and what parts he used?
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Post by kellyjo40 on Feb 2, 2016 17:57:45 GMT -5
Nana, woohoo! how exciting. I second Mach12. What was the issue?
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Post by nana on Feb 2, 2016 21:07:50 GMT -5
Thank you for all the good wishes. It has been a long time coming, I can tell you, but now every part of my stove works and works well. The oven issue was the thermocouple for the oven safety. The one she came with was no good, then also the one that Don sent as a replacement. I have no idea why they didn't work, but they didn't. Kevin used(and I'm just copying this off the invoice here because I was at work when he installed this) a "Robertshaw pilot assy strait" and a "Honeywell thermocouple 24" uni", whatever those are. He also had to build a custom bracket to hold these parts in the proper position to light the burner, since these are probably gas furnace or water heater parts, not Chambers parts. To be honest, I haven't even looked under the baffle to see what he did, because I'm just so happy that it is fixed!! Whatever he did is fine with me. VV, I took a look at my picture to see what my tablescape looked like. I'm flattered you like it, but now I wish I'd have cleaned it up a bit, maybe filed my property tax receipts away and moved my grandson's Lego treehouse bin out of the picture, just to keep up appearances, you understand! That was my second big glass of wine though, so there it is, warts and all. We were in a celebratory mood for sure!
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Post by kellyjo40 on Feb 2, 2016 23:14:00 GMT -5
uh oh! I too got a oven safety from Don. I hope he didn't get a bad batch. It was a bugger to get in, and I would absolutely HATE to have to redo it. I am anxious now to get that propane hooked up and find out what I have.
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Post by nana on Feb 3, 2016 8:08:22 GMT -5
The safety switch itself, the thing with the big red button, was fine. It was the thermocouple that was no good. Did your thermocouple/pilot come in a little red and white box that says Robertshaw on it, and look like an unopened sealed package from the 1950's? I'm wondering if it may not be a situation like the exploding pressure cookers, where a bad batch was squirreled away instead of being destroyed, and now years later no one remembers they were bad and they say Oh look, old stove parts, there's a small but steady market for that. Let's sell them. I hope yours works. It was no fun to go through because the thermocouples sorta kinda worked a little, just enough to make you think it was OK, but then you would go to check on it and it would be out again. Very frustrating.
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Post by nana on Feb 3, 2016 8:17:28 GMT -5
I do kind of miss the old pilot light even though it was not reliable at all, because it was brighter and yellower and when I turned off the kitchen light at night I could see it glowing in the mica window like a little eye winking at me. (For the short periods of time it was lit, at any rate.) This one now is smaller and bluer, and doesn't shine through the mica unless you actually get down and look through the window. I nearly had a fit that first night when I turned out the light and didn't see the glow.
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Post by nana on Feb 3, 2016 23:07:09 GMT -5
Toldja I was gonna bake Christmas cookies! I bought this cookie gun at a garage sale this summer and vowed the first time I used it would be with Marilyn. It replaces the one I inherited from my mom which was used so much(Germans have a thing about Christmas cookies) that it wouldn't stay screwed together unless the dough was practically liquid. .
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Post by vaporvac on Feb 3, 2016 23:49:20 GMT -5
What a darling vignette! The cookie box is SO cute. I was just thinking over the holidays that there's something extremely comforting about tins of cookies nicely stacked. It's sort of like having a pantry full of jams and pickles, but better because totally unnecessary. I can see how this would make you very happy. What kind of did you make? I'd have a hard time taking a good pic of my C; she always seems to be covered in flour, batter or something. I barely clean her and she's at it again.
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Post by kellyjo40 on Feb 4, 2016 1:26:13 GMT -5
Nana, I always make spritz cookies with my aluminum cookie "gun" too. Then Kringla, and a Norwegian one I found the recipe for years ago. Can't keep the spritz in the house all the way to Christmas, no matter how many dozens I make!
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Post by mach12 on Feb 4, 2016 9:37:41 GMT -5
Nana - I'm not sure which I'm the most excited about, the fact that your stove is up and running or the fact that we're about to see even more great cooking stuff! Things are definitely looking up.
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Post by nana on Feb 4, 2016 19:52:12 GMT -5
I just made plain butter cookies. This gun looks like someone used it about twice and then put it away for decades, but not before they lost two of the shapes. The ones from my mom's fit, though. Check out the back of the recipe card it came with: The cookies are coming out all different colors of dough. Already decorated. I must have done something wrong with mine! Oops! I just remembered I need to make something for a going away party at work for someone. I think I will try the cheese straw recipe from the cookie gun card.
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Post by vaporvac on Feb 4, 2016 20:10:45 GMT -5
I have an old NOS copper one that screws down and I'm ashamed to say I've never used it. However, I recently rearranged and put it more easily accessible so I may feel inspired thanks to you, nana. Update: I just looked at it and it appears I have the motherlode of shapes... twelve total! Is that normal? I have all the card suites as well as a dog and camel and a couple of cake decorating tips! I just found the instruction booklet and it's Mirro brand. Oooh. My cake thingies are actually for eclairs and cream puffs and lady fingers. What have I been doing sitting on this gem? Nana, you're going wake us all up now that your oven is working.
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Post by chipperhiker on Feb 4, 2016 23:47:38 GMT -5
I have a cookie gun just like yours nana, including the box and a wooden rack to hold the shape inserts. You've got company, vaporvac - I'm also embarrassed to admit I've never put mine to use, either. I got charmed by the packaging,,,
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Post by vaporvac on Feb 5, 2016 0:18:10 GMT -5
I think we need a picture of the wooden rack holding the inserts! Do you have any unusual ones? I'm like you... can't resist good packaging.
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Post by chipperhiker on Feb 5, 2016 19:48:20 GMT -5
Well, it appears that i have conflated my memories of these two cookie guns. The wooden rack actually goes with my second (also unused) cookie press. Here 'tis!
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Post by nana on Feb 5, 2016 19:57:10 GMT -5
That looks like a real old one! Do you screw that big black knob down to squeeze out the dough? That seems like it would give you better control over how thick or thin you make them. With the trigger it's just like using a caulking gun, but you have to have your dough not too warm or cold or it gets all wonky. I have a little decorating tube like yours, too. I use it when I need to write Happy Birthday on a cake. My mom used to have the camel shape too, (unfortunately lost now)but hers was definitely a wear ever. Apparently there was such a great need for camel shaped cookies back in the day that it was standard issue. What holiday would it go with? I can only think of Christmas, maybe the wise men rode camels, but that seems kind of an oblique reference point. PS never thought I would find myself saying this, but... Nice rack!
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Post by mach12 on Feb 5, 2016 21:21:00 GMT -5
A camel shape? That's one I've never seen. That's really cool!
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Post by kellyjo40 on Feb 5, 2016 22:21:15 GMT -5
Yep, mine had the camel too. Must be for epiphany cookies?!? Or when you have your Middle Eastern friends over. Maybe they just thought camels were "exotic" like mummies.
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Post by vaporvac on Feb 5, 2016 23:29:39 GMT -5
chipperhiker, that's exactly like my copper Mirro one, except I don't have the little rack! I love the camel shape and think the 3 wise men may be exactly what it represents. The dog is really cute too. we should make a pact to use it some time soon.
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Post by chipperhiker on Feb 6, 2016 0:28:13 GMT -5
I don't think I've ever had a compliment on my rack before! You're on Vaporvac!!! We should definitely put them to use.
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Post by mach12 on Feb 6, 2016 21:03:09 GMT -5
Sheesh - I keep thinking of replies and then I remember the first rule of surviving a minefield: Don't go there!
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Post by chipperhiker on Feb 6, 2016 21:25:23 GMT -5
It's probably for the best, mach12!!!
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Post by mach12 on Feb 7, 2016 16:21:16 GMT -5
Well I was telling my wife about this and she said "we do too have camel shapes". Heck, we have two different Mirro sets and a battery operated Proctor-Silex one we got at Goodwill for $2.99, though it doesn't have a camel shape. One of the Mirro's is similar to the sets posted here and the other is a "dial-a-cookie" design.
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Post by vaporvac on Feb 7, 2016 16:46:47 GMT -5
Now I need a Dial-a-Cookie. Jeez. That's my exact anodized copper one, mach12 with the same instruction manual. I'm just missing the box so I store all my plates inside the body under the plate holder. Some of the recipes call for Crisco/shortening and others call for butter. I wonder why the difference? I didn't realize there was so much variety in these recipes. p.s. It looks like you're not using yours either. Going to remedy that soon.
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Post by chipperhiker on Feb 7, 2016 19:38:52 GMT -5
Now you're just showing off, mach12!!! None of them look like they've seen much action, though. Maybe vaporvac and I should issue you the cookie challenge, too?!?
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Post by mach12 on Feb 7, 2016 20:37:37 GMT -5
Shoot, hardly showing off. I was feeling pretty dumb when she reminded me. The one in the box is our original but the dial-a-cookie is one we picked up somewhere. I'd forgotten we even had them and I've never used them myself but my wife has. I call the cookies she makes with it "finger breakers" since that's what she always said she was going to do to me if I touched them. Talk about an abused husband! We've never tried the electric one other than sticking some batteries in it to make sure it worked.
I'm all for making some cookies. I don't remember the last time I made any and I've never made them with a cookie press so you guys would both run circles around me. I did make donuts with my mother's donut maker that she had as far back as I can remember. Worked pretty well but I'm not sure it's an improvement over the regular way. We also have an aluminum one but I think that's still packed from the last time we were overseas and rented out the house.
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