Kitchen Utensils

I can't remember if I was reading or listening, but I recently read/heard a story that someone was telling of when their mother went into an aged care facility.  The mother had chosen some of her things to take with her, had made a list of other things that she wanted kept and had told her family to dispose of everything else.  Over time, of course, there were some things which had gone which she regretted not keeping. And as she got even older she forgot about the list and the decisions and wondered where all her lovely things had gone to

As I read/listened, I reflected that you don't need to be old or forgetful or confused to have similar thoughts and experiences.  I still can't imagine what nearly Two Years Ago Frannie was thinking when she decided to leave her large Le Creuset stock pot in England (and then to bring the small one that didn't get used all that often!)  It doesn't matter now because the single pot has been replaced by another stock pot plus a smaller casserole dish (neither is Le Creuset), but it is still a puzzle to me.  I know why I didn't bring some things that I miss a bit, like my cast iron dachshund boot scraper - which would have had to have been cleaned to within an inch of its life if it was to be admitted into Australia. But the decision making behind other things is lost in the mists of time.  And mostly it is kitchen equipment

I quite like the fact that we have a mix of things that have returned to Australia after being taken to England with me (a very small collection!), some things that have come from England and some things that are newly bought. But from time to time I go to get something that was in the Tupton kitchen and is not in this one. Such as, last weekend,  an apple corer.  Not sure why the apple corer didn't come but it clearly didn't.  I'll just have to get a new one.  No hurry, I don't actually de-core apples very often. Mostly I used it for baking.  So I put it on my list of things to buy and used a sharp knife instead.

The next time I was in Coles, I looked for one.  No joy.  I looked in Woolworths the next time I was there.  Nup.  I tried the Kmart in Reservoir. They don't stock them.  I tried the kitchen shop. They have run out.  I tried another, bigger supermarket. Nope.  Eventually I ordered one online.  But who would have thought it would be quite so hard to replace an apple corer.  Wouldn't have thought they were a particularly niche bit of kitchen kit!

If I ever emigrate again (unlikely) I will take absolutely everything that is in the kitchen and sort it all out later.