I was near my favorite thrift store earlier in the week and found a few gems a few tarnished utensils.
I got all eight pieces for two bucks.
Apparently the only thing you can get for a quarter anymore is a old dirty fork, and I’m thinking they will be perfect in photos with some dark wood.
Or with this
I love the spoons.
Especially the one in the middle with the open spaces in the handle.
It reminds me of something my grandma would have used to stir her coffee.
Or something I can use to dig out mouthfuls of a Microwave Strawberry Vanilla Mug Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Glaze
My big score was this 5 dollar sifter with the turn-crank handle and wooden knob.
Too bad I never ever sift flour. Nor does Christina Tosi so I don’t feel too bad.
It feels so old-fashioned turning that crank.
Makes me almost contemplate sifting just to put this sifter to use. Almost.
The retro-chic of it was just too cute for me to pass up.
Between the tarnished silverware and the vintage sifter, I felt like I hit the 1950s jackpot and may make June Cleaver jealous. It was the best 7 dollars I’ve spent all month.
Okay, well, the best 7 dollars I’ve spent all month was on ingredients to make these.
Do you sift your flour?
I don’t sift because the flour most of us buy is pre-sifted. If there happens to be a little lump, gently tossing the flour in the bag will break it up.
I also give the bag a little tossing and jostling before I measure my flour to make sure it hasn’t compacted and is a little bit fluffed up. “As flour sits, it slowly settles, becoming more compacted. A cup of sifted flour may weigh 20% – 25% less than a cup of flour that has settled. This difference can significantly affect the results, making breads and cakes more dense.”
Also important to remember from here: A recipe that asks for, say, “one cup of flour, sifted” will use more flour than one that asks for “one cup of sifted flour”. In the first instance, the flour is measured prior to sifting, while in the second it is sifted first then measured.
But let’s face it, the less steps and dishes dirtied in the baking process, the better, which is why I don’t sift. Nothing I am making is so ultra-precise that I’ve found it matters when cooking at home for just myself and my family. Many websites suggest sifting is an antiquated practice rarely used anymore, but maybe I will do some side-by-side recipe tests to see if my results vary dramatically.
I also recently did a post comparing different types of all-purpose flour.
Have you found anything fun at the thrift store lately?
Or anything cute or fun in general?
Have a great weekend and thanks for the Lemon and Orange NuNaturals Stevia Giveaway entries
I love the first pic, third little spoon down. CUTE! I think I need some of these!
what great finds at the thrift store Averie! I just love the detail on those spoons… so elegant and would make me feel fancy :)
Love finding good deals like that! I have never sifted flour before. Mostly because I don’t own a sifter, but I just don’t think I would take the extra step. I don’t usually use cup measurements anyway. I weigh out pretty much everything. I don’t know if that helps my cause or not, but it is so much easier to me that way.
I love going to thrift stores because you never know what you find, and it’s usually something so unique! I love what you’ve found so far :D
I knew that you had to spoon the flour in the measuring cup, but didn’t know how much of a difference it makes (sifted vs. pre-sifted)!! Does that mean I could blame the times I failed baking on that…? :P
Sounds like a good thing to blame to me :)
loveee the look of those vintagy pieces. They will add a perfect touch for certain photos. And the sifter… cool! I’ve never seen something like that.
ohh cute finds! especially that sifter!
I hardly ever sift my flour. its such a pain and i end up getting flour everywhere!
Yes, the everywhere but the bowl phenomenon!
exactly! haha
Those forks & spoons are really pretty actually. That fork in the center….grew up with that pattern. I remember the old sifters – mom always made me sift flour for anything I baked. Now..um…not so much.
Oh how funny that you grew up with that pattern. Small world!
I love thrift store silverware and I fell in love with the Milk Bar cookbook even more after I read that she doesn’t sift. I don’t sift. I never have and I don’t plan on it, even if a recipe calls for it. I guess maybe I should try it out sometime to see if it really makes a difference but I’m like you – I feel like it’s an extra step and extra dishes to wash!
Ok I am SO GLAD to know you dont sift, either. And when I read Christina doesnt sift, uses Skippy PB and Pam cooking spray, just old school stuff…I was in love with her even more!
I love the vintage sifter! Gorgeous, I am also a rustic chic freak :). Our entire apartment is kinda decorated in a beachy rustic style. Just makes everything feel so homey!
Rustic gives everything that homey feel. I love it!
That spoon is beautiful, I bet someone’s Grandma used it plenty. I also like the fork with the woven pattern. Great find! I use a sifter a lot to mix together dry ingredients more than just to lighten up the flour. Don’t have a great sifter like this one, I’m stuck just shaking it through my strainer. Isn’t it so gratifying to find things that look so cool for just pennies? Love it.
I would love to know the story behind certain things, too! “I bet someone’s Grandma used it plenty.”
Ok, so clearly I have been a very bad blog reader and totally missed your transition from Love Veggies and Yoga to Averie Cooks, but I LOVE it!! I also love the looks of those cake bars… they’re making me wish I had some right now! As for flour sifting, I’m what you’d call a very lazy baker – separating wet and dry ingredients is about as detailed as I get! ;)
Early in the month, I transitioned…bits and pieces. Now the only thing I have left to do is somehow convert all the old links from LV&Y.com/recipe to averiecooks.com/recipe But what an undertaking and recipe for disaster. Pun intended!
I loveeeeeee your silverware!!
I stopped sifting flour years ago–don’t really even know why or what made me stop. I haven’t noticed a difference in my results either, though maybe I’d sift if I was planning on making a fancy cake ( which won’t be happening anytime soon)! I got some kale, spinach and lettuce planted so I’m hoping to have some cute little plants in the next couple of weeks. Have a great weekend!
I love that spoon! I have several pieces of vintage silver that I have picked up from antique stores, they are all sitting in a cup on my desk next to my pens. :) The intention is to use them in photos, but…
I rarely sift flour – the only time recently was when making French macarons – those require it!
my latest AWESOME find is a … um … Dog Butler – it’s a standing dog statue that holds a tray, it is used as a mini table. I have been looking for this exact one for YEARS, and finally found it. I’ll share photos soon – each time I look at him I smile.
Happy Friday!
Ive seen dog butlers! And ones that are monkeys, cats, etc. They are so cute! I’ve seen people use them for hor’s deourvs trays for parties, to hold wine/champagne rather than passing it out, or as a photography prop :) So glad you found the PERFECT one!
Wow, what great finds. I should go thrift shopping too.
That sifter is so cute. I have a plain old Oxo one. Sometimes I sift, sometimes I don’t. It depends on my mood. But when it comes to cakes, I definitely sift.
Good to know about the cakes, specifically. I like hearing what everyone’s strategies are.
LOVE your thrift gifts!! Happy Friday!