Memories of the Past  by Sterling

Who inherited Verna’s Ateco Cookie Maker (see attachment) from her kitchen supplies when she moved in with Roger and her house was sold? Does it still exist somewhere? This was brought to my attention when I found the scrap of paper, shown in the attachment, among Verna’s letters to Leonard when he was on his mission that Carolyn allowed me to review.

This cookie maker was a big fascination in my youth and holds a special spot in my memory. There were many parts and pieces to attract a young child’s attention. It was an aluminum tube, finely threaded on each end, with screw on caps to close them off. One cap would hold one of many changeable disks with various patterns that the shortbread cookie dough would be pressed through to form the cookie. The other end cap was the crank and plunger to press the dough through the tube. I spent many happy hours examining this item, assembling it, turning the crank so the plunger would extend and retract, all the time imagining what form the cookies would be and so forth. What I remember and cherish most are the days when mother would actually make the cookie dough. Then it was a struggle among the children over who and how long each of us could turn the crank. It was a delight trying to keep the flow steady, and getting the output to the cookie sheet in the correct form. Allow your imagination to reenact that scene in her kitchen with two or three children involved. It was a fun time for us and now as I look back I marvel at mother’s patience. She made it fun. The cookies tasted so good fresh out of the oven. They didn’t take long to cool and they didn’t last any time at all. A choice and happy memory you created for us dear Mother.

Sterling

I enjoyed both making and eating the same cookies mentioned by Sterling.  I even purchased a similar device that was battery powered so I could replicate the childhood memory.  Didn't work!  My cookie dough never tasted like Mother's and the battery power didn't allow a smooth steady operation so the stream of cookie dough would break.  Sometimes low-tech is best.  Who does have the real thing??

Carolyn

Margaret thinks that we have the cookie maker. She has one like it & has used it every year to make Christmas cookies.  Jerry