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Cookie Tin Tree
(First posted in 2015, I still use this each year though.)
Hello there, from dreary, bleary, dark Chicagoland. After the lambasting of 16" of snow a week ago, we've been locked in with rain and dreary almost everyday since then, with 4-5 more days of such forecasted. If I wait for natural light it will be NEW YEARS before I ever post again.
So please suffer with the flash photgraphy, and...I am starting to think Christmas. I was in a thrift store last week and staring at the huge stacks of cookie tins...and thought...perfect! We always make tons of cookies and baking for gifts, but where to store them in a small house and pantry-less kitchen.
An idea hit me! A Christmas Tins Tree!
My collection of tins is a bit rag-taggy. This OLD Fannie May here is ancient, and held my grandmother's emergency mending. The OLD golden one I bought for Fall, the blue one I have had for ages. The green one is relatively new, tall and has a handle---too cute.
This tin was a hand-painted REDO from a friend, who patiently splattered a myriad of blossoms on it, with all the paint I gave her to play with. I had taught painting classes and had oodles of multiple bottles, so I loaded up a bin and gave them to her. Thanks E for the gorgeous REDO tin.
I picked up two of this snowman series at a local thrift store, I don't think they were used at all. Really large and green---perfect for the bottom and only 25 cents each!
Bottom of what, you ask? Here's my completed Christmas Tins Tree. I think it is perfect on the white bookcase in the kitchen surrounded by my vintage kitchen utensils. The broom lady gives us some advice from an old Danish proverb, "If everyone would sweep in front of their own stoop, the whole world would be clean."
These pics were taken at noon with a flash and doctored to bring up the light...all the auto-lights outside were on it was so dark.
My GREEN plants come into the house in Fall and we have to live with them. The Rosemary bush on the left side is wrapped in a NEW IKEA 2014 apron, and the Ivy planter in the urn will get some decorating and bitty lights soon. I have plans for the large ring mold, my Mom's.
The tins tree is surrounded by vintage and antique kitchen goodies, the REDO tree is reminiscent of OLD Christmas' past. My runner is maybe 20 years old, but still fits into our Scandinavian Kitchen Christmas theme.
The OLD tree jello molds I picked up this year at a cute shop...4 for $2.00. The OLD blue jars came from my mother-in-law and are my REDO canister set for all my staples.
The OLD wooden and tin Cookie press is Danish and circa 1926, so it was probably my great-grandmother's, as my first grandmother died in 1927. Such a fun find! This was in my second grandmother's undealt with leavings. My mom never opened a single box and did anything with it. I'm happy to enjoy each and every find.
I have the original box, but it is pretty gross. On the box it says Fløde Kage og Bollesprøjte. Smut--translated to Cream Cake and Bun Syringe.
I have no idea what smut means, and in that context neither do the translators. I do know the oval tin cutout was used for pressing out dumpling dough---or bolle...for soup. Num, I will have to post that recipe sometime and use the antique press.
The OLD round jello molds were my gramma's probably from the 1940s or 50s. The OLD salt cellar was my mother's, the OLD sieve was from parent's summer cottage.
The green glass candlesticks are Jamestown glass from a trip there.
The OLD glass jar is vintage, a smaller version of my grandmother's and now holds her best almost unused, Sandbakkel tins, these are the shiny ones jammed in the jar...but I have a secret.
When wanting to make a glass jar look full, insert a clear jar or glass in the center and arrange around it. The glass holds your items in place without really showing at all
Sandbakkels are basically tart tins...however the Danish recipe dough is made with finely ground almonds instead of just flour.
Here is a Sandbakkel recipe and picture from Lefse Time without the almonds. I will have to dig for the almond recipe. There are great Scandinavian recipes on Lefse Time and lots of Scandinavian cooking equipment.
The OLD crank nut chopper was my grandmother's. The vintage cheese grater could certainly be used for other baking and grinding.
Now, baking need to fill the REDO Christmas Cookie Tin Tree. That may take some doing---Cookie day is December 13th here this year, stay tuned!
THIS is a preview of our family's freehand approach to Old-fashioned cutouts!
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