Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Childhood Memories.....

Windsor Tea Kettle


Why is it that small things we remember growing up, seems to have such an influence on our taste, as adults ?

My grandma Ciss used a tea kettle on her stove to boil water.
It was a sturdy kettle made from chrome-plated copper, and built with a raised element at the bottom in order to conduct the heat more efficiently from her gas stove.
When the water was at boiling level, it whistled, to let you know it was ready.

It lasted a lifetime, or so it seemed to me.

As soon as I set up housekeeping, I always wished for one of those kettles.
I shopped specialty catalogues endlessly, until one day, I came across the very same kettle, in the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Collection. "Imported from England" caught my eye.

My choice was the one made from solid copper, lined with tin, without the element, and more suitable for use with an electric stove top.
It was shipped with a lifetime warranty, and a lovely little keepsake card, telling how it was handcrafted, and the name of the original craftsman, whose talent it took to create it.

It gets used everyday, reminding me of all the times my grandma served pots of tea to family and friends alike.
The local "bobbies" (policemen), walking the neighborhood beat, were a staple around her kitchen table.

I can hear them now, shouting through the front door letterbox......."Put kettle on Ciss".

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Dang, a lifetime warranty! You don't see that much anymore. Beautiful kettle; have seen the occasional one in an antique shop or two.

Carol Murdock said...

Jo...what a beautiful Kettle and a wonderful memory!! I'm so glad you found the perfect one!
xoxo

donna baker said...

Was this the grandmas with the bakery? I've never had a whistling teapot. I need one now so I won't forget that I left it on.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Gaston Studio: Yes, a lifetime warranty something not common these days.

Carol: I'm tickled that I found one too. I wear that kettle out, for the past 21 years, everyday.

Donna: Yes, same grandma with the bakery. Before this one, I actually burned kettles up on the stove because they didn't whistle.

Dirt Princess said...

How wonderful that you were able to find it. Such great memories

Siobhán said...

Yes please, though can I be awkward and ask for coffee instead of tea?
What a lovely story.

Thanks for stopping by 100 Words from Dublin.

L. D. said...

What a nice looking kettle. It helps make time stand still will you can relive it one more time. My grandmother lived alone her later years and she would get so excited when she could share something to drink and eat with someone. I kept some of my mom's mugs because she was the same way. We shared a lot of really bad instant coffee her last few years and it is what made her happy.

Stella Jones said...

Lovely to look at, but give me my electric kettle every time. I use it that often that one on the stove would be forever whistling at me.
Loved the picture.
Blessings, Star

Patsy said...

love memories like that.
Patsy

DeniseinVA said...

Isn't it lovely how certain things evoke memories of our childhood? You've gotten me starting remembering my own grandmother today. That is a beautiful copper kettle.

Unknown said...

Hi! Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. You have a very interesting blog, I've enjoyed a few posts already and the pictures are wonderful! Where was that lavender field? England? Anyways, about the tea pot. My grandparents never had anything that nice. I do remember a graniteware coffe pot though. I remember waking up at grandma's house in a feather bed to the smell of coffee and hearing the roosters crow. I loved spending the night with her. I don't know what ever happened to her coffee pot but I do have my grandfathers coffee cup and saucer, and of course it was granitware.;D

Lucky for you to have a near replica and that you enjoy using it everyday. It's beautiful.

2 Dogs said...

My first trip to England we stopped to visit John's sister. As soon as we got there his nephew asked, "Want brew?" I was very puzzled. LOL

Unknown said...

What a wonderful memory and tribute to your Grandmother. I love stories like this and have lots of great memories of my Grandparents too. In fact come to think of it I did a post on an antique clock I finally found that reminded me of my Grandmother called The Quiet Woods & The Tick Tock.
Great post ya did!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Jo, What a beautiful kettle. We have a whistling tea kettle which we use all of the time--when we make hot tea. BUT--ours is very plain and nothing like yours.

Thanks for sharing!
Hugs,
Betsy

Jeannette StG said...

My daily kettle is a whistling one - and that probably has to do with my childhood too. And I have a yellow copper tea kettle to remind me of Holland.

Sharon Rose said...

Oh, that is lovely! It is truly amazing the things that stay with us throughout our lives. . . and so many are from a grandmother's kitchen!