Monday 27 October 2008

Sad news

I am very sad tonight. I am afraid that I have grave news to impart. We have suffered a devastating loss in the family (or at least I have). An old friend upon whom I had come to rely, is no more. True, he had not been quite himself for some time, having difficulty moving quite as smoothly and efficiently as he used to. He struggled a bit to deal with the sort of workload that, in his prime, he made short work of. He was no longer fashionable either, and doubtless some people who met him smirked a bit at his appearance. But that never bothered me. I could see through external appearances, to the helpful, dedicated, dependable sort he was.

In fact, I recognised him the very first time I met him, saw at once that he was what I needed, that he could fulfil a role in my life that nothing else could. He was actually living in my mother-in-law's house at the time but I didn't let that stop me. I enticed him away. Actually, it wasn't that difficult as she really wasn't that keen on him and considered him, if anything, a bit of a waste of space. I knew different and welcomed him into my home where he has been ever since. Until Sunday. First Born and I were making bread. And we killed my Kenwood Chef.





That's him there. In all his made-in-the-Seventies orange splendour. With, I hope you note, a proper stainless steel bowl, none of that plastic rubbish. We were trying to recreate the Swiss Sunday Bread that First Born found so addictive and decided that, rather than knead it ourselves, we would be lazy and stick the Kenwood on with the dough hook. All went well for a couple of minutes, I was washing up and FB was watching the dough bouncing around the bowl when suddenly Kenwood (as I like to call him) had a sort of fit. He speeded up to maximum without warning and then ground to a halt. An ominous smell of burning filled the kitchen. I leapt over to him, my heart in my mouth and switched him off. I frantically checked him over, Husband heard the commotion and came to see if he could help, but it was too late. His motor had gone. I pronounced him dead.

Now I don't know what to do - I don't think I could take to one of those new fangled mixers all clean and sensible-coloured and without that distinctive whining groan that Kenwood had when he started up. Sigh. Well, I suppose I should be grateful that he had such a good time in his final years once I stole him gave him a loving home. For example, I bet you he lasted longer than any of the other orange Seventies stuff he used to share a kitchen with.

(You can click on that photo to enlarge it if you are brave enough to cope with that wallpaper as well as my youthful girning.)

And do you know the worst thing? I got the bread recipe off the internet and it was AWFUL. Even FB wouldn't eat it.

18 comments:

  1. RIP Mr Chef.

    I too gave a loving home to an aged Kenwood Chef, so I know the joy they can bring in their twilight years. However I found mine more recently had a touch of dementia and kept trying to sabotage my diet with the tasty baked goods he would whip up. So I sent him to a new home via Freecycle, and his new owner literally whooped with excitement when she thought I'd put the phone down - made my day LOL!

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  2. That photo will be used in a museum in 100 years time as the definition of the 1970's.

    "Gather round ladies and gentlemen, wonder at how they used to live in the olden days. You can just about make out the primitive food replication device known as a Kenwood Chef."

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  3. I'm sorry for your loss.

    That kitchen... WOW! Intense!

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  4. Oh, dear. Husband had his from his mother's kitchen and it finally gave up the ghost about a year ago - it lives ion a corner of my side (indoor) porch, because he can't bear to throw it away....

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  5. ohhh NOoooooooo! it's so orange and retrolicious! i am sorry for your loss...

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  6. Love the grin!
    If you need a good strong mixer, Kitchen Aid makes one that you simply cannot kill.
    If it's a bread making machine, well, I just do not do that because I would immediately gain back the 44 pounds I have lost!

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  7. Oh No! devastating! I have a powder blue Kenwood Chef that's on it's last legs. I'm not sure but I'm guessing 70s era too. I feel your pain, becuase I'm not sure what I'd do without mine. And I certainly couldn't afford to replace him. Have you seen the price of them now???!!!

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  8. So sorry for your loss. Your mixer was groovy.

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  9. Those orange cupboards are so in- when we were getting our kitchen done this year i had to stop Meeester from lusting over the orange versions of the black ones we ended up with.

    And now you get to buy yourself a breadmaker! My mum's is fantastic.

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  10. I'm sorry your lovely Kenwood is gone. There simply is not enough orange in kitchens nowadays.

    Sorry he didn't go out in glory. Maybe he knew the bread would be icky?

    At least you'll always have you memories... and the pictures.

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  11. This is super-freaky because this is the 4th appliance-related blog obituary I've read in the last week -- 2 were for laptops and one was for a DVR and now the mixer. It's an awesome beast, for sure, and you'll never replace him -- not with the disposable crap they make today. Poor you. I would just give up baking if I were you. There's really no point in going on without him.

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  12. My condolences. Particularly since I don't think you'll buy another appliance that will last as long these days. (I know, I sound like an old fart. Guess that's cuz I am.)

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  13. Loth, Sorry to hear your sad loss although frankly the orange would have given me nightmares and as you know I don't dream.

    The wallpaper interested me, we had carpet almost exactly the same colour and design, freaky it would be like walking on your walls.

    If you want a replacement recipe I can recommended Marmalade Bread and butter pudding - if you can make a sandwich, open a bottle of milk and turn on an oven you are almost there. The Marmalade might even help remind you of Kendwood.....

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  14. Awww...that is very very sad. I can relate, my great grandma's blender from the 70's recently blew up at me. i don't know what to do either,nothing now a days works as well...to many stupid safety standards getting in the way:(

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  15. I am also the proud owner of a KC -born 1973, a wedding present - and it's still alive. I'm happy to say that it's white and blue, though.

    The service department in Grey's of George Street have brought it back to life once, I would have to admit - it might be worth trying this. Or - you could always go mad and buy a new one?

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  16. Please accept my condolences.

    Kenwood, may he rest in peace.

    (You are too funny)

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  17. OK Loth..you hex you!! I clicked on the photo of you in the kitchen (we had exactly the same wallpaper and cupboards) and the spirit of Ken Wood broke my computer...it froze and I had do all sorts of swearing and kicking to get it working again...which it it....obviously!

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  18. I concur...Grays fixed my KC once and then Edwards in Penicuik took him out the back and shot him (they said it was beyond repair but I know they murdered him)

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