1924: domestic dishwashers

There are a few things that I feel continually thankful for day after day... my husband, work opportunities, and most recently my dishwasher. With the amount of dishes that are dirtied around here, I would likely be a less pleasant person to be around without this wonder machine.
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While the patent was purchased in 1886 and the dishwasher made its debut at Chicago's World Fair in 1893, it wasn't until 1924 that William Howard Livens invented a small dishwasher suitable for domestic use. It had many of the features of a modern dishwasher, including a front door for loading, a wire rack to hold crockery and a rotating sprayer. Although a novel idea for the time period, Livens' invention was not, however, a commercial success. 15 years down the road, electric drying elements were added making the product even more enticing.

While the dishwasher saw more success on the commercial front at first, it was the 1960's & 1970's when they started showing up in a large number of household kitchens.
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I'm not in the market for a dishwasher, but if I was, I would be lured by the following:

The Bosch product on the left is Consumer Reports favorite, while the Italian made SMEG on the right has definite retro appeal, the reviews are less than favorable.

1919: mixing it up

Today I'm thankful for... my KitchenAid mixer. 1919 was the year that this historical appliance company made its mark in history. Over the next several decades this company continued to grow and found itself on many kitchen counters across America.

So what exactly was it that inspired this thankful post? Well, just like the mission of this silly little blog, I was trying to create a modern version of a traditional classic.

For me, apple cider is a must in the Fall months. I anxiously bought a gallon of the good stuff as soon as I saw it in the grocery store a week or so ago. As much as I love opening my refrigerator and seeing this big jug of goodness, I've asked myself several times, "how am I ever going to drink all of this!" My bright idea: bake with it! This led to a vast search on the internet for recipes that called for apple cider. I combined a few recipes together, crossed my fingers, and made a delicious batch of Apple Cider Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Kylie (sister) and I sat salivating over these delightful little pieces of heaven at 1 am while enjoying a Friday night classic on TBS. (love those)

F.Y.I: do yourself a favor and read this fabulous post featuring David Lebovitz's experience visiting the KitchenAid factory.
photo: davidlebovitz.com

1920's: refrigerator

Can you imagine life without a refrigerator? Well, thanks to the "Roaring 20's" this convenient chiller was well on its way to making life easier for Americans. Although it's actual birth was in 1876, during the twenties there were over 200 models that were introduced to the market.