Hackman Cast Iron Pan II

Late December I was doing some cleaning in the upstairs apartment and on the floor, hidden under a low shelf behind my armchair I found our second Hackman cast iron pan. Same width, different model. Totally forgot about it. Most likely sold by the same supermarket at discount, discarded by someone who didn't need it after all, but really I can't remember finding it or when. So I asked the Chef what he wanted with it. Answer: don't need it. Because he prefers enamel inside and has a better alternative, that we bought. Equally around €30.

So I immediately took snapshots and listed it. They are not great but I thought whatever. Last Friday finally someone showed interest and I accepted the minimum bid of €10.

Fair enough because obviously the pan has been used and possibly the stains on the bottom are from times when we still had the gas oven. And that is over ten years ago. Unless it came like this. 

Glad to have another piece of history out of the way though space isn't really the issue upstairs. And most of all it will be used again.

Minimalist Cooking

This is my current cooking equipment.

Bottom to top: Chest of drawers formerly lining my hallway. Contents, mainly shoes partly retrashed, brought to thrift shop, otherwise found other places. Still needs that paint job. 

Mini oven. Found months before I needed it across the street and was waiting on top of the chest still in the hallway. I didn't test it but somehow it looked good. It's not a beauty but turned out to work fine! Stains on top are paint damage. Great to warm up sausage rolls and other small things that before I wouldn't heat up the gas oven for.

An electrical two-burner camping or table cooker. I bought it as an emergency in 2015. Chef's brand new state of the art electric stove arrived on a Friday, him and neighbour Freek enthousiastically brought his old totally unsafe of cheap Chinese make gas stove (given to him by a neighbour 2006 or so) to the street already. But to connect the new one adaptations in the house had to be done and I couldn't get the technician until Monday. The light weight device was cheap and good enough to warm up things for us over the week-end and make coffee. I spent the money with this in mind that my own old 1960's Etna was still working well enough, but it had a 'user maual', and badly needed a new gas hose, but I was reluctant investing in that. In the end getting tired of always turning on and off the main gas switch I took the new two-burner down and put it on top of the shut lid of the stove. Oven only for storage.

Until one morning, and I don't know how this happened overnight, my Etna had sunk through its front legs. Never thought about fixing it, I wheeled it out on my dolly (also see chest in my hallway here) first trash night, installed my mini oven and this is all I need.

Pan on top a recent find. A bit higher than my regular 20 cms, great for half liter soups that need mashing. Lid is a separate find that came by itself, turns out to be more practical than the original one.

Chest now stores more frying and other small pans than my oven did. And space for all my cutting boards!

Large Michelino Stainless Steel Cooking Pot 10 Liters

Found just a week ago in front of my door, just when stepping out to go upstairs. Without lid, and a hard to replace one because of non-standard Dutch size, and it had a stain of burnt food on the bottom. So I wasn't interested straight away, but pots this size don't come everyday, it had a firm bottom, the stain seemed removable and not every use requies a lid. So I took it straight with me for my Chef to work on. Because he loves cleaning kitchen stuff if it's of good quality.

It took him less then half an hour to make it shine again.

Took photo's right there and listed it. Had someone interested before yesterday, but she was weird about which delivery service I should use. I replied with the options I have, offered cheapest and made payment request. Then she was overbid and I withdrew. Made her angry of course, but I never felt good about her. Then higher bidder never reacted, so I removed that as well. Feeling a bit sour I comforted myself that pans always sell. Especially big ones. Yesterday someone living nearby messaged he wanted to come pick it up. I had just a short while before leaving for work, but he said he could make it. Then didn't, so we set a time for today. He didn't show up then messaged half an hour later he was on his way. And then messaged he couldn't make it again and noted 'forget about it'. I don't know if he meant for now or forever. But a minute later someone used 'pay now', button and did pay for shipment and all. And I accepted.

Later on removing the old messages from my laptop something appeared in a flash that looked like nr 3 had been at my door while I was away, but I had not seen that before. And now it's gone and I can't see it back or send an apology. Confusing and I'm not happy with the reliability of that site messenger. It seems the website on the computer shows more than the cell phone app. This is the Dutch 'Ebay', people abroad, what are your experiences?

Apart from that the whole hassle about this sale was not very pleasant, but one thing made it all up. Final buyer sent this note: 'Hi, I'm starting to brew beer from home and this pan is just what I need. Looking forward to receiving it!'. It feels like I found the right person and despite the trouble of packing I'm glad to be rid of that one big only right size box I had that was clogging my back porch all summer.

Cheese

Years ago I followed some dumpster diver's blogs, mainly interested about those finding consumable things. Being amazed because such dumpsters don't exist in my country, at least not out in the open accessible to public. If at all they would be more hygenic compression containers on locked terrains to far to reach without a car. Contents to be sent to destruction regularly. I don't know about the situation in for example the USA now, I lost touch with those bloggers and I don't know if they are still active. Just currently I started to look at some other dumpster divers on Facebook, but they are mainly in non-foods.

But at the time (2010) one time I was lucky and found a small batch of carrots at the curb in front of a local greengrocer. And for all these years I was sure I made post about it. It's just not there. So here's just one more picture from the past.

They had started to blacken on the skin, but after peeling they were just fine and good to cook and eat.

It was the first and last time I profited from thrown away food from a company.

So for free food I rely on the 'gifts' of private people. Funny that recently I found so much. But that was all left in a way to be easily found, as I wrote possibly from Airbnb tourists. Neatly packed saying: please take me.

My very last find of food was really weird. I came down from upstairs to go to my own flat late at night and saw a trashed plastic trash bin across the street. It looked new and clean and light weight, easy to carry in. Could be a possible sale for a couple of coins. But when I lifted up the lid found that it was packed full with trash. In a plastic bag though and it wasn't kitchen waste, more like paper or other dry things, but I couldn't see well in the dark. But it was an immediate no to lifting that bag out. Not worth the trouble. Then I saw the pack of cheese on top... Why, how?! Cut open on the top, but full. Took it inside for further inspection. A bit of some kind of dust or dirt on the outside of the pack. Clean inside, seemingly untouched. Perhaps one slice taken.

Then checked date. Fresh! Note: this is European date notation, so September 1 2025. Perfectly safe to eat. Cheese is pretty expensive and I've learned to live without it for periods of time. But I do love it. A pack like this is close to €4 at my cheap supermarket, add some to it for where this came from. Albert Heijn Delhaize is a Dutch company but active in Europe and the US. Here it has not the name of being a place for people on a tight budget.

Sandwich Or Contact Grills

As an early teenager I was kind of addicted to ham and cheese grilled sandwiches. A must have in a certain department store's lunchroom, whenever my mum and I went to Amsterdam. 

Later, around 15 years old, 1978 or so, on visiting a classmate I got them home made and loved them even better and without the ham! Because you had to put some butter or margerine on the outside of the bread to avoid sticking. Yummie. So young I had never seen a sandwich iron.

So I had to have one. Mum said ok and this is what I bought. I took it with me when I moved out and still have it. It's functional as ever though one of the handles is loose. Just a matter of careful use.

Only because I found one in front of my door an electric contact grill came to my house some years ago. It's the one on the left, made by Tomado, but the letters washed off from cleaning. But for how often I used it I never cared to check why the brown tape was there. Obviously nothing loose there. Maybe a sharp edge or so. It worked fine and I was happy to not to have to deal with the loose handle especially with the turning around. My only problem is the non-stick surface. I don't like it and don't need it. I still grease the bread anyway, because it's tastier. But they are multi-functional and it's been very handy for for example vegetable burgers. Though I buy those seldomly, only when on a really good discount and of a kind that I like. Then they can make a tasty quick snack. As a serious meat replacement I don't need them.

The thing was a placetaker on my kitchen top though. And then recently I noticed that my bread wasn't colouring evenly anymore. Darker on one side than on the other. And the cheese didn't really get that hot. But I forgot if it ever did because that's how often I used it.

The other day I took one home from a recycling spot at the supermarket. It's kind of recent that people can leave devices there and I only noticed shortly. But the compartments are small and fill up quickly. Placed on top I take things home occasionally for cash at the recycling shop, if they fit in the bag with the groceries. I know it doesn't add anything to the recycling process as they were there in the right spot already. But yeah, sorry, I can use the money.

So I thought the Tristar was broken. Only at home I noticed it looked almost new and tried it out, hoping to have a replacement. Well, wow, it heated up so quickly my sandwich almost stuck. The only deficiency is that it doesn't have the suspended top that all others seem to have, to level on whatever you put in. As the space between top and bottom isn't big enough for a sandwich it get's squeezed a bit in the back. Maybe that's why it was 'trashed'. I can live with it.

The final decision for replacement was the size. The heating surface suffices, and minus two cm in front and five on the side is welcome in my small kitchen. 

PS: a way to avoid contact with your food and the non-stick surface is using PFAS-free baking sheets or aluminium foil. Saves cleaning too! But I'll spare me the costs of that. For the few times of use and at my age I don't worry too much.

Airbnb Part 2

Last Thursday when I tried to recall what food I had found in the past year or so, that was also likely left behind by Airbnb tourists, not much came up.

So how could I forget about the 4,5 kilos of rice that was neatly placed last Fall by a tree in a street that I passed after groceries (tiny detour, just for fun)? Ok some was out, but still close to 4,5 kilos. And by now far from finished.

Well, rice was exactly what I was looking for this morning to combine with my green peas, that came perfectly fresh out of the freezer. Yummie! Served with a dried sauce that I stocked up on last week at discount, I had lunch for about €0,40 cents, and enough left for tomorrow.

But yesterday morning, on my way to the recycling shop I saw a shoe box on the curb that was half closed, with something orange shining through the opening. Looking like and turned out to be oranges indeed. I do not eat them, I don't even like the juice, but stopped anyway. Lucky I had my phone on me for the photo, as you need an app in the shop.

Good idea! I took the tea (I love Eart Grey) the yoghurt and noodle soup. I don't eat yoghurt as such but Greek yoghurt is good for cooking. And as expected, on inspection at home the box was still sealed. Can keep for long. Had the noodle soup with added garlic and finely cut little bit of paprika as an afternoon snack before leaving for work. Not fantastic but nice enough for the needed energy.

I left the box wide open so someone else would find the oranges and milky fruit drink.

Airbnb

Airbnb tourists sometimes leave perfectly fresh food, neatly packed on the curbs, as they cannot take it home and mostl likely have to leave the apartment as found, so with an empty fridge. Personally I would't mind finding my fridge full after coming home, but rules are rules I guess. I don't remember all but one is a pack of cut salami, with an ok date, unopened and though it was there in the sun it can't have been for long, because someone else would have taken it. For sure safe to eat and I enjoyed what I cannot well afford.

Last Tuesday's lot was pretty amazing and I wonder who left this and why. Or why a tourist would buy this much when you spend most part of your vacation outdoors.

I came home from a local job but took a different route because of road works, so avoiding a detour. It led me past the recycling shop where outside is a collection box for deposit cans and bottles. So I crossed the street to have a look. It gave me one can but then, on the free library shelves also there I first noticed two eggplants. Not very shiny on the outside but looking good enough. Then there was the plastic bag... On top two bags of frozen vegetables. They still felt pretty cold. Not 100 % frozen anymore, but I felt confident to refreeze them if consumed in the next two weeks ore so. Only looked at the rest at home:

Two half loafs of cut bread, dated just one day earlier. Potatoes. Two large pieces of ginger. Two spring onions. Three baby cucumbers, already eaten by now. Some garlic cloves. And the tubes of mayonnaise and ketchup. Opened but just for one squeeze or so. Refridgerated you can keep those for almost ever.

Put bread in freezer but started on it yesterday. The other one is still in. I made soup with the eggplants on Wednesday already so not on picture, first try it was lovely! And mighty wholesome. Cooked the potatoes today to work in my salad to take to work tommorrow. But there's enough left for Saturday. Spring onions went in as well. Ginger is not in my cookbook but will try in the next eggplant soup. Experiment! I hate ginger bread but unknowingly I must have had it in Indian dishes, never say no to what you don't know.

I consider giveaway spots a grey area between trash and thrift, but as the bookshelves are really meant for books anything else left on them for me is trash.

A New Iron And Microwave Oven For Me

The past so many years I owned two irons, one bought by my parents over 40 years ago, one left behind by a friend who moved back to the US in 2003. She came back to Amsterdam in 2013, but then found a furnished expat apartment provided with such basics and didn't need it back. Both devices worked fine but were at some point stained from using them to hot on synthetic fabric. Not really a problem for me because I haven't worn blouses in over 20 years, and since then I only used an iron to fix fabric paint, which has to be done under a cloth anyway. But still, stained is stained. So one day I looked in a shop for the cleansing stuff. Turned out the little flacon was more expensive than what I could get a good second hand iron for. So I said no to the unnecessary costs.

A few months a go I spotted this Tefal neatly placed next to the trash containers on my way home from groceries. Looks clean and new, tested, works fine. Both old ones went to the recycling shop next day.

In the back you see my 'new' microwave oven. This one was placed in front of my door longer ago, just without the glass plate. Broken I suppose. No problem. Took it out of my old one, that was a gift. It still worked, but the timer didn't do automatic shut down. Not handy. Gladly donated the old bulky thing to the curb. It was before I could get money for it. My replacement Sharp is lighter and takes less space where the inside is the same size. The plate fits and it works fine!

Wartmann WM-1507 SV Sous Vide Stick

Until last Tuesday I had never heard of sous vide cooking. Probably most readers here don't have a clue either. Well it simply means putting food in a sealed or even vacuum sealed plastic bag, then cooking or precooking it in water of a certain but constant (under boiling) temperature. Apparently the technique has existed for decades and has been used by professional cooks, only more recently devices were developed to make it accessible for private homes. What this looks like to me is just a highly improved immersion heater with a temperature controller that on top makes the water swirl around. What the last adds to the cooking is beyond me, as the food is in plastic anyway. Plastic floating balls prevent too much evaporating of the water.

And I just can't believe it! Here we are in 2025 and we want to move towards a plastic free world, but now we have to cook in plastic bags to preserve vitamines or to keep meet more succulent! Well, one, there are other ways to cook veggies preserving all nutrition. How about braising? And if you don't know how to properly fry meat perhaps you should take a class...

Anyway long story short. I went cycling around a bit, on my way to something anyway, but keeping my eyes open for textiles, plastic and electrical stuff for recycling. Afternoon before trash night. Well, so many people these days days don't wait for it. Had to make a detour because my usual route was blocked by a moving truck. Found the box neatly placed by the underground dumpster with the bag of isolation balls next to it. I still had no clue what it all was but loaded it up and came to the conclusion above after internet research.

After a quick but thorough test I was convinced the shiny brand new looking thing was not a Monday morning product so I photographed it on Wednesday morning, listed it in the evening at €50, but bids open from 40. Within two hours first reaction, possible buyer asked for guarantee which I didn't have of course. Hour later he payed the 50, using the direct buy option of the site. Shipped yesterday morning, arrived this afternoon. By now he must have tried out the thing. Though no confirmation about that yet I had no complaints, so I take it it works all right for him. I'm just weary of products, even though shiny new, with so much computer chip electronics in them.

So I made a great sale on something I don't approve of. It's hard to change the world and in the mean time I can use the money. At least it found a destination, and where I don't even want to use use plastic bowls in my microwave because of the possible issueing of Pfas in my food anyone else is free too choose how and with what they cook.

Gero Zilmeta Stainless Steel Coffee Pot

I can't remember the find but admin says August 2016, and likely in front of the door. I saw one similar on Etsy that was sold €55. Claiming to be Art Deco. Mine was vintage for sure. It had some marks. I think €7,50 was a good deal. Sold March 2017.

Vintage Enamel Jug

Some people collect vintage enamel kitchen products, but then preferably with the mark of a factory, like Brabantia. This jug was of unspecified origin. But many people just love the stuff wether it's valuable or not, or even just retro (it flies out at the thrift shop). I belong to the latter. I would have kept this lovely green jug if I had place to store it. Because it wasn't decorating my kitchen, like my two really old jars and not serving any daily use. For me it took five months to sell because I guess it's more of a shop at sight product, but then finally I made someone happy in exchange of €2,50.

Hackman Cast Iron Pan

My Man loves to cook in cast iron, but we never had it until we found this one in... forgot when, but maybe somewhere 2010 or before when we still walked around on trash nights. Meant to be a keeper, but he wanted bigger! We finally bought one at IKEA with two liters more of content. Used that for years but then, one lucky day there was a real Creuset at the thrift shop. Looking up later the model could have been worth around €300 new. But second hand I thought €25 would be okay. Only coming home I asked did he actually want it. Never heard a bigger yes! He was in front of the door at opening time the next morning to be sure to get it! Difference is mainly the enamel inside which the others didn't have. But otherwise it's mainly the name. I then put the Hackman from Finland for sale. It turned out to be a product people could buy with discount from a Dutch supermarket with collected points. Listed 2017-02-19, sold the next day. At €15 I still had about half of that. 

Cute Aluminium Vintage Pan

When I picked this up in front of my door my first thought was very vintage, but the curly shaped ears and lid handle could make it Arabic. But the sign on the bottom clarified that. Definitely European, but no internet search came up with any results. Too bad, sometimes you have to live with that. Surely it was old but apparently made by some very small local and forgotton producer. Sold € 4.

Dishwashing Rack

Who'd buy this second hand by internet? Well I had people in the thrift shop looking for one one and had to sell no, because simply that day not available. So you look on line and someone three streets away from you offers one and you can come pick it up for €1. That was me and someone nearby saved money and the environment by buying something that would have been destroyed otherwise instead of brandnew.

Salad Spinner

I'm sure I sold this at a market, but can't find it back in my Excel admin. Because it's good as new and of better quality than the one in my kitchen that I rarely use. But nevertheless if decided to give it away I would have exchanged them.

All The Bread Boxes I Ever Had And One Wooden One Sold

I don't store my bread in bread boxes. Stays fresher in fridge and keeps longer! Yet I had a number of them in my life. For crackers or cookies or so. But they left my house after not having place for them any more. Here's the list:

I once started out with a bread box like this one (think 1984 or so). But in ochre yellow. Equally chipped. It came from my gandmother's place, dating from before 1950 for sure. I think after she moved from her kind of primitive old little house to a comfy flat closer to my parent's place.

It wasn't very practical. Unbelievable people sell this on Etsy at this price. I found one on a Dutch site cheaper and without any damage. 

I trashed it (but this is way before internet time and the possibilities of selling stuff on line) after I found one like this on the curbs. My mum had it in off white I think.

But mine's plastic strips were in white. What I remember is they never wanted to stay in place. I also retrashed it. Model same as my mums's and the white and red I had later on.

I think because around 1992 we bought a micrwave oven. Our first ever and had to be placed on top of the fridge. Where bread box was. So it went out.

End of 2005 Man and I got the luxury of getting two next door apartments. Fridge stayed my place. Neighbour moving to a home gave him one. Microwave went to him. Then at some time later I found a wooden bread box to put on top of my fridge.

Then my friend Freek from down the street brought me a microwave oven taken from his mother's place (also moving to a home). Worked but with a hick up, timer didn't automatically stop. But better then no microwave at all. So this breadbox had to go as well. This time listed on internet and sold €3 after seven months.

Last one: picked up from trash to sell only in colours I loved best of all, white and read. See previous post here.

Black French Glass 1980's Hexagonal Bowls

These are so 1981 or just after! When all fashion was angular and especially for home decoration black and white. Admin says Man brought them to me, cycling for a morning errand.

He has a couple of plates like that is his flat most likely curb found. That we rarely use, just to serve a late evening snack or so. 

I so grew up with this and think it's the ugliest crockery ever. I still see it coming in the thrift shop sometimes and it doesn't go. Even in white. Or even the clear glass true Arcopal hexagonal desert bowls. And mine are neither Arcopal pr Arcoroc. Bottom just said 'France'.

I thought whatever let's list them. And sold to my surprise the four larger bowls sold at once €10 after three months. Smaller one maybe retrashed.

Picked up at the door by a person who somehow gave me the impression of being the holder of a small restaurant. That may explain it.

Mint Condition Tajine

Photographed the same day in May 2017 as the dumbells and folding chairs. Not sure anymore but I think found it in the same dumpster or nearby. 

Perhaps it was bought by locals as a try-out and not a success or not to their liking. It's literally shiny and new. I sold it within two weeks to people who sure now how to use the pan, and had a great deal at €8.

IKEA Cooking Pot

Perfectly alright IKEA pan. Why trash it? Found August 2017. Sold I don't remember when or how. Somehow forgot to administrate. Vaguely rember selling a cooking pot at the door to a lady telling me she wrecked hers burning something in it. Must be this one. Because I don't have it anymore and I sure didn't give it away. I would have kept it for myself and given up something of poorer quality. But at the time I'm sure I decided for cash in my pocket instead.

Vintage Iron Bread Box

Item probably late 1970's or early 1980's. I loved the colours. So much better than the yellows and browns from earlier on, I had one like that also curb found but threw it out. It was worn. But though with for the time updated colours this is still the same original shape from the 1970's that I had before.

But on top these days I keep my bread in the fridge. Much better and longer preservation. So not to keep.

Photographed January 2018, took a while to sell but finally picked up at the door in May.