Tag Archives: vintage

2nd Year Anniversary Special: Going Classic on Meat via a VINTAGE Meat Grinder

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I am no sweetie pie. 

I may look like one but definitely not like one. In fact I am a “beautiful monster” as Rihanna would put it. lol Kidding of course. 😉 I am just not your ordinary sweet girl for I am very strong willed to the point of being stubborn and hard headed and someone who is always on the go. But by God’s grace, I am now learning slowly but surely how to listen, how to wait, how to be gentle and how to submit. I am a good follower especially if you are a good leader. 🙂

This post is not about me per se but about something that I was so interested to try ever since I was kid but only had the opportunity to do it now that I am in my late 20s – grinding pork’s meat in our vintage meat grinder.

Tin Ginete

Universal Vintage Meat Grinder

3 questions:

1. Why the need to try it?

2. Why now?

3. What’s the correlation between a meat grinder and a sweetie pie? (I know this one sounds funny.) 😉

First, ever since I was a kid, I got fascinated by how it works every time Daddy would ask me to help him scrape the ground pork off the opening of the grinder where it goes out. I would usually watch how the process goes from putting the raw pork cubes inside the feeder, the one with the big opening, as you slowly turn the handle clockwise then to the slicing, cutting and grinding part when it reaches the disk until the last part where the ground meat comes out . As you continue to turn the handle, pork cubes will slowly be sucked underneath and you’ll hear a gritting sound. A sound that I find interestingly amusing. And I don’t know why. 🙂

Tin Ginete

Universal Vintage Meat Grinder

I love anything vintage not because it’s classical but because of the story behind each of them. Mom told me that one of our great grandpas used to own it before handing it over to them. I also did my research and found out that the meat grinder is one of the inventions of German Baron Karl Drais during the mid 1880s who also invented the Laufmaschine or what we commonly now know as the bicycle (encyclopedia.com). Isn’t it amazing to still use stuff that is way, way older than you. I feel like calling it “grandpa meat grinder.”   😉

Seriously, the mechanism of the meat grinder is very simple. And neither it is that complicated to operate. All you need is a wooden plank where you can rest it on and there is a screw underneath to tighten and secure it in place. It is easy to clean as well and very portable as it can fit even on a shoe box. Except that it is a bit heavy, around 8.5 pounds since it is made of cast iron.

So if you intend on using one at home, you have to prepare your arms for some muscle workout when you turn the lever because you’ll have to pull a little harder when it gets to that part of the pork meat that’s a bit tough. Just a tip though, cover the feeder with your left hand because oftentimes pork cubes tend to fall out as they go up and down during the grinding.

Second, I got to try it just now as it requires extreme muscle strength to be able to finish the process altogether. Daddy won’t still allow me if I didn’t insist. He thought I am far too weak to finish the task. But I was up for the challenge anyway, so there went adrenaline rush. *game face on*

The handle of our meat grinder is supposed to be covered with wood but I guess it got broken a long time ago. So there’s the tendency for your grip to slip off from the handle at the middle of the grinding process as more grease are coming out from the ground meat.

And lastly, what’s between a sweetie pie and a meat grinder? 🙂

Well, it is a kitchen equipment best used by Dads or any male. I am no sexist but if you are frail, trying this out might be a bad idea. You’ve got to toughen up for you to finish an entire bowl of pork cubes. It was my passion for learning and experiencing new things that urged me to try grinding the meat myself with the help of my sister (she scrapes the ground pork for me). And another thing, we have a scarcity of males in the household. lol My Dad and my brother are the only men at home they wouldn’t be able to do all the tasks that require great strength all by themselves, thus, this is where my sisters and I come to the rescue.

Tin Ginete

My sister (left) and I (right) doing our arm muscle workout. 😉

This was one simple experience that I have pretty much enjoyed I just can’t wait to go home and try it again. Besides, it is a fun way of working out too. So no, I don’t just sit pretty and be a sweetie pie. 😉

This article may seem a bit odd from topic to beginning to plot and ending but this is actually a tribute to something classic in celebration of my 2nd anniversary here on WordPress as a blogger. Thank you so much to all my followers and readers who have shared their wonderful adventures, ideas and experiences as well making my 2-year experience in the WordPress community worthwhile.

And definitely last but not the least, thank you to you my Father God for the gift of sharing. 🙂

Tin Ginete

Happy 2nd Anniversary!

Tin Ginete

Happy 2nd Anniversary!

 

 

Cheers to more blogging experiences with you my fellow WordPress writers!

Lots of love,

Tin 🙂

Cine Europa 16: “A Royal Affair”

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I was checking Facebook’s news feed when I came across an advertisement regarding the annual Cine Europa Festival here in the Philippines which showcases international films from participating European countries.

Being an Anglo-American Literature major back in college, I was of course thrilled I will get to see European films again – for FREE. 🙂

One movie caught my interest and of course it has to be set in 18th Century Denmark, the period of Enlightenment and a historical drama wherein most details in the movie are based on historical facts – A ROYAL AFFAIR.

"A Royal Affair" (2012)

“A Royal Affair” (2012)

It has received several awards – Satellite Award for Best Costume Design and Robert Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Perfect choice as this movie had its free screening in my university’s film center which is synonymous to this – I don’t have to travel far to be able to watch it. I have God to thank for that. 🙂

Cine Europa 16 @ UP Film Institute

Cine Europa 16 @ UP Film Institute

GENERAL CRITIQUES

The movie indeed is deserving of its Best Costume Design award. Costumes are not too lavishly done and yet nothing too dull either. Details of 18th Century costumes were particularly followed and it did not rob the classical essence of the designs with gaudy styles or excessively vibrant colors. I have always been fascinated by the fashion of the early century Europe. The evolution of the dresses clearly depicted the changes in society’s standards as well as with the political reformation. A particular dress will tell a lot about the history of a nation.

There are limited instances of a landscape scenery which is in accordance to the movie’s plot as most of the scenes are set and captured inside the castle. The sequencing of the events are carefully delivered which is what I admire about the movie. It doesn’t set the audience in that moment wherein a particular scene will make you recall the previous scene in order to connect the current scene and limit the “WH” questions. I must admit that when I have those questions in mind while watching the movie, it only means that there is a scene that I am baffled about, I am assessing the relevance of it to the entire movie and how it is connected from the preceding scenes. 

In other words, every scene in the movie is crystal clear. 🙂

As for the acting, the actors perfectly fit in the roles that they portrayed – appearance, aura as well as delivery of the lines. I must say the actors were indeed successful in internalizing their character roles in the movie. The age of Enlightenment has been one of my favorite eras in our study of European and American literature, political and social history. It deals with idealism, reformation towards a positive change, among many others. Although this is also the time wherein a lot of revolution took place, terror and violence erupted, conflicts arose wherein majority are unresolved but I may say, that still, the events are exemplary of a society being changed from a state of dystopia to almost utopia.

Ahhh yes, now maybe this is the reason why I became an idealist. 😉

I was greatly influenced by my long years and extensive study on Anglo-American Literature which would usually be associated to the social and political history of Europe and America. I have always been fascinated by Kings, Princesses and knights not because I love fairy tales but because it is just interesting to learn the origins of a foreign culture, most especially that of Europe and look into the totality of the transformation of a certain period/era in connection to the people and society in general.

After watching the movie, I rated it 4 out of 5 stars, 5 being the highest. If I would be given the chance to be transported back in time and be an onlooker while events are happening for real, I definitely would choose the early centuries. Suppose there is a parallel universe for that, it would be this – incredibly awesome. 

Well, what we need now is a “time machine” by H. G. Wells where we can teleport and time travel. 😀

And speaking of time traveling, because I love anything antique and vintage, and being a fashion lover, I wore something from the past when I watched the movie – a vintage dress that belonged to my Mom designed by her. If you want to know how old it is, it was worn by my mom when she was in her 20s, exactly 4 decades ago.

I hope I did give justice to my “hippie” look with matching fuchsia pink nail polish . 😉

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