Not long ago, we wandered into what could be the funkiest cooking store in San Francisco -- Cookin': Recycled Gourmet Appurtenances.
It took our eyes a minute to adjust to the dark interior of the store, and then we saw stacks of used pots and pans, baking trays, glasses and cups, tableware, bookcases full of cookbooks, vintage French signs leaning here and there...We couldn't even see the proprietor at first, although we heard her voice. It turned out she was on the floor, hidden behind piles, looking for something or other.
yay!
+ oh, U have featured the Other Shop, u're welcome, :-)
we love that places like Cookin' endure...on high profile Divisadero (makes the loss of places like Hospice by the Bay thrift shop formerly on Sutter + Polk easier) as we too get more
acronymed...keep on cookin' in "NoPA" north of panhandle.
"We couldn't even see the proprietor at first, although we heard her voice..."
:-D
This looks amazing! Thanks - I'm headed over to seek my Le Creuset!
Be warned: this place is crazily overpriced and the owner is highly unpleasant.
prices are high in general, but so is the quality. if you want the owner to smile and tie a pretty ribbon around your purchase, go to Sur La Table. but you'd be missing out on the fun urban spelunking experience!
Zac: I don't need a ribbon, but something above surly would make me feel better about her prices. You want to walk out feeling good, you know? And the two times I bought something there, I didn't walk out feeling good.
I agree with the comments above about pricing here. Feels great (usually) to find something second hand that you might have had to buy new, but when it is actually far more expensive and comes with a scowl, I could do without it.
Maybe she's French or something;)
My impression is that the place is pricey because she goes on scouting trips to the flea markets of france--so, you're paying a little extra for her to go and hand pick the best stuff from flea markets in paris. She's always been civil in my experience.
I look at it like the legendary guy from Zam-Zam Cocktails, the bread thing at Molinari and TV's soup nazi and laugh it off. Despite all the clutter, I enjoy browsing in this store. And that garage door with all the tools totally rocks. I have found a few treasures here. Thumbs UP!
The prices are high-ish.
But she really does have the best stuff!
I was looking for a 6-cup gelatin mold. I honestly couldn't find a cheap one ANYWHERE in san fran or the east bay. They were all not for gelatin, too big or WAY TOO expensive. The owner laughed when she asked what I was looking for. Then she proceeded to tell me a story of how her aunt made a red-wine "jello" mold for the holidays every year and how good it was! being that the kids were eating red wine!
Does anyone remember when the owner used to chain-smoke in the store? I am going way back here. The mold I got was a 6-cup copper-colored aluminum round with a fruit motif around $8.50
Also Re: proprietor's attitude. People, get over YOUR ATTITUDES! I think she's cool!
Heidi at 101 Cookbooks shared some tips, a while back, for shopping at Cookin' -
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000149.html
JUDY PLEASE OPEN STORE IN SAN DIEGO YOU SO NEET
I NEED SO MANY THING I CANT FINE I KNOW YOU HAVE BUT YOU JUST TO FAR BUT BE THERE SOON I HOPE SEE YOU BEFOR TO LONG KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK IF YOU KNOW PLACE DOWN THIS WAY LET ME KNOW