The term antique is used rather loosely these days and often ends up reflecting the age of the person using it more than being a hard and fast definition. To a teenager, for example, a kitchen tool or gadget from the 1990s seems “antique,” while an older person might see antiques as the objects they used or seen in the homes of their parents and grandparents as a child. So the tools your grandmother or even mother have used might be termed as antique kitchen tools to younger persons.
According to the official definition issued by the United States Customs Service, antiques are items with at least 100 years of age under their belts. That means the scale slides every year as more objects grow older and fit into that timeframe.
There’s also plenty of stuff that was used in the kitchen and at the dining table, from practical inventions like butter makers and coffee brewers to silly tools like fork cleaners and spoon warmers. I have a peeler that is over 40 years old and now I am afraid of breaking it. Thing is, I have not bought a new one that works as good as my old one. I guess I have to get it out of retirement.
No matter what type of real estate is being used (land,
commercial, or residential), inspections, appraisals, and automated valuation
models, while related, all have different functions but can be easily confused.
Let’s take a closer look.
Inspections: A property inspection is ordered by the buyer and is meant to be an unbiased look at the condition of the property. While not necessarily required by a lender, an inspection protects the buyer from purchasing a home that requires expensive repairs or otherwise doesn’t live up to its list price. A property inspector will examine the condition of the property inside and out, running through a checklist of areas including, but not limited to, the roof, electrical panels, wiring, plumbing, appliances, doors, and windows. If any issues pop up, the inspector makes a note and provides the buyer with a report.
Many reported issues will need some attention but won’t
affect financing. If major repairs are needed however, the lender might want to
have those issues addressed before they provide any funding.
Appraisals: Once the inspection has been completed and
reviewed, the lender can order an appraisal. The appraisal will consider
comparable homes in the area. The goal of the appraisal is to determine the
true value of the property for the sake of the lender.
The key difference between an inspection and an appraisal is
that an inspection aims to assess the physical condition of a home itself,
while an appraisal solely determines the market value of the real estate.
AVMs: An automated valuation model is a digital evaluation of the value of a home. An AVM will quickly research the database of similar homes in the area and compare them with the value of the subject property. AVMs are often used to assess the value of a property portfolio and have the advantage of saving time and money since no one physically visits the property. However, AVMs can’t take into account the true condition of a property and often aren’t enough to secure a conventional loan for a home buyer.
Tomatillos are unusual vegetables you can grow, this fruit is nice to look at with their lantern-like papery covering. They’re very popular in Mexican dishes with a flavor that’s been described as a cross between a lime and a tomato. They are members of the Nightshade family (Solanaceae) and have their poisonous parts. In the case of tomatillos, all parts are poisonous except the fruit. However, unless you suffer allergies, don’t let that put you off.
Apart from looking pretty, tomatillos are extremely
productive, producing lots of lanterns before the frosts arrive. As they grow
you’ll notice that they begin to flop to the side, a natural development as
they’ll begin to send out lots of lateral roots as they find new soil, allowing
them to produce even more fruit. Two tomatillo plants should be enough for one
family but don’t plant less as they need another plant nearby for pollination.
To harvest, once the fruit has developed inside enough that it’s bursting through its papery lantern, remove it from the plant, take off the husk and wash in warm water to remove the coating that’s waxy and bitter.
You’ll find lots of recipes using Tomatillos online but replacing them for tomatoes in salsa is probably one of the easiest.
Cape Gooseberries
As a member of the tomato family, it is related to the tomatillos. Cape Gooseberries are native to Brazil but long ago adapted to the Andean heights and now grow wild up to 10,000 feet. They too carry cute little lanterns but these contain little orange berries that we’re more familiar with when they garnish our desserts. They are not related to the actual gooseberry shrub.
Cape Gooseberries can be grown just like tomatoes, from seed
started in March to April, potted on to larger pots as they develop, before
planting outside when all chances of frost have passed.
We will know the Cape Gooseberries are ready as they will
fall to the ground, though may not all do so at once as they’ll mature at
different stages. Once fully mature the berries will stay fresh in the fridge
for several months and out of their little Chinese lanterns, the fruit can be
eaten raw, as a garnish, added to smoothies and salsa and as they have a high
pectin content, made into great jams.
Jelly Melon
This bizarre-looking crop goes by many names: kiwano, horned melon, African cucumber, blowfish fruit, and more. With an orange, spiky outer and a green, juicy inner, this fancy fruit has a tart taste and cucumber texture. I have grown these and they were not bed tasting.
Kohlrabi
I’m convinced kohlrabi is from another planet. Coming in
purple, green, and white, the crop could certainly add an alien-like element to
your garden!
As a member of the cabbage family, kohlrabi prefers cooler
temperatures. And it has a sweet, mild flavor that’s been described as a cross
between a radish and a cucumber.
Jerusalem Artichokes
These may be the most generous edible plants you can grow. Rarely in the shops, they not only taste good, but you’ll also get more than you thought – a couple of delicious winter tubers for every tuber you plant in spring, flowers that draw in the beneficial insects, a wonderful cut flower looking like a sunflower and a seasonal windbreak. On top of that, any fragments you leave behind will regrow the following year.
Celeriac
Sometimes called stump-rooted celery, turnip-rooted celery
or knob celery, this root vegetable is a variety of celery that is cultivated
for its large edible spherical roots, leaves and stems.
It originates from the Mediterranean Basin and evolved from
wild celery which has a small, edible root. Although oddly shaped it is full of
delicate flavor, a subtle mix of celery, parsley and nut taste. It can be
cooked or eaten raw. The leaves are also used as a garnish.
Huckleberry
Another member of the tomato family, producing blackberries later into the summer. When cooked and sweetened in a crust, you will get the legendary huckleberry pie.
Walking Stick Kale
Also known as Tall Jacks, Cow Cabbage, and Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick grows between 6 and 12 feet tall. Grown in Britain for centuries where their long stems are varnished and turned into walking sticks. The young greens can be eaten as salad greens or cooked.
Bitter Melon
A staple of India, related to other melons, use them for stews, steamed, or cooked with scrambled eggs. The bitterness is lessened with cooking. A lot of people love the bitterness of the fruit, just do not think it will be sweet when you bite into it.
