Brown Bobbies - A Family Tradition

This was one of the 'biggest' posts I published in my first year of blogging.  This was originally posted in 2010. Since I am going to visit my dad - 3 hours away - this week, and all my brothers will be there, I made a couple batches of Brown Bobbies to share, so I'm sharing this with you...once again 

My Grandma Mary King - taken early 1970

I have been blessed to inherit a special kitchen 'appliance' from my mother, after she passed away in 1987 - who inherited it from my dad's mother.  This is a picture of grandma holding my newborn firstborn - daughter, Deb ~ a month before grandma went to heaven.

This appliance is called a "Brown Bobby Machine."  It has a cloth-covered cord...that should give you a clue to how old it is. (I am always amazed it STILL works!!!) 

My grandparents purchased this little machine about 1910.  My grandmother made the 'greaseless donuts' and my dad and his siblings sold them door to door, in little cartons, similar to our egg carton today.

This is a picture of the machine ~ it's similar to a waffle iron and makes 6 donuts at a time.

I wasn't able to get a clear picture of the metal plate on the bottom front of the base, but this is what it reads...

BROWN BOBBY

Greaseless Doughnut Machine

Equipped with hold-heet elements

Food Display Machine Corp.

6 Amps  Chicago, USA  105-120 volts

They're really not greaseless ~ they're just not fried in oil like a 'normal' doughnut ~ they’re baked!