Classic Toys from a Madman's Youth: Advent 2019 Day 13

Today's Advent is a toy that had a lot of influence on my becoming a chef. I'm talking about Play-Doh! Not because I ate it. No; Play-Doh influenced me thanks to numerous sets designed to show just how fun cooking and food can be.

The one I remember the most was the sizzling skillet. Here, you could mold your Play-Doh into burgers and steaks. Then you could put them on this plastic tray with a metal coil in the center. As you pressed down on the food with your spatula, the play would give off this sizzling sound as if you were really cooking something on the stove!

Another set that I played with from Play-Doh was the Burger King Whopper maker. Here you could pressed out burgers, lettuce tomato and buns. Wanted fries? Just take some yellow clay and use the extruder! However, if you didn't cut the fries from time to time with this little plastic knife, you'd end up with one long fries instead of a whole bag.

Later in the 90s or so, my cousins or my sister would end up with the McDonald's set. The press was in the shape of a McDonald's restaurant. Along with making fries and burgers, one could press out a milkshake or ice cream cone and make chicken nuggets. Below is a picture of the 2003 edition. Sorry I could not find a pic appropriate from when we were all younger. 

Lastly, I remember a set that didn't really have anything to do with food. But based on all the fast food one would eat from these Play-Doh sets, it sorta ties in. I am talking about the Doctor Drill n' Fill!

Though it's a play set in which kids become dentists. It kinda fits in well with Christmas. Remember Hermey wanted to be a dentist at the North Pole! I honestly do not know if I got this set for Christmas or not. But I had such fond memories, a few years ago, I had the honor of getting one of these sets for a youngster who wanted it for his Angel Tree present. The people in charge of the tree that year had no idea what it was! But I did! Though I was very surprised that Play-Doh still makes this set after nearly 40 years of being on shelves!

For my Advent present for you, here's a vintage Play-Doh commercial of the Doctor Drill n' Fill from 1979. Sorry that the quality isn't all that great, but you really get to see how cool this unusual toy really was. And then when you are done watching, why don't you check out the Angel Tree locator and sponsor a child this holiday season!

Enjoy~