Oh, I tought it was a screw on plastic cover. eBay sometimes has vintage canning jars, and I think there is an antique dealer who also offers such things as collectables. The zinc texture and color might look like the coat on chainlink fences. These also have zinc for rust prevention, but are fine for outdoors. If the jars can take regular Ball lids and threadded rings, you an switch. The current Ball PLASTIC covers are lot leak proof, but work well on stuff like pickles where the metal lid is under the plastic screw on cover. Thats a nice way to give as gifts too. No one likes accidentally tipping over a jar that has just a lid on it. My guess is the jars are probably from the 1940's or earlier, and were only around a few years. The all glass jars with glass domed lids with rubber rings and wire bail latches were very common for a long time too.

You have my sympathy- I've done that twice! (Finally got a kettle with a whistle after that.) First, it helps to move the offending melted thing and affected burner (as much as is removable) outside. Even if it's cooled off, it can still be the source of much stink. Also, you're going to need more airflow than just opening windows. (Especially if it's not so warm out yet where you are!) Try to not open all of them so much as strategic ones that make air flow in a direction. For instance, I have windows on three walls of the kitchen... if I open the windows that face each other, I get a good cross-wind that takes smoke out with it. If I open the middle window, the air just swirls around inside the kitchen. (Alternatively, to get the whole 1st floor I open just the middle window and then all the windows in the living room down the hall.) If you have a set-up anything like this try to find a combination that makes a breeze you can feel. Next, you'll find fans really helpful, even if you have to borrow/rent them. Point at least one out a window to exhaust what's in the house. Keep fans in any opposite windows blowing in, to keep the cross-flow exchange of air going strong. Run the bathroom fan if you've got one, even. Finally, if there's a corner of the house not infected with smell yet, close it off! Tack up a heavy blanket if there are no doors, and towel under doors if you need to. Try to keep the smell confined to the kitchen so you can go to sleep without being sick tonight. This method has cleared the worst of it out of my house after a few hours, and it was totally dissipated by the next day. (We shut the fans and most windows over night, for heat.) It may take some time... just keep as much ventalation as possible for as long as it takes. And if it's seriously making you sick or dizzy, get out of the house for a while! (This applies to pets, too!) If it's still really bad later and you have the option, don't sleep there. Depending on what exactly burned, the fumes can be harmful if you breathe too much of them. Best of luck!

The problem here is that the manufacture was making these with metal originally the went to Plastic in order to make more money. The problem is that plastic at high heat causes health problems, like cancer. For the most part they only make them with stainless steel tanks now. If you have a unit that smeels like this sopt using it immediately. Replace it with one that has a stainless steel tank. The manufacture(s) do(es) not like to advertise this problem for obvious reasons.

Re the onion powder, any little tiny bit turns it into a solid blob of won't ever be palatable again uck. That's why the small bottles. Your store probably doesn't keep many on hand because they go ucky on the shelf. Garlic powder will do the same thing, but it takes more moisture/time. I love fresh onion powder for many things, but I keep more dehydrated chopped onion because it's much more stable. It can be whirred in a spice grinder and make a reasonable onion powder, as well. Re shaker tops, I don't know but I have three theories: It could be that inexperienced people were shaking out too much and ruining their food and complaining. Or maybe you're buying more finely ground items that generally go with smaller holes. Third option, having different sized shakers means having to manage more supply inventory and they're shaving a little off the budget. One could hope that would be to help keep the prices down--and could be the case since it's so easy to buy spices nowadays, via net and mail order, at ethnic stores and warehouse/big box stores, etc.