Wednesday 8 December 2021

The 50's Kitchen.


Not too long ago these white enamel metal dishes, with the dark blue stripe, were regarded as far too 'common' to be found in the kitchens of chefs, foodies, or the chattering classes. 

These days it's all change, and I see them being used by 'celebrity chefs' (including Jamie), and even in smart restaurants.


They do have a primitive appeal in a 'lets all play country yokels' kinda way, but I can't see them gracing Her Majesty's table. Far too 50's.

Anyway, I found this example at the back of a cupboard, and thought it ideal for a rustic Cottage Pie. I've never used one before, but I can be trendy when I try!


A nice cast-iron Le Creuset Tian dish would certainly have looked nicer, but this had a different appeal; I shall certainly use it again. I don't think my mother ever used one, but I'm sure we had them at school.
 

48 comments:

  1. Cro, Sainsburys was selling the whole retro set as part of an outdoor Summer promotion drive a couple of years ago. So I bought quite a few side plates as well as the dreaded cup/mug, which always burnt your lips once filled with a hot cup of tea.

    I remember them well as they were standard issue at our Scout Camping weekends. And you'll often see them in some of our old British War movie films.
    Lovely Cottage Pie. It's good to see someone home cooking as opposed to those unhealthy lazy takeaway foods.

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    1. I'd forgotten about the mugs, they were probably the most iconic of all; usually chipped too. I enjoy my time in the kitchen!

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  2. Those tins are cute if "tinny", insubstantial. I myself am a Le Creuset woman. Though have noticed, recently, that some of their wares now have Le Creuset prominently printed on some, not all, of their wares. How vulgar. If you are a connoisseur in such matters you know your Gucci handb(r)ag from your L'Hermes. Both of which best to be avoided (in terms of style).

    Since we are talking labels I am being reminded of the Angel who - even when he was in his early teens - absolutely refused/refuses to wear any item with the designer's name prominently displayed. "Am I a walking advert?", he'd say as young as twelve.

    U

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    1. "Good" enamelware is certainly neither tinny nor insubstantial. I have a couple of enamel dishes that I have been using for over 40 years. I suspect there are cheaper "made in China" copies available at those "two-dollar" stores, but I would never buy them. Cro's dish looks to be the "good" kind.

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    2. I have always said exactly the same as your son. If I'm wandering around advertising some 'label', then I'd want to be paid.

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    3. River, I do not doubt the merits of Enamel. The ones I came across were my English Mil's (probably purchased, as Cro suggests, in the Fifties). They were "tinny/unsubstantial" in as much as they were light weight (a bit like me). I know this because a few years ago I flung a large Le Creuset cast iron casserole across the kitchen. The effort of which promptly dislodged one of the K-wires that held together my freshly broken wrist. This would never have happened with an Enamel dish.Thanks for the memory. And a chuckle. Enjoy your Enamel. I have just broken some other Enamel (back tooth). At least I didn't choke on it.

      U

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  3. I love those enamel dishes but always use a plastic or wooden serving utensil as metal ones can scratch the enamel.

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    1. I'll remember that. Yes, I think it's probably a better quality English one, but it doesn't say. I have no idea who bought it, or when.

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  4. I have several enamel dishes and plates in regular use. As for the mugs, yup have those too, but reserved for when eldest daughter goes camping.

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    1. Better than plastic for camping; but anything is better than plastic.

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  5. As long as it's the right size and depth and cleans easily then use it and enjoy the food in it! The cleaning part is the most important for me

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    Replies
    1. It wasn't very clean when I found it, but a good scrubbing did the job!

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  6. Such cooking dishes strike me as not holding heat and uneven cooking, but then what would I know.

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    Replies
    1. My Cottage Pie seemed to cook OK. I have no complaints.

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  7. But once in the oven surely they cook properly right through, same as Creuset. My one luxury on a desert island, has to be a lidded Creuset. You can kill with them as well ;)

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    1. We have several from huge to small, we also have a few of the open oval 'tian' dishes which are wonderful

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  8. In the late fifties I burnt and took the bottom off an enamel saucepan while making a white sauce in Domestic Science. I have never used any enamelware since. Plus I don't suppose that they are fir for the microwave.

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    1. You probably have to call the Fire Service if you put one in the Microwave.

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  9. I tend to burn things too easily so enamelware is not my friend. I use Pyrex glassware as I find that easier to clean, and it goes in the dishwasher.

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    1. I still haven't tried washing the one above yet, as there's some leftovers for lunch.

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    2. It will need soaking as I see baked on sauce around the corners.

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  10. Mmmm... that cottage pie looks yummy! You can be trendy when you try? Will you be getting some bell bottom trousers and a tie-dye T-shirt for Christmas?

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    1. Luckily 'Scruff' is trendy here, so I fit in perfectly. The Pie was indeed delicious!

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  11. Here, we have something called 'granite ware' which is a white speckled dark blue. Back in the thirties, they used white rimmed with red or black. I actually don't use them because I'm not sure of the metal. I like cast iron cookware a lot though.

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    1. We have quite a lot of cast iron stuff, a few bits of which I've never used; but I'm sure I will one day!

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    2. I have some of the graniteware too, I like it for pies. My enamelware is yellow with a green edging stripe, just one plate is the white with blue.

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  12. I like them too but I'd be interested to know how yours cleaned up afterwards Cro, they always look to me like they'd be a devil to get baked-on mashed potato off.

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  13. The little enamel butcher trays I use for painting palettes. In my years of rummage, yard and thrift stores, rarely have I seen vintage enamel cookware. My mother gave me a set of the sauce pans when I was on high school. Talk about a hint. :)

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    1. I always used a big slab of white marble as a palette, it cleaned easily, and allowed me to be messy.

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  14. I love a bit of enamel .. we have an enamel bread bin from the 1930’s (? ) & some other bits. I reckon one could find a few bits in the Palace kitchens too ! XXXX

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    1. I have one of those bread bins in France; pale blue with the word BREAD in 'off white'. We use it for Potatoes.

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  15. Difficult to clean I think but a five minute soaking does the trick.

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    1. It actually cleaned quite easily, but nothing was too burned on.

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  16. My eyes lit up when I saw your enamelware dish. I fear I am one of those, "Let's all play country yokels" types." LOL

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  17. I'm not convinced we'll go the whole way to be drinking tea out of enamel metal mugs.

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    1. I certainly hope not. Horrible things. I've never used one; not even when camping.

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  18. We have some of my grans, but the one I use every week is the roasting one with the self basting lid. They were being eco friendly before it was something with a name. You dont need oodles of tin foil to drape over a roast if you have an enamel pan, therefore no waste to through out to be immediately recycled after one use. Like pyrex you can take them straight from the freezer to the oven

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    1. Is that the oval dish with little indentations under the lid? I have a plain aluminium one that I've never used. I really must try it one day; it's in France.

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    2. Mine was a huge rectangular one, red, with the indentations in the lid, it held two chickens and the vegetables, for a family dinner. The youngest daughter has it now.

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    3. yes Cro, it has dimples in the top that is the basting part I think. I also seems to speed up the cooking. Mine is large you can probably get a good sized goose in it. it looks like this https://www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-enamel-bakeware-covered-oval-roaster-30cm-4l?gcshp=1&fo_c=1344&fo_k=d7ee4aff29adc33e2271edb0421de4ff&fo_s=gplauk&gclid=CjwKCAiA78aNBhAlEiwA7B76p3NVZ8Ly_TjOYcBN_JkEW4BQSFY9jhKwTR1154QmZtF6esnrPWccCxoCYBUQAvD_BwE

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  19. I have some enamel too. To clean it, I boil water and pour it in to the pan. This cleans off anything baked on. I've scratched/chipped enamel pieces and after that it goes in to the bin. Your pie looks delicious.

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    1. I found no difficult cleaning mine. Enamel seems to chip very easily, I don't know if this is a result of over heating, or plain being dropped.

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  20. We paid $$$$ for one recently. Very trendy table ware!

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