If I had to take 1 piece to cook with out of my kitchen, it’d probably be this one. Soups, stews, burgers, roast chicken, gumbo, beans, for pasta, bacon and even have done pancakes in it. Deep fry, shallow fry or pan fry, it’s good to go. Simmer some greens? Steam some veggies if you prefer, it can do it.
If you enjoy cooking and have been at it just a little while, you have one. If not, you know you want one and will have it some day. They’re that good. I was lucky, I found this one at a local thrift store for 10 dollars about 16 years ago. I figure it’s about 40 + years old, Descoware (Danish) it says on the bottom. I loves it.
The same day I bought this one, I bought a smaller one, it had chips knocked out of the finish on the inside. Who cares, it was 7 dollars! At the time, I would wash and put the pot on the stove to warm over a flame to dry it off. I noticed that if it got too hot, the enamel would pop off like popping corns. Pop! Okay, so don’t do that. Don’t dry these old things over heat, not a good thing. But time passes and we forget such wisdom.
Until 2 days ago. Had planned on making some onions translucent and warmed some oil in the bottom of the pan. I saw something shiny in the other room and forgot about it for a few minutes, not long. But enough time for the oil to over-heat and cause a chip to fly free from the bottom of the pan.
Click on and check out the picture, it’s really cool how the cracking and crazing has formed over the years. Especially where the chip came off, check that out! Spiffnoid, eh?
Made me sad, but it’s not the end of the world. The ol’ Danish Oven will function pretty much as it did. Just no storing food in it like I did before. Be wary of highly acidic food, probably not a good idea. But this piece will live on for another however many years. Or until I chip a tooth on an unseen bit of enamel.
Cheers!
That is one sweet pot. If you want a new one I’d recommend Le Creuset. When are we getting together to Dutch it up?
You should try contacting Descoware. They may replace it. The same thing happened to a le Creuset that we owned. I only had to pay shipping to have it replaced. Well on second thought, shipping to Denmark would pay for a new pot. Never Mind!
+1 for La Creuset!
Should you worry about what ‘other’ metals may be in there?
Love the mosiac – And the oouside looks just like mine, and it’s only been 5 years….
http://www.tommyskitchen.com
Hey Dr.,
DOG, soon. Need to look at calendar, I’m getting there.
Hey Everybody else!
That’d be Tommy & Chilebrown. Descoware went out of business many, many years ago. They were every bit as good as Le Creuset and this sucker is OLD. At least for an enameled pot anyways.
The only other metals in there are cast iron, that’s not a problem.
Biggles
So that’s what happens with those enamel chips. Here I’ve been blaming Cranky. For, I dunno, bashing it with a hammer?
I love them old pots. Even though we have two stinkin’ new replacements, different sizes, I can’t stop using the old ones.
Hi Cookie!
Poor Cranky. Yeah, hip to the new versus the old. That’s why I haven’t replaced it, still kicks major ass.
xo
DESCOWARE heats well, and dries well over heat, jut not high heat. Stay under 350 degrees, and it only takes 5 minutes at that heat to dry.
Enamel is not made for super high heat. For that type of cooking use the plain old fashioned black cast iron.
Also, if the black is showing through, on your old dinged up DESCOWARE, just season the area with some shortening and heat at 300 degrees for a half hour. If you season the black areas, they will not rust.
I love all my DESCOWARE!
Hey Candy,
Yeah totally hip! The tough thing for me is that I am so damned used to letting the leftovers cool and popping it in to the fridge. I wake up the next day and find it’s rusted a bit and the food is metally. Yup, no high heat on the enameled.
Descoware rules!
Biggles