Captivatingly Clad CorningWare - My N-Series Rangetopper Collection

I think these have been the hardest Cornflower pieces to get my hands on.....  The N-Series RangeToppers (being the aluminum clad bottoms) were only produced for a few years between 1977-1980 (possibly 1981) before they were supplanted by the S-series RangeTop line, which were missing the Aluminum bottoms (the skillets have waffling on the inside)  There are extremely difficult to find (in Cornflower), and when found, usually command a premium price; which I am loathe to pay. 

I will admit that I have resorted to eBay a couple times, but only when it was a really good deal...   However, that always comes with casualties due to lack of common sense when packing something made of "glass". 

But here it is... 1 year in the making...   My N-series Rangetopper Collection.  All of mine have the exposed aluminum bottom except for the 2 1/2 quart which is a 2nd generation piece when Corning began encapsulating the aluminum within the Pyroceram instead of simply cladding the bottom. This one piece is significantly easier to clean...  That's all I gotta say about that. 

Top to bottom.......
Top Shelf:  N-1 1/2-B (1 1/2 quart Sauce pan) on N-2 1/2-B (2 1/2 quart Sauce pan)
Middle Shelf:  N-1-B (1 quart Sauce pan) on N-8 1/2-B (8 1/2 inch Skillet) on N-10-B (10 inch Skillet)
Bottom Shelf:  N-5-B (5 quart Dutch Oven)

I can only guess as to why Corning decided to add Aluminum to their Corning Ware pieces.  Granted, the only safe way to cook in aluminum is to have a layer of pyroceram between it and your food.

Where is your Corning Ware??
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Give Me an N!! Give Me an S!! What Does That Spell? Confusion - 70's Rangetoppers vs 80's Rangetop Saucepans

I found yet another find the other day and decided that I should do an exposé to clear up any possible misconceptions out there in Corningware-Land.  It has to do with the saucepans; more specifically, the round saucepans with handles that are shaped like the Visions saucepans.

There are 2 types of round Corningware saucepans.

Rangetoppers, (all one word) with aluminum clad bottoms, and regular ones that do not (have an aluminum clad bottom that is) called RangeTop (minus the "pers")

You would think that it would be fairly straight forward, but it's not.  The problem is that not all Rangetoppers have a "Clad" bottom.  (sigh)   My assumption is that the exposed aluminum was blackening after being run through the dishwasher as well as rubbing off when abraded by certain cleaning methods.  Thus, Corning's answer was to "embed" the aluminum in the bottom.  These are fairly rare, as I think this was shortly before the line was discontinued, but they ARE out there.  There is no way to differentiate these pieces from regular saucepans by looking at the bottom, cause the white pyroceram conceals the aluminum.

This is my 1 1/2 quart (N-1 1/2-B) with the exposed aluminum bottom. Which is what I made the Tomato & Bechamel sauces in awhile back.

This is my recent find, a 2 1/2 quart Rangetopper (N-2 1/2-B) with the aluminum embedded under the pyroceram glass.

This is where knowing your codes comes in handy.  ALL Rangetoppers are marked under the handle with an "N-standard #-B".  They will also say "Not for Microwave Use", regardless of what the bottom looks like.  True, microwave browners contain "metal" as well, but Tin Oxide (tin rust) reacts a little different in the microwave than raw Aluminum does.

The Rangetop Saucepans, on the other hand, were produced AFTER the Metric switch over.  These are designated with an "S-decimal #-B" because they are in Liters and not in the Standard Quart measurements that had been used previously.

This is my mothers S-1.5-B in Shadow Iris.  Meaning it is a regular non-Aluminum containing saucepan that is 1.5 liters as opposed to 1 1/2 quarts.

The model numbers for these pans are found in the same location as those of the Visions line.  Being, embossed on the top of the handle.

Now I would say that the "S" stands for "saucepan", and that may be true, since V was used for Visions, F was used for French White and W was used for the Wheat pattern.  That would not explain why an "N" was chosen for the Rangetoppers though.  I assume that "R" was out of the question because it looks too similar to a "P" and "A" for aluminum was already taken by the post-1972 main product line.  Why not "T"?  or RT, since Corning chose K & KA for their Flat Ground bottom Cookmate line.  Then again, K & KA are not derived from "Cookmate" either...  So who knows how they came up with this stuff.
 
Oh, incidentally, though I do not have one, I have seen them in the thrift stores on occasion, though they are usually in a pattern that I do not collect like Country Cornflower or Spice of Life.  The S-2.5-B or 2.5 liter saucepan has a lug handle opposite the long handle so you can move the saucepan with both hands.

(Photo Courtesy of eBay)

I should clarify that this information regarding S & N model numbers has nothing to do with the Menu-ettes; being the 1 pint (P-81-B), 2 1/2 cup with pour spout (P-89-B), & 1 1/2 pint (P-82-B) saucepans as well as the 6 1/2 inch skillet (P-83-B).  The Menu-ettes never switched from their original "P" designation just like the Petite Dishes (P-41 & P-43), even after 1972 when the larger pieces had their model numbers converted to "A".

Gratuitous picture of Rangetopper Saucepans (This is how the instruction materials suggest storing them, instead of placing one pot down inside the other.)

Now, if I could just find the 1 quart (N-1-B) and a 5 quart (N-5-B) and maybe the 10 inch skillet (N-10-B)  The search continues.......

Where is your Corningware??
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Saucy Corningware Rangetoppers - Quick Tomato Sauce and Bechamel

In September of last year (2012) a reader posed a question regarding Corningware Range toppers.  I had heard of them, but I had never seen one in person. At some point during the 70's or 80's, maybe, I am not sure which, Corningware introduced a line of Pyroceramic cookware with a bonded aluminum bottom.  Evidently, the purpose was to distribute heat more evenly.  Now I suppose the theory is sound, but honestly, I have never really had a problem with hot spots when using my original version of Corningware.

Pyroceramic cookware acts a lot like cast iron, thus it absorbs heat readily and, though it may take just a bit longer to come to temperature, it holds that heat really well.  The only rule of thumb I follow is to NEVER go above Medium heat.  Copper is the same way; medium is the highest you should ever have to heat the pan.  If I am deep frying, I use a deep fryer or a cast iron pot.  I say this with the proviso that on my old gas range, in San Diego, I would often use medium-high heat, but the modern Cooktop I have now is capable of producing significantly more BTUs than my old gas powered dinosaur from the 40's. 

So, if you have a stove that is from the 70's or later, you should never use anything higher than medium heat with Corningware.  Even that has a proviso... If you are boiling water, medium-high heat is fine.

That being said.....  I actually found one of these "Rangetoppers" a couple weeks ago at the Good Will.

It's a 1 1/2 quart sauce pan (N-1 1/2-B).

I am just getting around to playing with it... (I got side tracked cleaning my Electromatic Cornflower Percolator and my Stove Top Black Starburst Percolator that I have not posted about yet)  In order to put it through it's paces, I decided to make sauces.  The most touchy sauces I could think of (aside from cheese sauce)

Tomato Sauce and a Bechamel.  Both of which can scorch fairly easily if the heat is too high or if there is a hot spot in a pan. As an added bonus, I can use both of these sauces to make the world's most perfect food....  Lasagne!!!!!

Now for the actual "Chicken, Cauliflower, Fennel Lasagne" recipe your going to have to check out Culinary Alchemy, but here is how I make Quick Tomato Sauce (when I don't have 7 hours to make my Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce) and onion laced Bechamel.

Quick Tomato Sauce

1 1/2 TB Olive Oil
1 cup Onion, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
35g Carrot, shredded (about half of a medium sized)
28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
5 Basil Leaves, chiffonade
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Heat oil in the in your 1 1/2 quart Rangetopper (N-1 1/2-B) set over low heat.

Once oil it hot, add the Onion, Garlic and Carrot, then sweat for 30 minutes (yep, low and slow.  I guess my "quick" tomato sauce isn't as quick as I thought)

Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.

Raise the heat to medium.... and cook, stirring constantly, just until it comes to a simmer....

Reduce heat to low again and simmer for 15 minutes longer.

Remove from the flame and stir in the Basil.

Season with Salt and Pepper, then pour into a bowl and allow to cool.

So here is the pot, after cooking the tomato sauce...

No scorching and easy cleanup; but my regular Corningware does that too so I am still unconvinced.

Now for the Bechamel.........

Onion Bechamel

4 TB Unsalted Butter
3 TB finely minced Onion
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3 TB AP Flour
3 cups Whole Milk
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, grated
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Melt butter in your 1 1/2 quart Rangetopper (N-1 1/2-B) set over medium heat.

When the foam subsides, add the Onion and the Garlic, then saute for 4 minutes.

Add the Flour and whisk until well combined...

Continue cooking for 2 minutes to remove the raw flavor from the Flour.

Whisk in the Milk, and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Add Nutmeg and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Remove pan from the flame and season with Salt and Pepper.

In this case, divide the hot Bechamel by placing 1 cup in a small bowl and the remaining sauce in another bowl, then cover both with plastic wrap on the surface to prevent crusting.

And look at our pan.....  No scorching with the milk sauce either.

Conclusion:  I really am not convinced that the applied aluminum bottom really makes that big of a difference.  Maybe if I tried to cook on high heat, it might.  But I would not make tomato sauce or bechamel on high heat, even in one of my copper pots.  As a result of the metal bottom, these pans CANNOT be used in the microwave, which reduces their multipurpose capability.  In essence, defeating the whole idea of having Corningware.  The bonded Aluminum is non-magnetic, so they cannot  be used on Induction Cooktops either...  Then again, this is true of regular Corningware pans as well.  

It makes a great display piece though.

Where is your Corningware??
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