Looks Like Fine Crockery... Acts Like Corning Ware - French Bisque Collection Complete

It was April of last year when I first posted pictures of my French Bisque set.   I had originally thought the set was complete, until I discovered there were F-16 ramekins as well.   Evidently, these were sold with larger sets of the pattern.    It has taken almost a year, but I FINALLY got my hands on some...  Thanks to a friend in one of the Corning Ware groups on Facebook and a little help from Classic Kitchens & More....  

Finally, after all these years...  the entire French Bisque collection is ready for a family portrait.

So here is the breakdown of French Bisque, produced from 1982-1985 and sporting the original Pyrex Fireside tinted lids. (OK, 1 lid that is not original)

Top to Bottom:  F-5-B (G-5-C lid) - 1 1/5 quart Souffle, F-1-B (G-1-C lid) - 2 1/2 quart Souffle, F-3-B - 10 inch Quiche

Top to Bottom:  F-16 - 16 oz Ramekins, F-21 - 4.5 liter Open Roaster

Top to Bottom:  F-12-B (F-12-C lid) - 1 1/2 quart Casserole, F-4-B - 2 1/2 quart Open Roaster (The F-14-C lid is not original to the piece)

Top to Bottom:  F-6-B - 1 1/2 quart Open Roaster, F-2-B (DC-1 1/2-C lid) - 2 1/2 quart Casserole

(The DC-1 1/2-C lid will also fit on the F-6-B roaster if needed)

And there you have it ALL 8 pieces of the French Bisque Collection..  Why there were substantially more pieces made in the French Bisque pattern than there were of either the French Bleu or the Classic Black is anybody's guess.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

I Got The "Bleu"s - French Bleu Collection Complete

French Bleu is fairly hard to come by, as it was only produced from the fall of 1983 to fall of 1984 (basically 1 year), so my collection has been growing somewhat sporadically.  For years, all I had was the 10 inch (24cm) Quiche dish that I purchased off eBay.  I was actually about to give up on ever seeing another piece, because that seemed to be the ONLY piece ever on eBay.

Then I got lucky one day.  I had crossed the Columbia River and invaded Vancouver, WA back in December of 2013 and found both the F-5 & F-1.  A couple months later (February 2014) the F-6 showed up in Clackamas,  OR.   That is what spurred my first post about this pattern back in March of last year (2014)...   About 1 month ago, I found the final piece in Portland, OR... The 2 1/2 quart Casserole (F-2-B).

So, as with the French Bisque from yesterday, here is the "not quite so large" family of French Bleu...

Left to right...   F-5-B - 1 1/5 quart Souffle in LE-F5-R cradle, F-2-B - 2 1/2 quart Souffle in LE-F1-R cradle

F-3-B - 10 inch Quiche

Left to right....  F-2-B - 2 1/2 quart Casserole in LE-F2-R cradle, F-6-B - 1 1/2 quart Open Roaster in LE-F6-R cradle

It should be noted, that all 4 pieces I purchased were adorn with the pinwheel lids...   Though I didn't not believe they were available in the early 80s, I find it odd that all of them would come with said pinwheel lids from various thrift stores in several cities in 2 different states.

An interesting coincidence; especially since all of my Classic Black came with plain lids (1990-94)

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Looks Like Fine Crockery... Acts Like Corning Ware Cookware - My French Bisque Collection

Well, I thought this collection was complete.  I was even proud of myself for tracking down 2 pieces not listed in the "books".  Those would be the F-6 (1.8 liter Shallow Open Baker) and the F-21 (4.5 liter Open Roaster).

Then while searching on eBay a couple weeks ago, for some strange reason a set of 4 "stoneware ramekins" showed up in my search list.  I looked at the picture of the bottom really closely and realized what they were......   500ml (16oz) F-16 Ramekins in FRENCH BISQUE.  WHAT?!?!?!  They had been completely miss-listed as 60ml Corning Sandstone Stoneware Bowls. (and yet they still showed up in my search list)

I thought it was a rather serendipitous opportunity...  Sadly, someone else found them as well and beat me by 50 cents when I wasn't looking.  It was a rather depressing development, but it happens.  After all, I can't spend ALL my time cruising eBay. Suffice it to say, that my once complete collection is not so complete anymore.  That's OK, I have seen them, I am now aware that they exist, and it give me something to look forward to finding in the wild.

F-2-B (2.8 liter) Deep Covered Baker (DC-1 1/2-C Pyrex Fireside Lid) sitting in the F-4-B (2.5 liter) Shallow Open Roaster

F-5-B (1.6 liter) Souffle (G-5-C Pyrex Fireside Lid) sitting on the F-1-B (2.5 liter) Souffle (G-1-C Pyrex Fireside Lid) sitting in the F-3-B (24cm) Quiche Baker 

F-12-B (1.8 liter) Deep Covered Baker (F-12-C Pyrex Fireside Lid) sitting in the F-6-B (1.8 liter) Shallow Open Baker sitting in the F-21-B (4.5 liter) 14x11 1/2 Open Roaster/Lasagne Pan.

You may have begun asking yourself.... "Where does he put all this Corning Ware?".  Luckily, with the French White/Bisque/Bleu/Classic Black line, the answer is simple.  They were resigned to stack very compactly.  This is why there are technically only 4 lids for all the pieces.  Oh, you can add lids.  The V-14-C will fit on the F-4-B if you really feel you need it.  But originally, only the deep casseroles & the Souffles came with lids... all the shallow dishes were lidless.  THUS, they can stack up like this...

and leave a very small footprint within your cupboard.

Where is your Corning Ware??

~~

Happiness is a Warm Bottom - French White/Bleu/Bisque and Classic Black F2MWCR Cradle

Well, after my original post on French White Cradles, and the fact that I had to snitch pictures from an eBay listing, I began searching for this elusive F Series cradle.  It has taken a little time, and a little luck, but I finally succeeded in finding one.

Behold!!!!!   The F2MWCR....  (cue theme from "2001: a space odyssey")

In English?  The French White/Bleu/Bisque & possibly Classic Black 2 1/2 quart (2.8 Liter) Deep Oval Casserole Microwaveable Warming Cradle.  Whew!   I think I will stick with the F2MWCR. It's faster to say... and type.

It is entirely made of plastic, save for the Granite insert in the center.  It's made in China, so it was from the time when "Crown Corning" started importing accessories.  It still looks a lot like one of those "As Seen On TV" gizmos to me.

The back side has the Microwaving instructions.  

• 600 - 900W                       = 2 1/2 - 4 minutes
• 1000-1500W                    = 1 1/2 - 3 minutes
• Commercial Microwave = 1 - 1 1/2 minutes (scared of that)

Evidently, the Granite piece absorbs microwave energy and heats up, thus warming the bottom of your dish warm, hence keeping the casserole, held within, piping hot while serving.  Probably a little safer than the previous candle warmers had been.

I tried multiple pieces, but it really is designed specifically for the F-2 Casserole; none of my others fit into it.

My assumption is that this was originally available as a set with a French White F-2 because of the era it was made, but it's possible it was still available with French Bleu and French Bisque.  I do not, however, believe this product was available after the late 80s, meaning that it predates the Classic Black (1990).  Though I am not completely certain of that.  Then again, this was an add-on and could only be purchased separately, since I have never seen a box.

Where is your Corningware Cradle??
~~

Fade to Black - My Corning Ware Classic Black Collection (French Black)

I figured it was time that I actually share some of the pieces I have collected over the years....   This is my Classic Black Collection as of March 2014.  Mind you, this it subject to change at any given moment due to thrifting.  For though this is supposedly the "entirety" of what was made in Classic Black, I have a sneaking suspicion that there is an F-1-B (2.5 Liter) Souffle, an F-12-B (1.8 liter deep) casserole and quite possibly even F-16 (500ml) Ramekins or an F-14 (4.5 deep roaster) or F-21 (4.5 liter shallow open roaster) floating around out there. One never really knows when it comes to unraveling the mysteries of Corning Ware.

From Top to Bottom....
Left: F-2-B (2.8 Liter) Casserole sitting in the F-4-B (2.5 Liter) Open Roaster

Middle: F-6-B/MC-6-B (divided 1.8 Liter) serving dish behind the F-6-B (shallow 1.8 Liter) with Lid

Right: F-5-B (1.6 Liter) lidded Souffle sitting in the F-3-B (24cm) Quiche dish
 

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~