Tea... Apparently, it's For The Birds - Corning Ware Game Birds

Very little is known about this "pattern", if one can actually call it that, since it's really a set of 4 patterns.  It appears to have been very popular.  So popular, in fact, that many companies were using these "game bird" transfer patterns.  Not just similar ones, but the exact SAME ones.  This menagerie of Canada Geese, Mallard Ducks, Partridge and Ring Necked Pheasants can be found on many completely unrelated items from Hall China, Crown Staffordshire Bone Chine and, of course, Corning Ware.  (or I would not be writing this post)

Crown Staffordshire English Bone China teacups flanking a Hall Teapot (New York shape)

Schumann Arzberg Coffee Mug

I suppose it is not at all surprising that Corning Ware would follow this game bird trend as well.  What IS surprising, however, is the time span between these items that show up with these bird prints.

The TK-2 - Cookmates flat ground bottomed version of the P-57 Deluxe Teakettle...  Produced at some point between 1968 and 1973.

Featuring the Canada Geese and Partridge.

and  matching lid.

The P-23-EP and P-80-EP Electromatic Percolators also feature a very similar design of flying mallard ducks without the cattails in the background.

The P-104 Teapot. 

 An classic exercise in over-achievement, since it contains all 4 prints on 1 piece..

Though the 6 cup P-104 teapot was produced from 1960 - 1987, the mark on this teapot is extremely telling.
It's a Block Mark from the early 80s.  Seven years after the last possible production point for the TK-2.

This piece is also adorn with the later brushed steel lid. (also from the 80s)


There is also a Centura 10 oz Coffee mug (production date unknown)

This particular one in my collection features the Mallard Ducks, but all 4 patterns were available (see decorative plates below)

Then there are the Corning Ware Pyroceram Decorative plates...

And last but not least.... the original Sidekick (P-140) which was known as the PL003 in it's previous life of airline service.

(this one was made for United Airlines)

There are several other items, not in my personal collection, that I know exist.......

The B-10-B  Corning Ware Round 10 inch skillet (featured the partridge) Sorry, I do not have a photo of this one

The P-80-EP Electromatic Percolator - Ducks

The E-1210 Electromatic Percolator - Pheasants

Related Patterns

Though not from the above set of 4 game bird prints, but still in the same venue, there is the ever elusive P-32 Hibachi setup.. Yep, there was a Corning Ware Hibachi, featuring Mallard ducks.... (this piece is a P-2 1/2-B size with grill, ash screen and grill with a modified wood handled cradle - there was also a wooden tray, originally)

and the D-33 Chaffing Dish (P-2 1/2-B with an all White P-17 and a fancy metal legged alcohol burning stand that is very similar to the black plastic legged candle warmer stands)

as well as the 1st generation Electromatic Percolator (P-23-EP) which appears to be the reverse of the hibachi pattern.  Apparently on print is migrating North and the other is migrating South. 

Then there was this set that I found on Flickr.  Featuring the P-2 1/2-B, from the Hibachi set up, a P-16 skillet with running pheasants and swimming ducks on a P-19 broiling/serving platter.

There is also a strange P-2 1/2-B with a different set of flying ducks.  I believe these are Green Winged Teals, as opposed to the more commonly used Mallards...

This is by no means all of these mysterious game bird piece that are out there, cause lord knows there are bound to be more popping out of the woodwork in the future.  This is merely an attempt to record the ones that have been found so far.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Early American - Corning Ware, not Pyrex

Most of us that collect anything even remotely connected to Corning Glass Works are familiar with some of the Pyrex patterns.  Early American Pyrex Ware, in it's lovely shades of Brown, White and sometimes Gold was a fairly common pattern in it's day. (1962-1971).

There was, however, another Corning product by the same name, though not nearly as common nor well known.  Corning Ware also came in an Early American pattern.

Granted a much simpler pattern, featuring a lone bald eagle in black, and devoid of superfluous accoutrements like weather vanes, cats, coffee grinders, bellows, kerosene lamps and ears of corn.

Very little is known about this pattern, but thankfully some of the original boxes have shown up, so the correct name has been verified.  All the pieces seem to be unmarked, however, the saucepans have P-series handle lugs, so production was prior to 1972.  The fact that there are 2 percolators in this pattern (P-119 and P-116) suggests that date should be lowered from 1972 to 1970, because Corning discontinued the P-119 in lieu of the P-149, which made it's debut in the Renaissance Limited Edition Gift Line from 1970.  Recent developments have also revealed the existence of a P-23-EP (1st generation Electromatic Percolator)... Since these were discontinued in favor of the P-80-EP model in 1966, this firmly places this pattern to a 1962-1966 production window.

There is a variation on this pattern where the eagle has a solid black head.  (As seen on this MW-11 piece)

Whether it was a test pattern or not remains a mystery.

Where is your Corning Ware??
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Tea Time! - My P-series Cornflower Collection (Part 5)

I am not really that much of a tea drinker.  Oh, on occasion I enjoy a cup of fresh Ginger Tea or a antioxidant rich Green Tea. When it comes to black tea I love Earl Grey (such a classic) and first flush Darjeeling.   But I really don't brew tea very often.  But that does not mean that teapots gather dust.  Oh no.  They are usually employed to warm stock when I am making Risotto, or in heating milk for Hot Chocolate... Even warming Apple Cider.  Yes, they get a severe workout regardless.

Back Left: P-105 (8 cup)  Back Right:  P-104 (6 cup) with tea strainer   Front: P-103 (3 cup)

I also ran across the P-106-N a few weeks back (which is also a 6 cup) though this is technically a coffee pot.  The P-106-N originally came with a plastic cone that fit in the top for making "pour over" drip coffee.  Alas, bereft of the drip cone, it does duty as a teapot as well.

This is the Deluxe Tea Kettle (P-57).

Which, incidentally, has the same lid as the original Buffet Servers (B-1 & B-1 3/4), though the knob on top is different.

Magic Bananas!!!!  See?

The P-57 Deluxe Teakettle isn't really designed for brewing tea per se. It is a Kettle after all.  By definition (and design) a Kettle's sole purpose is to heat the water; water which is then taken to the teapot for brewing the tea. 

Though the tea strainer came with my P-104 Cornflower teapot, when I actually brew tea, I prefer to use my English Pyroflam teapot.

I think it's much more fitting.

Where is your CorningWare??
~~

"My Collection" Monday - A Bevy of Beverage Makers

I am very excited.  I asked a couple weeks ago for all y'all to send me pictures of your Corning Ware collections and Max, in Arizona, has the honor of being the first "My Collection" Monday post.

He sent me a picture of all his Beverage Makers.  An awesome collection of Cornflower pieces....

From left to right...  3 cup Teapot (P-103), P-57 Deluxe 2 quart Tea Kettle, 6 cup Teapot (P-104), in the back looks like a P-119 Range Top Percolator (9 cup) and in front of that, a P-116 Range Top Percolator (6 cup) then a beautiful 8 cup Teapot (P-105) with the Drip Coffee Globe (P-118-U) which when originally sold with the accompanying teapot, it was re-numbered as P-118-B instead of P-105. (a little information tidbit).  On the end is the 6 cup Range Top percolator (P-166). 

Last, but certainly not least, 2 awesome Cornflower Blue Coffee Mugs made of Suprema Ceramic Glass. Suprema, while still a ceramic glass, is made of a slightly different formulation than the original Corning Ware formula or the Centura formula. These were released as part of the 35th anniversary celebration of the Cornflower in 1993 along with the "Cornflower" Corelle pattern (made of Vitrelle laminated glass).

An AMAZING Collection, I must say.

Thank you for sharing, Max.

So hey everybody, where is YOUR Corning Ware??
~~

Leaves Blowin in the Wind - My Pyroflam Blue Leaf Collection (Corning Ware from The Netherlands)

So....  In memory of my little sojourn to London England in 1999, I decided that it would be fun to collect some actual British "CorningWare" which, across the pond, is known as either Pyrosil Ware or Pyroflam, depending on when and where it was manufactured.  Granted, Pyrosil Ware and Pyroflam were never made in Britain, it was made in Corning's plant in the Netherlands to be sold on the English market.

Originally, Corning Ware was manufactured in the United States and exported to Britain. These are usually stamped as "Pyrosil Ware" on the bottom and feature the famed Cornflower. After Corning's Netherlander plant began production, the stamps remained "Pyrosil Ware" for a while, but were changed to Pyroflam at some point, though I am not sure exactly when.  This is the point where the blue leaf pattern emerged... Most of the other patterns were direct copies of what was being produced in the United States, but there are a few that are distinctly from the Netherlands Plant... 

The model numbers are different, for they are in Imperial Units.  This is most evident in the 2 1/2 quart Saucepan.  It is marked as PF-4 because it holds 4 British Pints... British pints are larger than American  Pints being 20 oz versus 16 oz.  Thus, 4 x 20 =  80 oz... which is 2 1/2 quarts (P-2 1/2-B)

The Teapot remains a mystery to me.... Then again, this is a 6 cup teapot, which in the United States was a P-104, which is no reflection on the amount that it holds.  SO... .I guess they just drew a number out of the hat.

So far, these are the only 2 pieces I have found in the thrift stores.  It is readily available on eBay UK, but the shipping from England is atrocious.  I doubt very much that this collection will grow all that much.  Then again, I never thought that I would find it in a thrift store on the West Coast of the United States either. (stranger things have happened)

Where is your Pyroflam or PyrosilWare??
~~

"Visions" of Risotto - Baby Greens and Chevre Risotto

SO, I found this interesting White Corningware pot at the Goodwill awhile back.  It is marked as a "Visions H 12" (with no hyphen) even though it is white.  It had no lid, so I had no idea whether this was a goof at the Martinsville plant (who produced Visions in the U.S.) or if it was made this way on purpose.

I decided to drag it home anyway and started poking around on the Internet to see what I could find out about it.  Evidently, this is the Visions Chicken Fryer.  I still cannot explain why it is white, for there are Amber and Cranberry Chicken Fryers too.  In fact, the lids for the Amber and Cranberry Chicken Fryers (V-12-C) will fit this white model as well.  It's all very strange and weird, but I don't judge. Besides, I know there is a clear V-12 lid out there, somewhere.

The only conclusion I can draw, at this point, is that Visions made a white model of their Chicken Fryer to accompany the Rangetop line from the 80s. (as opposed to the Rangetoppers line from the late 70s)  The Rangetop line is better known as the S-series round saucepans that have "built in" pyroceram handles attached to their sides and no aluminum on their bottoms.   

After my research I began wondering what I was going to use it for, since I don't fry chicken.  I already have perfectly serviceable pieces of Corningware and didn't really NEED another one, unless it could serve a special purpose beyond what my Cornflower or Wheat pieces were capable of.  I was just about to sell it on eBay or something when it hit me......  with the higher sides (significantly higher than those of the P-series "skillets") this would be perfect as a saute pan.   I have always wondered.... for all the lines that Corningware produced, they really only produced Skillets and Sauce Pans (OK, and Bakeware) which have different dimensions than Saute, Chef or Windsor style pans.

And thus it was, armed with my new Corningware "Saute" pan, I embarked upon one of my favorite dishes....   Risotto.

Historically I have made my Risotto in my 10 inch Pyroceram Skillet (with Pyroceram Lid), but I have discovered that this mysterious white "Visions" Chicken fryer is the best possible pot for making Risotto.  (I am sure that a Visions Amber or Cranberry would work just as well)  It's dimensions are perfect for providing just the right amount of surface area for the liquid evaporate at the perfect rate.  As an added bonus, the waffle bottom ensures there will be absolutely no stickage AND it provides a secondary surface for gently abrading the rice grains to release to perfect amount of amylopectin into the stock, thus creating a perfectly creamy sauce to envelope the perfectly al dente rice grains.

Did I mention that this pot is "Perfect"?  LOVE IT!!!!

There is something about making Risotto in Corningware that I must caution you on.  Corningware holds onto heat like cast iron.  Because of this, and especially with Risotto, you will need to remove the dish from the stove just before the rice would be considered "al dente", in other words, you want it to be a little under-done.  It will continue to cook for a good 3-5 minutes while it is in the "resting" phase and be perfect afterwards.  Remember.... Squishy Risotto defeats the whole purpose.

I have gotten hooked on the "Power Greens" mixes that have been available in the stores lately, but this is just as delicious with ALL Baby Spinach or ALL Arugula... (though you may want to give those a rough chop first)  I just think the mixture of Spinach, Chard and Kale, makes it a little more interesting.

Baby Greens and Chevre Risotto

2 TB Olive Oil
1 Shallot, minced
1 cup Arborio Rice
1/2 cup Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or other White Wine
3 - 3 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
5 oz Power Greens (Baby Kale, Baby Chard, Baby Spinach, etc)
4 oz Chevre or Montrachet, crumbled

Corningware "Visions" V-12 Chicken Fryer or Corningware 10 inch Skillet (P-10)
Corningware 6 cup Teapot (P-104)

Begin by pouring the Chicken Stock into your 6 cup Teapot (P-104) and setting it over Medium-Low flame. (It needs to come to a simmer)

So while you are waiting, go ahead and crumble up the Chevre and set it aside. (It's easier to crumble when it's cold)

Place Olive Oil in the V-12 Chicken Fryer and set it over Medium flame.

Once the Oil is hot, toss in the Shallots, sauteing until softened.

Add the Rice and saute until it begins to smell nutty.  (about 5 minutes)

Add the Wine and stir until it has evaporated down slightly and a sauce begins to form.

Pour in a little bit of Chicken Stock, and continue stirring.

Continue in this way until you have used about 1/2 of the Chicken Stock.

Add the Greens to the pot and stir until they have wilted down and mixed in with the rice.

You probably won't need to add any stock for a few minutes, as the greens wilt down, they will release liquid into the risotto.

Continue adding stock and stirring until the rice is only a little bit toothy. (yes, you will have to check it with a spoon - cooking times always vary from 16-20 minutes as does the amount of stock needed)

Remove the V-12 Chicken Fryer from the stove and add the crumbled Chevre.

Cover with a Dish towel and allow the Risotto to rest for 3-5 minutes.

Stir everything together to achieve creamy deliciousness.

Serve......

Delicious!!

Where is your Corningware??
~~