CorningWare 411

I have not wanted to tackle this subject because of the controversy it might ignite, but in light of eBay's recent Gestapo-esque actions, I think it's time to clear up a few things, once and for all. So before you, as a buyer, decide to "report" a seller's Corning Ware Percolator listing to the ePTB (eBay Powers That Be) you better be darned sure that you have identified the percolator correctly.

Before I begin, let me first states that.... Regardless of the recalls (and I use the plural because there were two) these percolators are still a Collectable Item. I, myself, who cannot stand percolated coffee, own 19 percolators of various models and patterns... (How's THAT for irony). I hardly ever use any of them, though I occasionally use my P-280-EP as a water boiler. (which was a recalled model BTW). The point is, that they are of paramount importance to collectors, intact.

The 1st recall.... 1976

It was brought to Corning's attention in 1974, that there was an issue with the E-1210 Electromatic 10 cup Percolator. The metal collar, which was attached with Epoxy, had a tendency to separate from the pyroceram pot after repeated heating & cooling cycles. Corning stopped production in September of 1974, redesigned the pot at the attachment point, improved their epoxy curing procedures, then returned the model to production. But, by 1976 it had become apparent that the issue with these pots was a little more wide spread than originally predicted.

So, Corning issued a recall for the E-1210.

ONLY for the pots made before the redesign.

How do you tell if you have an E-1210 that is safe for use? There is a number etched on the metal band to the right of the handle.... The numbers vary slightly, but ANY number means it is NOT a recalled pot.

I will repeat, NOT a recalled pot, NEVER was and NEVER would be, as you will see.

Production of Percolators dwindled off in 1978... Simply because the auto-drip coffee maker had taken over... After all, America was gearing up for the 80s and it was all about instant satisfaction... Programming your coffee brewing to begin 15 minutes before your alarm went off so you could "tumble from the bed, stumble to the kitchen" and immediately"pour yourself a cup of ambition" was much preferable to setting up, and waiting for, the percolator while staring blearily at your newspaper.

The 2nd recall..... 1979

By 1979, as more reports of separation came in, it had become apparent that the epoxy problem extended to more than just the E-1210 pot. Thus, in September of 1979, a larger recall was issued, encompassing 1961-1976 models (almostevery model manufactured prior to the redesign of the E-1210 in 1976) This recall encompassed not only the Electromatic Percolators, but the Stove Top models as well.

This is the Recall that gets a bit tricky.... Here is the list of the dangerous percolators.

Let me give you more of a visual, since most percolators don't have model numbers on them.

These are the Recalled models........ (NOTE: Every single one of them has a Stainless Steel rim)

The P-119, P-139, W-119 (9 cup Stove Top - Cornflower, Trefoil, Wheat) and the P-116, P-136, W-116 (6 cup Stove Top - Cornflower, Trefoil, Wheat) all of which look like this. This also includes several other patterns that did not receive special model numbers such as the Black Starburst, 1st edition Floral Bouquet from the 1969 Limited Edition gift line as well as the Avocado Medallion released to accompany the Avocado Round.

P-146 (6 cup Stove Top - Various Patterns)

P-149 (9/10 cup Stove Top - Various Patterns)

P-6-EP, P-206-EP, P-406-EP, W-6-EP (6 cup Electromatic - Cornflower, White, Platinum Filigree, Wheat)

P-23-EP & P-13-EP (Original 10 cup Electromatic - Cornflower and Trefoil)

P-80-EP, P-280-EP, P-480-EP, W-80-EP (Cornflower, White, Platinum Filigree, Wheat) there were several other patterns that fell under the generic P-80-EP model number as well.. Such as the 4 special percolators French Spring, Tropical Summer, American Autumn, Nordic Winder, Avocado Medallion, 2nd & 3rd Edition Floral Bouquet etc.

E-1210, E-1210-4, E-1210-8 (All patterns of the E-1210 without a serial #)

Centura percolator C-609

I have not been able to find any reference, aside from the documentation above, to a P-176 or P-179 Percolator. Thus I have no photos.

Here is the list of those NOT recalled. There are only 4 Corning Ware Stove Top models and 1 Centura Stove Top models on this list along with the redesigned E-1210 and the 4 weird looking Electromatic Percolators.

The P-106 (Cornflower, Black & Platinum Starburst)

The P-108 (Cornflower, Black & Platinum Starburst)

The P-124 (Cornflower & White?)

The P-166 (Cornflower, Spice O' Life, White & Wildflower?)

The Centura C-604 (Centura 4 cup percolator "right"- Seen here with the Beverage Server "left")

E-1210 (with the serial # ONLY)

and the odd Percolators that don't really look like the normal Corning Ware Percolators...

The E-1108

The E-1112,

The E-1208

and the E-1212 (which was also available in Spice O' Life pattern)

Hopefully this finally clears up all the confusion.

Oh, one more thing. Corning Ware Consumer Products Division no longer exists. The Corning Ware name is owned by World Kitchen, LLC. They have nothing to do with either of these recalls. Please do not attempt to call their customer service and ask about refunds or returning these pots.

Where is your Corning Ware (Percolator)??
~~

Most people are familiar with the Shell Oil Medallion pattern that was made available, in either Blue or Avocado Green, to Shell Oil gas card customers as a special promotional item by filling out a special order form "flap" that was attached to the payment return envelope. (J C Penney, Sears, & Montgomery Ward use to offer similar "special items" to their department store card customers in this same way) Even if people don't know ALL those details, most have at least seen the design in one color or the other. What seems to be a lesser known item is the promotional design offered by American Oil. (I originally posted about this pattern in March of 2014 before I owned any of the pieces)

While it still remains unclear, at this point, whether is was offered IN the actual gas stations, or if, like the Shell Oil pattern, it had to be ordered via a form attached to your payment return envelope, the fact remains that American Oil offered it's own special Corningware pattern at some point during the late 60s and/or early 70s. Unlike the Shell Oil Medallion, ALL of the American Oil items are P-Series pieces. So while they may have been available to customers later than 1972, the pieces themselves were manufactures prior to this date.

This is my own personal collection of pieces to date....or should that be my "not" collection, since I technically do not collect this particular pattern (that's my story and I am sticking to it)

It includes the petites... P-41 & P-43

as well as a P-55-B Saucemaker (1 quart without the lid). It is the P-64 is the one with the lid... Saucemakers that simply state "Saucemaker" are undetermined at this point.

A 1 quart (P-1-B)

1 3/4 quart (P-1 3/4-B)

and a 9 inch skillet (P-9-B)

Remaining pieces that I am currently aware of, but do not posses, are the 1 1/2 Saucepan (P-1 1/2-B), the Bread dish (P-315), the P-4-B 1 1/2 quart Baker and a 10 inch skillet (P-10-B - according to CorelleCorner.com), though there may be others as well. I think I saw a P-104 Teapot several years ago, but I cannot be sure any more. (I was totally fixated on the Wheat pattern at the time)

There seems to be some debate as to what this pattern depicts. Some say it's stars, others say snowflakes. Personally, since they are 5 pointed objects (not 6) and the company offering it was "American" Oil... I like to think of it as stars. But in all honesty, Star or Snowflake, it really doesn't matter. It's the "American Oil" designation that is the most important.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

I have covered every other Limited Edition Gift Line at this point, except for one. The one that started it all in 1966. The one that brides swooned over. That classical beauty... Platinum Filigree.

It really is the perfect design. The gleaming platinum scroll work design coordinates with the modern dinnerware of today, just as well as it did in 1966.

Unfortunately for us collectors, there were only 4 pieces produced... 2 Saucepans and 2 Electromatic percolators. Just like it's Limited Edition Gift Line siblings to come, Platinum Filigree was packaged with "special items". In this case, both the saucepans came with black and chrome candle warmers, transforming them into "Buffet" sets.

The P-420 Family Buffet set (1 3/4 quart in P-1 3/4-CW candle warmer)

the P-440 Royal Buffet set (2 1/2 quart with P-2 1/2-CW candle warmer)

the P-480-EP 10 cup Electromatic percolator

and the piece I still haven't found... The P-406-EP 6 cup Electromatic Percolator...

While the Family and Royal Buffet pieces were only available for a year, the Percolators (both the P-480-EP and P-406-EP) were available until the spring of 1969.

At which point they were finally retired to make room for the newest Limited Edition Gift Line that was to come out in the fall. (1st Edition Floral Bouquet)

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

The story of Corning Ware's Wheat pattern has become fairly common knowledge.   The gist of the story is that, in 1958, Corning passed on the Wheat design because it wasn't ready to go to production. Instead they opted for the Cornflower that we all know and love today. There is a slightly different version that claims that a mistake was made in the initial run, and that the Wheat pattern was the intended pattern but the Cornflower was applied by mistake... and it stuck.

Regardless of its questional beginnings, the Wheat pattern was revisited later and released (about 1962) under the W-series designation that ran up until about 1970 or 71. After 1971, Corning Ware pieces were modified, became the A-series (there are no A-series Wheat pieces) and the Wheat pattern was dropped.

To date, I have found that nearly every piece of P-series Cornflower (minus a few of the later percolators) was also available in the Wheat pattern (as a W-series piece). This is a very different scenario when compared to the other early patterns like Trefoil; which only had 3 percolators, 3 saucepans and a couple of skillets.

I think the time has come to propose a new scenario here... You see, the whole thing doesn't make any sense... At least, not any more.

HOW can someone simply load the wrong pattern into the machine? It's a silk screened enamel. You would not only have to load the wrong pattern into the silk screening machine but the wrong enamel color as well... and let's face it... Blue and Brown look NOTHING alike, even to someone who is color blind.

Even if that really did happen back in 1958... WHY would Corning wait for another 4 years (1962) to revisit the Wheat pattern?   That makes absolutely NO sense either; especially since the Trefoil pattern was released in 1960.   The whole thing seems completely nonsensical to me.

What really got me thinking about how weird the whole "accepted story" sounded was when I got my hands on this piece.

It's embossed on the bottom in the same fashion of the 1958-1959 first generation cornflower pieces....

This got me to wondering if maybe it was a prototype for the "Wheat that never was"....

Then I got my grubby mitts on this one as well..... (the P-83-C lid is just a tiny bit too small)

Which seems to be a "prototype" for the P-83-B Menuette skillet that would eventually be released in 1966.. (P-83-B on right)

The handle is attached completely different from what we all know from the piece that actually went to the market place. It seems a little bit of a shaky attachment if you ask me. The final design for the P-83-B is much better - but that is beside the point.

This piece is embossed on the bottom as well... (though not nearly as clearly as the 1 1/2 quart)

Both of these "prototype" Wheat pieces are blue in color -- the SAME blue as Cornflower. Why are they not in golden brown...? Which brings me to my new theory.

The first two patterns released on Corning Ware products were Cornflower (blue) and Trefoil (black). Both colors of enamel are very similar. In fact, if you have a piece of Trefoil that is slightly faded from over cleaning, the design takes on a bluish tinge.

All this has led me to believe that the reason that Wheat was originally passed over, was not so much that the "design" wasn't ready... Obviously is was or it would not have even been printed in Blue. It had to do with the color. The golden brown enamel wasn't ready to go to production. Blue wheat was not part of the vision for the product. So they went to production with the color they had... and it was blue... which meant Cornflower. Black is not too far of a stretch from blue, so they were able to get the Trefoil pattern out 2 years later... Even the Holiday pieces from 1960-1963 were printed in blue or black. Eventually, they found a brown enamel color that they liked for the Wheat and, since it WAS suppose to be the original design, they went ahead and released it.

Incidentally, they DID release a blue Wheat Corning Ware in Britain. I actually bid on a piece that was on eBay UK a couple years ago (I lost). I don't remember if it was labeled as Pyrosil Ware or Pyroflam though. It was 2 years ago, after all.

Where is your CorningWare??
~~

I have debated on whether to actually post a meatloaf recipe or not. Meatloaf is one of those quintessential things that we Americans equate with "home cooking". Most people have a favorite recipe that they got from their mother or grandmother, and THAT is the way they do it. I have 2, and I alter back and forth myself; Mom's recipe and Grandma's recipe. Usually, instead of standard "Bread Crumbs", I throw in Panko. Tonight I decided to use my own meat mixture and my Mom's basic recipe, which utilizes Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing, instead of Bread Crumbs.

But I also incorporated and extra element that I learned from my Sister-In-Law that she got from her Grandmother.

I was so happy with the result, that I decided to go ahead and write up a recipe for the Corning Ware P-19 Broiling Platter.

My favorite meat combination is Bison and Lamb.... Beef and Veal are nice, as are Beef and Lamb, but there is something about the Bison... Beef competes with the Lamb flavor, and Veal is so mild that it is easily overshadowed by anything that you add to it. Bison, on the other hand, is an extremely cooperative meat. It's like the leek of the meat world... It just gets along with everyone.

I have a theory on this... (I have a theory about almost everything) But I am not going to get into the amount of Corn and Soy that are fed to our modern cattle and how it changes the flavor of the meat, as opposed to the Bison, who simply chow down on grass.

ANYWAY..... This is how I make my Meatloaf...

2 Carrots, grated finely
2 Celery ribs, diced
1/2 Onion, diced
1/2 Bell Pepper, diced
2 large Eggs
1 lb Bison (or Beef)
1 lb Lamb (or Veal or Pork)
2 TB Tamari (or Worcestershire)
4 oz Tomato Sauce
1/2 a bag (7oz) of Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing
1/2 cup Quick Oatmeal

Large Stainless Steep Bowl or Pyrex 404/444 Bowl
P-19 Broiling Platter with P-19-R rack

Preheat your oven to 375F degrees.
Place finely shredded Carrot, Celery, Onion and Bell Pepper in the large bowl (Stainless or Pyrex) and toss everything together.

Add Eggs and mix well, until all the vegetables are coated.

Add the meat, and mix everything together (you can use a fork, but your hands work best)

Add Tamari (or Worcestershire) and Tomato Sauce, stirring everything together again.

Add 1/2 a bag of Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing and mix it in.

More than likely, the mixture will still be a little too wet to hold it's shape...

(This is where my Sister-In-Laws Oatmeal comes in handy. It adds just that little bit more dry ingredient that helps absorb the moisture and keep things tender and juicy. It almost gives the finished meatloaf a "creamy" texture)

Add the Quick Oats and mix every thing together, gently.

The meatloaf should hold it's shape now. If not, add up to an additional 1/4 cup of Quick Oats.
I recommend spraying your P-19-R with non-stick cooking spray. (just to be on the safe side)
Form your loaf on the P-19-R/P-19.

(I prefer flat and wide... it cooks a little bit faster and fits better on the bread when making a meatloaf sandwich)

Place in the oven at 375 for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F and continue to bake for an additional 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.

Remove from the oven and tent with foil, letting the meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes.

Slice and serve!

I know, I should have dug out my Centura... But I was busy making a Walnut Dacquoise with Espresso flavored French Butter Creme. That was why the meatloaf... Mix - Form - Bake and hands off for over an hour... Super simple.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

I originally posted about this pattern a year ago, March 4th, 2014 to be exact, when I first came across this weird pattern. I still know absolutely NOTHING about it except that it is pre-1972, because of the P-series numbers on the bottoms of the dishes.

I started out with a 1 3/4 quart Saucepan and a Roaster (P-1 3/4-B & P-21-B). Then, thanks to a friend on FaceBoook, I was able to add a 1 quart (P-1-B) to my collection of this unusual pattern. I posted a "My Collection" article in April of last year, hoping that some information might surface. It took awhile, but in September, Francisco sent some photos, via email to corningware411@gmail.com, of his P-41-B Petite dishes.

Up until about December, that was the only other piece I knew of.... Then, someone in one of the Corning Ware Facebook groups posted a picture of a most fortuitous thrift store find..... A 10 inch skillet (P-10-B) in this pattern. Since that day, I have been on the hunt for one.... I was finally rewarded and my collection grew by another piece (actually 3 pieces).

My collection of this mysterious pattern is, to my current knowledge, finally complete.... Or rather, it is complete until the next previously unknown piece comes to light.

The current count of pieces produced in this pattern is 5 so far. They include, but are not limited to... (because there may be more as yet undiscovered pieces)

The 2 saucepans....

1 quart (P-1-B)

1 3/4 quart (P-1 3/4-B) - this piece may have been available as a Party Buffet set (P-20)

10 inch Skillet (P-10-B)

13 inch Roaster (P-21)

12 oz Petite Dishes (P-41)

To this day, the pattern name is unknown... Green Wheat, Avocado Wheat, Wheat Sheaf, Harvest Wheat, Gold Wheat, Wheat Floral... All these names are still being thrown around, and any combination of them are used on eBay, but no one seems to have seen an original box (upon which the official name would be printed) So for now, it remains the "pattern of many names".

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

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??
~~

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??
~~

Normally, I do not cover Visions by Corning from the 80's & 90's.   I don't collect it, and I definitely am not a fan of cooking in it. Visions, though a glass ceramic like Corning Ware, is actually a different formula known as Calexium. While I will admit that it is kind of neat to watch your food cooking through the Amber and Cranberry hues of this cookware, Calexium tends to be stickier on the stove than Corning Ware, even if you keep the heat on the low side. It is because of this that so many of the pans began showing up in the 90's with a teflon coating. Which is another reason that I don't collect or use Visions... I refuse to have anything to do with teflon coatings.

That being said, a couple of interesting things have surfaced recently that I thought I should bring to people's attention.   After all, even though I do not collect Visions myself, that does not mean that others do not, and it IS a Corning glass ceramic product. On top of that, I have covered Princess House Nouveau by Arcoflam, Pyrosil Ware and Pyroflam from Europe as well as Anchor Hocking's short lived glass ceramic cookware and, to a much lesser extent, Narumi's Neoceram, so it's ONLY fair to touch on Visions cookware as well.

Most people know that the amber colored Visions hit the market in the 1980s, but the story actually begins 2 decades earlier......

It was in the 1960s...   Corning Ware was already being produced and was a highly successful product. The white cookware with the Blue Cornflower was gracing stove tops all over the country. Corning Ware is made of what was dubbed as "Pyroceram", by Corning Glass Works. It is opaque white because of the Titanium Dioxide that is used as a nucleation point for the crystal growth that changes it from an amorphous glass into a crystalline ceramic product.   Even though Corning Ware was a resounding success, it didn't stop Corning Glass Works from researching into new and even more inventive glass ceramic products.

Thus a new form of glass ceramics was developed.... It was translucent, even after it had been through the crystallization process. Corning decided not to produce cookware from this new "Calexium" formulain the U.S., because they did not want to cut into the sales of their current "Corning Ware" product. Thus, "Visions" would have to wait.

In the late 70s, when Corning Ware sales began to slump, Corning was already producing this "Calexium" cookware in France, so they decided to do a market test for this new translucent amber material.   Thus, in 1981, pieces were imported into the U.S. and market tested by Imoco in Irving, TX (the same people that would later market Corning Ware's Autumn Meadow pattern in 1984-85) and LeClair in Clinton, NJ.

By 1983, it was decided to actually bring "Visions" to the general marketplace. Thus began the commercials showing a metal metal pan melting in a Visions pot set over high flame. Tough stuff that. (I wonder if they had a problem with the metal sticking to the bottom of the pan?)

ANYWAY..... Visions was an instant success... EVERYONE had to have it. Even the Martinsburg, WV plant was retooled to keep up with the demand. But the issues with sticking began to surface after a few years. By 1989, Visions would have it's bottom surface coated with Teflon.

1989 also brought about the Visions "Sculptured" line. It appears that these pieces, which included a large roaster shaped like the F-14 in French White, did not sport any Teflon coatings.

1992 saw the release of a new color... Cranberry. This stimulated sales slightly, but Visions was ultimately doomed in the U.S. (Though it is still being made in France and available at the Outlet stores)

Even the Versa-Pots in 1994 that were released to promote healthy cooking, didn't stimulate the sales that Corning Consumer Products Division was hoping for...

What has stimulated this post, however, are some interesting pieces that have recently shown up on eBay.

Evidently, there were "patterns" on some of the Visions pieces and sold under the "Deco" line.... It is unclear, at this point, just how many patterns were produced in the Visions "Deco" cookware, but to date, they only appear on Amber Visions, not Cranberry. This leads me to believe that they all predate 1992.

Calla Lily (1988 - From Box)

Unknown Floral Pattern on V-2.5

Where is your Visions??
~~

Normally, I snub my nose at Seafood with Cheese. I like to TASTE my seafood and cheese tends to be a little to overpowering for the subtlety of things like Lobster and Crab.

That being said, I have found exceptions to this basic "rule". One of these is Lobster Mac & Cheese. As long as the cheese is a mild and subtle one, it can be one of the most delectably decadent dishes you will ever consume.

Danish Fontina is my go to cheese for this application. This mild, subtly nutty cheese is smooth melting as well, which makes for a perfect sauce addition. I based this "sauce" loosely on "Lobster Newburg", so it's loaded with cream, in 3 different forms. The Fontina cheese replaces the egg yolks, but I could not leave out the "kick". Thus, I tossed in some Tabasco, instead of Cayenne, and left the Cognac in to kind of pull everything together and smooth out any rough edges. (it's a miracle liquor in cooking)

The "Lobster" I chose is the smaller Squat Lobster.. which is what is usually used in restaurants for such applications as this. It's usually referred to as Langostine or Langostino in the United States, but could even be sold as "scampi", because the seafood naming conventions in the U.S. are REALLY wishy washy... Don't get me started on "Colossal Shrimp" that are really prawns (cause there is a difference between a prawn and a shrimp).

Lobster Mac & Cheese

4 oz Unsalted Butter
1 Shallot, minced fine
3 TB AP Flour
1 cup Heavy Cream
6 oz Mascarpone
4 oz Crème Fraîche
1 TB Tabasco
3 TB Cognac
12 oz Danish Fontina
1/4 tsp White Pepper
16 oz Medium Shells
12 oz Langostine (Previously Cooked)
~optional - Black Truffle oil

Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded
Panko

Corning Ware A-3-B or P-2 1/2-B
Corning Ware A-5-B
Corning Ware P-332 OR 6 of the French White F-16 ramekins OR 6 of the P-14-B Casser-ettes from the Heat n' Eat line (Grab-its)

Fill your A-5-B with 4 quarts of water... Add about 1 1/2 TB of sea salt and place over High flame.

Place your A-3-B (P-2 1/2-B) over Medium-Low flame and add the butter to the saucepan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When the foaming subsides, add the shallot and saute until soft.

Whisk in the Flour and cook the resulting roux until bubbly and begins to smell nutty.

Add the Heavy Cream and bring to a simmer.

Add Mascarpone and stir until melted and smooth.

Whisk in the Crème Fraîche and bring back to a simmer again.

Add the Tobasco,

then the Cognac.

and cook everything until it begins to thicken slightly....

By now you should be able to drop your pasta into salted boiling water and cook for 3/4 the time listed on the package.

Begin adding the shredded Fontina to the simmering sauce, a little at a time, whisking until completely melted before adding the next handful.

When melted and smooth, whisk in 1/4 tsp White Pepper.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and add the Langostine, then toss it all together to coat the shells well.

Now, you can either pour the resulting deliciousness into a P-332 (like I did this time)

OR.....
Divide the pasta between 6 of the Casser-ettes (P-14-B) from the Heat n' Eat line (which is what I did the last time)

OR.....
Divide the pasta between 6 French White F-16 Ramekins in the same manner... It all depends on how you want to present the dish.

If you are going that "little bit extra" now is the time to lightly drizzle with Black Truffle Oil.

Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano lightly over the top (just a little bit, don't over do it) and sprinkle with Panko.

Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes for the Ramekins/Casser-ettes or 15 minutes for the P-332.

Turn on the broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes... just enough to color the top.

mmmm Lobster Newburg goodness in pasta form.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Time for a crash course in Italian... Involtini is the plural of Involtino meaning little package. Involtino is the diminutive of Involto, package or bundle, and Involti would be the plural form.

Involtini, culinary-wise, usually refers to an appetizer, while Involto, being larger, is more of a main course fair. Either way they are really the same thing, it's just a matter of size.

While Involti/Involtini can be wrapped in a variety of things and stuffed with even more interesting ingredients, I chose to keep it simple this time and go with an easy Ricotta cheese filling, bolstered by fresh bread crumbs.

Eggplant Involti

1 head of Garlic, Roasted
1 Sweet Onion, Chopped
1 Carrot, shredded
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 (28oz) can diced Tomatoes (Preferably Muir Glenn Fire Roasted Tomatoes)
3 Eggplants (about 1 lb each)
6 TB Olive Oil (not Extra Virgin)
Kosher salt and pepper
1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 TB Lemon Juice
1 tsp Lemon Zest

Corning Ware P-16-B - 11 inch Skillet (or A-10-B)
Corning Ware P-35 Broil and Bake Tray (your gonna need at least 2 of these, possibly 3)

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
Cut the top off the Garlic, drizzle with Olive oil (not Extra Virgin) and sprinkle with Salt and pepper.

Wrap in a foil package and Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Place the P-16 over medium flame and place 2 TB Olive Oil in the pan.

When hot, add the shredded Carrot and the chopped Onion.

Reduce the flame to low and sweat the vegetables until they begin to caramelize (30-40 minutes)
When the Garlic is roasted and cool to the touch, squeeze out the filling and smear it across your cutting board with a knife to turn it into a paste.

Add the Oregano, Red Pepper Flake, Roasted Garlic Paste and Tomatoes to the caramelized vegetables.

Simmer on low while dealing with the Eggplant.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375.
Peel the Eggplant…

Slice each eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks (you should have 12 -13 planks); trimming any rounded surface from each end piece so it lies flat.
Place Eggplant slices, in a single layer, on Parchment lined baking sheets. (I used 2 half sheet pans cause it would take 3 P-35s)

Brush the eggplant slices with Olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher Salt and Pepper.

Flip the Eggplant slices over and repeat.

Bake until tender and lightly browned (about 30 minutes), rotating the baking sheets half way through baking.

While the Eggplant is baking pulse the torn bread in food processor until finely ground.

Combine fresh bread crumbs, ricotta, 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, 1/4 cup basil, lemon juice, Lemon Zest and Salt in medium bowl; set aside.

When eggplant is done baking, remove from the oven and allow the Eggplant to cool for at least 5 minutes before attempting to handle.
Begin heating the broiler and check your sauce.... It should be nice and thick by now..... (the eggplant will release a little more water and loosen the sauce a little bit)

Flip each piece of Eggplant over (the underside will be softer)
With widest ends of eggplant slices facing you, evenly distribute ricotta mixture on bottom third of each slice.

Gently roll up each eggplant slice…

and place seam side down in the simmering tomato sauce.

Bring the sauce back to a simmer and allow the Eggplant to cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and broil until eggplant is well browned and cheese is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from the broiler and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano and let stand for 5 minutes so the cheese can melt slightly, then sprinkle with 1 TB of chopped Basil and serve......

Delicious with crusty sourdough bread....

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

I have been waiting to post about this pattern for several reasons. For starters, very little is, or was, known about this pattern. Secondly, I didn't have any of the pieces; of which, there appear to only be two. As with most things, patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait.

Over the last month, I have been able to obtain both of the currently known pieces of the Bon Appetit pattern.

The A-2-B

and the A-3-B...

I am not sure if the pinwheel lids were standard for this pattern, or not. Both of these pieces came without lids. It is completely by personal preference that these are sporting them. I think the pinwheel style finishes them off nicely.

One piece, however, did come with some interesting information.... The original sticker. I don't think individual pieces of Corning Ware came in boxes in the late 90's, that was reserved for sets of cookware.

Thus it is, with complete confidence, that I can finally say, this pattern was produced in 1999... Therefore, it was only available for about 1 year before Borden, Inc. declared bankruptcy and reorganized into World Kitchen, LLC and Pyroceram cookware was discontinued.

Whether this was a special promotion for Bon Appetit magazine, or not, remains to be determined. I will admit, the fact that it has "The art of fine cuisine" printed on it as well, makes me wonder. It really does sound like a "slogan". After all, Bon Appetit simply means "Good Appetite".

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

The time has come... I have only mentioned the U-Series Corning Ware pieces in my ABCs of Corning Ware post, up until now. Simply because, at the time of writing, the only piece I had seen was a 5 quart (U-5) piece on eBay. No other information was available at the time. Neither of the books mention this particular series and the Internet is devoid of anything resembling informative data. At the time, I assumed that it might have been a Crockpot insert or something.

Well, new information has come to light, finally. So now it's time for some theorizing and postulation utilizing the small amount of data available.

I found a U-1-B at the thrift store. So now I know for sure that the U-5 was not just a crockpot insert, this really was a full on line of cookware.

Interestingly, I noticed that the U-1-B is a dead ringer for the N-1-B Rangetopper.

(Rangetopper left; U-series right)

This piece did not come with a lid, but I assumed it was suppose to have a P-81-C lid, like the Rangetopper equivalent, however, it seemed loose. So I dug out my Rangetopper (N-1-B) and checked the lid on that one.
It is loose too, and I know that is the proper lid for that piece.

Thus, I am to assume that the lids for these pieces are just a little on he loose side. Since there is the same amount of sideways movement on both pieces.

(Rangetopper with lid, notice the right side lip of the saucepan is exposed)

(U-series with lid, notice the right side lip of the saucepan is exposed, just like on the Rangetopper above)

I had begun to think that these may be a special white version of the Aluminum encapsulated style of Rangetopper. But that theory was blown out the window when I got my hands on a U-1 1/2-B in it's original box and it's original lid (P-83-C). Which is the same lid used on the 1 1/2 quart Rangetopper, by the way.

The box, as you can see, clearly states... "Rangetop, Microwave, Oven, Freezer, and Table". So these pieces do NOT have aluminum in them.

So now we know several things.

The U-series is not just a single 5 quart Crock pot insert.
The U-series is modeled after the Rangetopper N-series, but devoid of Aluminum.
The lid on the U-1 1/2 us a P-83-B (same as the Rangetopper lid for the N-1 1/2-B)
The lid on the U-1-B is more than likely the P-81-C. (same as the Rangetopper N-1-B)
The pyroceram handles are not rounded like the later S-series (Rangetop line) which were based on Visions shapes.
The measurements on the saucepans are in "Liters" not quarts, thus they are from the 80s after the switch, which I know for sure was in place by 1985 and probably a little earlier.
Rangetoppers were discontinued by 1984.
The Rangetop line (S-series) did not make an appearance until 1988.

From all this information, I must conclude that the U-series, though it appears to have only come in white, was used to fill a marketing gap. Produced from 1985-1987 from the Rangetopper molds, without the Aluminum cladding, until the S-series Visions style Rangetop pieces were released in 1988.

That is my current theory... If anyone has any more information, I would greatly appreciate it.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

This is one of those base recipes that can be altered as needed.... While I will admit, it is a little bit on the "rich" side. Simply substitute pre-cooked Chicken or Turkey for the Mushrooms and you are good to go. It's even delicious with Crab Meat.

It's the Leek's fault, you know. Leeks play well with everybody and everything. They are the most affable of ingredients. They even help bring ingredients together that would normally clash... The great mediators of the culinary world.

Lumaconi Al Porro y Funghi

(Little Snails with Leeks and Mushrooms)

2 TB Unsalted Butter
8 oz Leeks, halved and sliced
4 oz Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
4 oz Cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Chicken Stock
1 1/4 cup Heavy Cream

1 tsp Porcini Powder (Super Secret Weapon)
1/4 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
16 oz Lumaconi (small snail shells, but "regular" shells - Conchiglie - will work too)
Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
optional - finely chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley - for serving

Lumaconi - Little Snail Shells

Corning Ware 4 quart (A-84-B) - This wide & low sided dish is excellent for tossing pasta (The P-84 is deeper)
Corning Ware 5 quart (A-5-B) - Gotta boil that pasta in something

Fill the A-5-B with 4 quarts of Water and bring to a boil over high flame.

Melt butter in the A-84-B, set over medium flame.

When the butter is hot, add the Leeks and Kosher Salt, sauteing until soft.

Add Shitake & Cremini Mushrooms cooking until they begin to give up their liquid.

Meanwhile, drop the Lumaconi into salted boiling water, reduce the flame to medium high and cook until al dente (about 9 minutes)

When the Leeks & Mushrooms are soft, add the Chicken Stock and let it reduce by half.

Add the Heavy Cream and reduce the flame, allowing the mixture to simmer for about 3 minutes.

Add Porcini Powder to the Heavy Cream and simmer for 1 minute more.

Remove the A-84-B from the flame and season the sauce with Cracked Pepper (and salt, if necessary).

Drain the Lumaconi and add them to the sauce in the A-84-B.

Toss until well coated and the sauce thickens a little more, due to the free starch on the outside of the pasta.

Serve with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and chopped parsley if desired.....

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

It's time for Act II of Corning Ware's first Era (AKA: Fin Lid Era) from 1958 - 1961. The first "Act" involved the embossed bottom pieces from Generation 1 from 1958-59. The second Act encompasses the blurry blue ink generation (Gen 2) produced from 1960 thru 1961. This generation also includes a new percolator design, but more on that later. Let's go all the way back to the beginning...... (this is a recap of the "In The Beginning - Corning Ware 1st Generation BPE" post)

In the beginning of the beginning there were no P, B, W, N, A, C, S, DC, F, G, U or L model numbers.. You see, Corning was unsure how well their cookware would be received by the American housewife, so they made a limited number of pieces for the initial release in the fall of 1958 to test the waters..... These would be the 1 quart, 1 1/2 quart and 1 3/4 quart saucepan with fin lids (similar to the Pyrex FlameWare design) along with the 10 inch skillet topped with the infamous pyroceram lid adorn with more cornflowers. With only 4 pieces, it was pretty easy to keep track of what was what, so no model numbers were really needed at this point.

Corning Ware ended up being such a hot seller that, by Christmas, retailers were screaming for more. So, in spring of 1959 Corning unveiled 2 additional skillets (9 inch and 7 inch with fin lids), a 2 1/2 quart Saucepan and the famed 8 cup & 6 cup pyroceram lipped percolators (which would later be referred to as P-108 and P-106).

All these 1st Generation pieces, percolators aside, had an embossed stamp on the bottom stating either "Corning Ware" with a volume measurement or, in the case of the skillets, width in inches while others simply had "Corning Pyroceram" embossed on the bottom with no other identifying marks other than mold numbers for QC purposes.

By 1960, the embossing on the underside was dropped in lieu of blue ink... blurry blue ink. Though these pieces still have the 1st Era fin lids, these pieces have become known as the 2nd Generation of Corning Ware. The marks on these pieces can be very difficult to read sometimes. It's not just that the ink is blurry, which it is, but the printing was less than perfect as well. Thus, they can be REALLY light, or only partially printed, or even smudged to the point of complete illegibility. Saucepans are marked with volume size and skillets by width in inches.

Unlike the 1st Generation, Generation 2 saw ALL the pieces being produced at the same time.

1 Quart

1 1/2 Quart

1 3/4 Quart

2 1/2 Quart

7 inch Skillet

9 inch Skillet

10 inch Skillet with Pyroceram lid

It should be noted, that Trefoil was released in 1960 as well. Thus, some of the first Trefoil pieces (1960-61) have blurry blue ink marks on the bottom, instead of P-series model numbers. These pieces should be paired with Fin Handle Pyrex lids as well.

It was in the Fall of 1960 that the original P-108 & P-106 Percolators were removed from the market.

It had come to Corning's attention that pyroceram lip was a weak point in their percolator design... Thus, the 1st edition of the P-119 and P-116 with a stainless steel rim were released. The 1st generation of the P-119 & P-116 can be identified by the design of the handle.

The stainless steel rim was glued onto the pyroceram body, then the handle was bolted to the rim.

These bolts were covered by a small piece of black plastic. The Black Starburst 9 cup percolator (P-129) is designed this way as well.

This handle would be updated in 1963 (2nd Edition) though the model numbers on these two pots would not change.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Traditionally, Shepherd's pie is made with Lamb, Cottage Pie is made with Beef, Swineherd's Pie is made with Pork and Huntsman's pie is made with wild game of some sort. Since this is chicken, and I have no idea what you call someone who tends chickens, I am just gonna go with "Not Shepherd's Pie"

Even more true, in this case, since it isn't covered in mash potatoes, but rather a mashed faux-tato concoction made with Cauliflower, Roasted Garlic, Greek Yogurt and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (trust me, it's good)

I always hand mince my chicken thighs, because I do not care for the mealy texture of ground chicken. Hand mincing really does make for a better stew. Which is really what "Shepherd's/Cottage/Huntsman's pie" is... a thick stew topped with mashed potatoes (or in this case, mashed faux-tatoes)

Not Shepherd's Pie

Your Topping: (Mashed Faux-tatoes)

1 head of Garlic
Olive Oil
2 heads of Cauliflower
1/4 cup real Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated - plus more for sprinkling on top

The Filling: (Chicken Thigh Stew)
Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced (about 6 oz)
3 - 4 medium Carrots, diced (about 7 oz)
3 - 4 stalks Celery, diced (about 7 oz)
1 lb Chicken Thighs
1 TB Tomato Paste
2 TB AP Flour
1/4 cup White Wine
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
1 TB Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Thyme, dried or 2 tsp fresh, chopped
1 tsp Rosemary,
1/2 cup Frozen Peas

The Equipment: (Corning Ware, of course)
5 quart (A-5-B) with lid (A-12-C)
4 quart (A-84-B)

Begin by preheating the oven to 400F degrees.
While the oven is preheating cut the cauliflower into florets

Dice the Onion, Carrot and Celery....

and mince the Chicken Thighs.

When the oven is hot, cut the top from the head of Garlic, place it on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.

Crimp the edges and top together to form a parcel and toss it in the oven for 40 minutes.

(or until it roasts and become sweet and browned)

Meanwhile, begin heating 3 1/2 quarts of water in the A-5-B, set over medium high flame.

Place the the P-84-B over medium flame and apply olive oil.

When hot, add the Onion, Carrot and Celery, sauteing until tender.

Remove the vegetable from the P-84-B.

Apply more Olive Oil and begin sauteing the minced Chicken Thighs.

When evenly cooked, add Tomato Paste and cook for 5 minutes.

Return the vegetables to the P-84-B and add the Flour, cooking until the Flour begins to smell "nutty".

By now, the Water in the A-5-B should be boiling, so add the Cauliflower Florets.

Cover, and allow to come back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender.

Add Wine to the Chicken mixture and cook until the flour begins to thicken slightly

Now add Chicken Stock...

and the Thyme and Rosemary....

Then hit it with the Worcestershire sauce as well.

Bring everything up to a simmer over low flame and let it all hang out and mingle together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, squeeze the roasted (and now cooled) Garlic from the peel into the bowl of the Food Processor.

Drain the Cauliflower and add to the bowl as well.

Pulse a few times to begin breaking everything up.

Add Greek Yogurt and Parmigiano-Reggiano, then process until everything is smooth.

You may even add some chives to the mix, it you like.

When your chicken "stew" should be sufficiently thickened.......

Turn your oven Broiler on, then remove the "stew" from the flame and stir in the frozen peas. (Don't worry, there is plenty of heat in the stew to thaw them out but leave them crunchy - I hate mushy peas)

Now, begin spooning the Cauliflower Mash (Mashed Faux-tatoes) over the stew, following the outside edge in a spiral towards the middle. (this will ensure a good seal around the outside)

Leave a small hole in the middle to allow for steam to escape. (yes, those are chives in my faux-tatoes)

Sprinkle the top with more Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. (cause there is no such thing as "too much" Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Place under the broiler until the top begins to brown.

Remove and consume with delight.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

As you may know, Corning was not the only company to produce glass-ceramic cookware. Oh, make no mistake, Corning invented and perfect the process of glass-ceramics. It was Corning that manufactured pyroceram missile nose cones and they were first to market a glass ceramic cookware. However, Corning Ware was such a hot product that other glass manufacturers had to jump on the bandwagon.

Anchor-Hocking released it's glass ceramic cookware in the early 60's (Black Wheat), but it was pulled from the market in 1968 due to a lawsuit by Corning for patent infringement. Narumi, a china manufacturer in Japan, also came up with a glass ceramic product (Neoceram), but was not marketed in the United states until the late 80s under the Mikasa name (Fire & Ice). ARC, makers of Luminarc, Arcoroc and Arcopal glassware in France, also came up with a glass ceramic product. It was originally marketed through Princess House as "Nouveau", but also on the regular market in the mid 80s as "Arcoflam". (Which, by the way, is still being manufactured in France to this day.)

One of the ones that most people are not familiar with, however, is Libbey glass's versions of glass ceramic cookware. I have no idea what the actual dates of manufacture are, but my guess would be the 70s. The only pattern I have seen is the Brown Daisy.

The shape is a little strange, almost an oval, but not quite.

The bottoms are marked very simply with Libbey and, in this case, 1 quart saucepan.

Pieces that have surfaced to date are the 1 quart saucepan (above), 2 quart and 3 quart saucepans and an 8 inch skillet, though there may be other pieces out there.

The lids are shaped a little bizarrely and have white ceramic knobs that appear to be "riveted" on, so they are not removable or replaceable.

The handle has an interesting streamline shape that is surprisingly comfortable in the hand.

Simply place it on the dish lug, and flip the switch forward to lock.

They are marked on the underside with the script L within a circle and the word "Libbey".

It is unclear how long Libbey's cookware was on the market.

Where is your Libbey Cookware??
~~

It all started with a conversation on Facebook in one of the Corning Ware collector's groups... Someone had found a 2 1/2 quart saucepan with an elongated black star pattern on it. None of us actually knew what the name of it was, cause none of us have seen a boxed piece. Up to that point, the only piece I had ever seen was a chipped and cracked 4 quart P-34-B dutch oven on Etsy over a year ago. I did not purchase it, nor did I archive a picture of it. At the time, I assumed it was just a test pattern piece, and I don't really collect those. Several names were thrown out from Black Star and Atomic Start to Hyper Space and Event Horizon. I contacted CMOG via email, but have not heard anything back yet... Honestly, I am still waiting on a reply to an email I sent 6 months ago regarding the Green Wheat/Harvest Wheat/Wheat Floral pattern.

But true to Corning Ware form, cause these things go in waves, a 1 3/4 quart size appeared on eBay less than a month later. I promptly purchased that one, so I could get a good look at one of these pieces. It proved to be unmarked on the bottom. No P-series mark, no embossing.... Nothing. Which makes even attempting to date it's production virtually impossible, other than "prior to 1972" because of the P-series sized handle lugs. (top piece)

Sadly, I lost an auction on a 1 quart sized piece last Tuesday. (Which is where this photo is from)

But as with most things, when one door closes, another opens. I became the owner of a 2 1/2 quart size piece just this morning, thanks to a fellow Facebook user with whom I worked out a trade. (Thank you Terence!!)

I figured I should have at least 2 pieces in my possession before I wrote a blog post about it. Not that I am going to be able to do a "Big Reveal" on the name or anything, but this post will provide at least SOME information out on the internet about this pattern.

I would be up to only 4 known pieces, if it had not been for the original conversation on Facebook... You see another member graciously posted a picture of a 1 quart Saucemaker she had seen a while back. (Thank you Heather!!)

So to date, even though none of us know the name of the pattern and CMOG has not been forthcoming via email, we know there is at least a 1 quart, 1 3/4 quart & 2 1/2 quart saucepans, a 4 quart Dutch Oven and a 1 quart Saucemaker.

That seems like an awful lot of pieces (5) for it to have been simply a test pattern. This leads me to believe it may have been one of the patterns made available to Corning Employees in the Employee shop... Like the Christmas/Holiday pieces.

Where is your Corning Ware??

Anybody out there have this pattern with a box??
~~

The truth is out there..... (to borrow a phrase from the X Files) and so it is.... You just have to be in the right place at the right time for all to be revealed.

For years, this Corning Ware Versa-Pot pattern has been known as "Burgundy/Cobalt Flower".

But let's back up a little bit. Versa-Pots made their debut in 1994 as a Visions product. They were available in both Amber and Cranberry with sizes ranging from 1 liter to 3.5 liters. When the Visions Versa-Pot sales were still abysmally low, as well as most other Visions pieces, Many of the molds were used to press out regular white Corning Ware pieces. My Risotto Pot (H-12) is a perfect example of this, as it is simply a V-12 pressed out of Corning Ware "Pyroceram" instead of Visions "Calexium"... It even takes a V-12 lid (though a clear one instead of an Amber or Cranberry one). Thus, it is with the Versa-Pots. They were available in white Corning Ware as well.

Though I have noticed the white Versa-Pots are usually sold on eBay with Cranberry or Amber lids, the proper lids will be V-1-C, V-1.5-C and V-2.5-C in clear. (I have one on order, but it has not arrived yet)

As it turns out, there were some patterns applied to said Versa-Pots as well. Although to date, this appears to be the only one.

While cruising through the Good Will a couple days ago, I notices this Pasta Bowl with the same design as the Burgundy/Cobalt Flower pattern on the Versa-Pot. I need another pasta tossing bowl like I need another hole in my head so I didn't purchase it... But I snapped a photo with my phone.

Then, cause I am a clever monkey at times, I snapped a photo of the bottom.... Furio Home! Just like the "Christmas Tree" pattern. Apparently they were in cahoots in the late 90s.

This allowed me to look through Replacements, LTD for "Furio" and "La Primula" patterns... As it turns out, this really is a full on Furio pattern known as "Jewflora" (I did not make up the name, it just is what it is) It appears to have been another late 90s pattern, though how long it was available from Corning is unknown at this point.

My particular piece is a 2.5 litre "1156", a strange model number for a Corning Ware piece, but it fits with the model numbers that were being used on the Visions versions. It remains to be seen if the other 2 sizes were made in this pattern (1 litre - 1174 and 1.5 litre - 1148)

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Sort of a one dish meal.... At least from the Corning Ware perspective. You still have to use a blender and possibly the Kitchen Aid mixer (unless you are pulling the chicken by hand, with 2 forks)

Please feel free, if you prefer your chicken on he hotter side, to add as many Chipotles in adobo, as you would like to the puree. The recipe is written on he mild/medium side of hot.

I use an A-5-B, but you can use the P-84-B if you like, just be careful not to let it stew over during the chicken boiling phase.

Chipotle Pulled Chicken

Chicken Preparation:
1 small Onion, quartered
2 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
4 springs of Cilantro
2 tsp Salt
Juice of 1 lime, plus the rind
3 lbs Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts

Chipotle Sauce:
28 oz can of Diced Tomatoes
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo sauce, diced (that is 1 pepper from the can, not the whole can)
1-2 TB of the Adobo sauce from the can.

3 TB Olive oil
3/4 cup Onion, finely minced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
15 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

To Finish:
6 TB Cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Corning Ware 5 quart Sauce pot (A-5-B) or 4 quart Sauce pot (P-84-B)

Place 3 quarts of water in a large A-5-B sauce pot, then add Onion, Garlic, Cilantro and Lime Juice along with the Lime rind.

Bring to a boil over medium-high flame, then add the Chicken Breasts.

Reduce the flame and simmer until chicken is cooked through - about 20-25 minutes.

Fit your Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment.

Remove the chicken breasts from the A-5 with tongs, and place in the Kitchen Aid work bowl.

Discard onions, garlic, lime hulls and cilantro, then wash the the A-5 sauce pot and set aside for the moment.

Combine diced Tomatoes, Lime Juice, chopped Chipotle and Adobo in the jar of your blender.

Puree until smooth and set aside.

By now, the chicken should be just cool enough, so place the work bowl on the base and turn the mixer on to medium-low.....

The paddle will shred the chicken for you. (neat trick that I learned)

Place the A-5 back on the stove over medium flame and add the Olive oil.

When hot add the minced Onion and saute until soft, then add the minced Garlic and saute an additional minute.

Add the Chipotle mixture from the blender, along with the Tomato Sauce, Chicken Stock, Oregano and Salt.

Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 35-45 minutes to thicken it.

Add the pulled chicken, stirring to combine.

Simmer an additional 15 -25 minutes to ensure the chicken is only moist, not wet. (like Carnitas)

Remove from heat and let cool slightly before finishing with more Cilantro and, of course, more Lime juice.

Serve with corn Tortillas and shredded Cabbage or, like I did, in large Butter Lettuce Leaves.

Garnish with Lime wedges, Sour Cream, Avocado and grated queso Asadero or shredded queso Oaxaca, along with more chopped Cilantro.

Store any unused portion in a sealed container for up to 4 days.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Separation Anxiety - The FACTS about the Corning Ware Percolator Recalls

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Corning Ware - American Oil Star/Snowflake Promotional

Cornigware Goes Platinum - Platinum Filigree

What's Up With Wheat? - Blue Wheat Corning Ware Prototypes?

Bison... It's What's For Dinner - Meat Loaf and the P-19 Broiling Platter

Still Growing Like a Wheat - My Corning Ware P-Series Mystery Wheat Collection (part 2)

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

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

Visions of Flowers - Visions by Corning in Floral Patterns?

Posh Nosh - Lobster Mac & Cheese

How Corning Ware Does Italian - Eggplant Involti

Julia Would be Proud - The Bon Appetit Pattern

U is for Unsolved Mystery - U-series Corning Ware

How Corning Ware Does Italian - Shells in Mushroom & Leek Cream Sauce

In The Beginning - Corning Ware 2nd Generation BPE (Before P# Era - 1960-1961)

Corning Ware Comfort Foods - Not Shepherd's Pie

Following the Leader - Libbey Glass Ceramic Cookware

Seein' Stars - Unknown Black Atomic Star Pattern??

Mysteries of Corning Ware Revealed - Furio Home Jewflora Versa-Pot

South of the Border with Corning Ware - Chipotle Pulled Chicken Lettuce Wraps