Le Creuset Haul with Pumpkin Casserole!

Hello people! Check out this trunk shot from a recent haul of Le Creuset I made off with...! Pardon the messy trunk - there is road salt, a pair of clippers, and some boxes to pad my new pretties.

I have longed for this pumpkin casserole for quite some time. I noticed that it can be crazy expensive to buy (secondhand) around October, when the crisp autumn air reminds everyone of pumpkin spice this-and-that. It also coincides with the time when everyone is thinking of comfort meals in cast iron casseroles and Halloween!

This pic is from the ad that I happened to see shortly after it was posted.

The seller was also looking to get rid of a large flame coloured dutch oven as well, and even though I didn't need it, it was well priced enough that I knew I could resell it quickly to help pay off my new pumpkin purchase.

The seller also had a couple of Le Creuset accessories to round out the dutch ovens: a cast iron trivet, and a rubber spatula. I have heard this similar tale before, that the cooks love these pieces, and often received them as gifts, but find them too heavy to carry as the cooks get older.

I'm still getting used to the idea of cooking something up in an irregular shape as this pumpkin casserole is in. Do you think people mostly use these for serving rather than stirring?

Do Backyard Chickens Eat Polenta??

I've suddenly found myself as an urban homesteader! Yes, that's right folks, meet Shake and Bake, my two backyard chickens. They are the Buff Orpington breed, and have a nice comfy coop to live in.

They really enjoy grazing in the yard, picking at grasses and weeds, and of course any grubs that are unfortunate enough to come up above the surface. I offered the girls some leftover cooked polenta, or savory grits, made of cornmeal, and they loved it! They are usually a really picky duo. They also occasionally get bread and oyster shells for the calcium and grit. Chickens love corn! They couldn't get enough of this stuff.

I am quite excited to open up the coop every day and be greeted by these beautiful, fresh chicken eggs. I'm not sure if you can tell, but one of these is a fake ceramic painted egg. This encourages the chickens to lay in their proper nesting box area.

One noticeable thing about the eggs from my little "farm" is that the yolks are very large and rich. They make a great sunny side up egg! Especially when fried up in duck fat in my vintage cast iron skillet.

You may have noticed that there is a beehive in the rear as well!

I have really missed writing on the blog! I thrift less, but still pick up a lot of beautiful finds. I love using the pieces I have too, so hope to photograph those and write more about how I use them.

I am starting to get active on instagram, and will work on a button so you can follow me there @sixballoons!

Vintage Le Creuset Roasting Pan with Steel Handles

I love finding old Le Creuset pieces out in the wild. I was at a flea market recently, and spotted a beautiful red pan sitting on the edge of a table full of junk.

I immediately recognized the pan as a small enameled cast iron roasting pan that I had lurked on eBay for in the past - it is the perfect size for fitting inside my small countertop oven that I use all the time.

The steel handles on the sides of the pan are characteristic of the older style Le Creuset roasting pan. The generation after this one ditched the handles, and rightfully so, I think! The steel handles seem easy to rust and hard to clean. I would also have a tough time finding them very useful with oven mitts on.

I walked up to the seller, acting very casual, and not even bringing the pan up with me. I asked him how much he wanted for the pan, and said, "Well, that one's made in France. It's a Le Creuset. My wife is French." I was expecting him to want a price higher than what I was willing to pay, when he closed with "I'd like five bucks for it." Music to my ears! Sometimes it pays to just act casual and not say a word.  =)

I hastily handed over my five bucks and collected my bounty. I ended up scrubbing this piece for a good twenty minutes with my trusty tools - lots of dish soap, a scrubber, and a wooden toothpick for the nooks and crannies.

The first thing I made in my pan was a nice, satisfying banana bread!

Reselling Vintage Le Creuset

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Ours was busy and fun, and we are enjoying the rest of the holidays!

I have been buying and selling vintage Le Creuset cast iron pieces here and there. Sometimes I see a smoking deal and sometimes I am just looking to pare down my own collection... I am always tempted to keep them, but it is probably a good idea to keep things moving!

Photo courtesy etsy seller peachychicboutique

This beautiful set from the 50s is in the pastel "Elysees Yellow" colour and came with a 5 quart dutch oven and a small saucepan. I purchased it off etsy for $40 plus $15 shipping and flipped it for $120 locally.

I think my buyer still got a great deal, as the set was in great shape. Apparently Marilyn Monroe owned a Le Creuset set in this colour! The original etsy seller doesn't ship to Canada but my sis picked it up for me across the border.

Another piece I sold recently was this flame coloured large #20 saucepan with wooden handle. I had actually found the orphan lid in the wild while thrifting a couple years ago, dreaming that I would be able to find its bottom.

I caved and bought a lidless pan on ebay for cheap, reunited them, and sold them to another happy local buyer. I spent about $20, and was able to sell it for $50.

I rubbed a little mineral oil on the old wooden handle because these get pretty rough over time.

I like to keep my collections kind of light because I have a tendency to hoard my thrifted goodies! Hopefully I will be able to stay disciplined and keep only the items I really love and get lots of use out of!

Vintage Le Creuset Knockoff?

We were back in town for the weekend and happened upon a neighbor's garage sale! My dad was visiting, and tipped me off to what he called some Fake Le Creuset.

I scurried over to check it out and sure enough, Le Creuset flame colour, check. Phenolic knob, check. Enamelled cast iron, check! Le Creuset markings, nope!

For three dollars though, still a good quality, heavy vintage cast iron piece, so I scooped it up. I had buyers remorse afterwards, but I was able to sell it on craigslist to a fellow no knead baker who didn't mind the discoloured interior.

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

Cousances Doufeu

I received a great email from Steve B. in Europe indicating that he purchased a Cousances Doufeu for $18 USD at a yard sale and asked me for more information. You may remember that I posted about my Le Creuset Doufeu previously and talked about the theory behind it.

The reader describes his find as an oval piece, 32cm in length in a matte black finish, and marked with the size 16. As you may know, Le Creuset sizes are based on the diameter of a piece in centimetres. For instance a 26cm round oval is a #26 pot, but this does not apply here.

The other unique element of this pot is that the lid seems to act as a moat with a canal around the perimeter rather than a bowl in the more common, perhaps later, doufeus. On the underside of the lid there are raised lines radiating out from the centre to allow for the basting to occur from the lid.

Does anyone out there have ideas as to the age of this piece and why the doufeu design was changed to the current saucer-shaped lids? All I know is that it would be from before the 1950s as it is tagged as a Cousances piece.

Special thanks to Steve B. and best wishes on your plan for boeuf bourguignon!

Linking up to Vintage Thingie Thursday!

Skillet Cookie Baked in Antique Wagner Cast Iron!

This summer, I purchased an old Wagner Ware cast iron pan at a Japanese Community Centre rummage sale for two bucks! It was dirty and grimy and the seller looked almost embarrassed to be selling it. I happily bagged it up to avoid getting greased up, and carried on.

The underside of the pan reads Wagner Ware Sidney -O- which signified its factory which was located in Sidney, Ohio. Mr. SixBalloons used a lot of elbow grease this summer to clean up this cast iron pan, and we seasoned it to a beautiful shine. I decided to bake a big skillet cookie this weekend using a Martha Stewart recipe.

It was definitely fun to make a huge cookie and cut it into wedges. I left it in the oven a bit longer than I should have, as the edges continued to brown in the hot and toasty cast iron pan. It was tasty and fun though, and I can't wait to try out more recipes in my new pan!

Just a note, we had a lot of fun this summer restoring our vintage cast iron pieces, including the valuable Griswold pan I found a while back. Perhaps I will blog a tutorial sometime indicating how we were able to get these in cook-ready shape!

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

Vintage Le Creuset Bean Pot!

On one of my road trips to the Okanagan this summer, I made a great find at a local thrift store. We checked into the hotel and I threw open the drapes to look out the window. Believe it or not there was a huge sign painted on the side of a neighbouring building that read: "Thrift Store - Next Right"!

Of course I skipped over there shortly after putting down the luggage, and reached the store about ten minutes before closing. This was one of those sad little thrift stores, with intimidating-looking people hanging around outside, and awful furniture everywhere inside. I had low expectations, until I caught a glimpse of that flame coloured cast iron I love so much.

I went closer and saw that it was a well-loved bean pot. At first I couldn't believe I'd find a classic Le Creuset piece in a random thrift store. I thought to myself, "This must be a Descoware!" and "It's probably unmarked!".

Then I turned the lid over and ...

... saw a sight for sore eyes! A hard to find bean pot, marked Le Creuset, and priced at $5! Le Creuset currently offers a stoneware version, but I believe it's quite rare to find the vintage cast iron versions. I have seen these sell on ebay for between $100-$200. Yeowch!

The lid does have a couple chips on it and there is crazing on the interior enamel, but this is just such a beautiful little pot. The colour gradient is just beautiful.

It just goes to show you - you really never do know what you'll find in a small town thrift store! This little treasure was located on the lower shelf in the last corner of the store that I looked.  =)

I am linking up to Sophie's Her Library Adventures!

Dru Holland Cast Iron Oval Au Gratin #36

I found my first Dru Holland enamelled cast iron piece this weekend, a beautiful oval au gratin roasting pan! I had seen photos online of the delicate tulip shapes, so when I spotted it, I knew right away what it was. The marking underneath of "Made in Holland" confirmed it, not to mention the fact that I could barely lift it. =)

I believe this piece was made in the 1950s; a similar piece in the same pattern was shown being used by Meryl Streep in the movie Julie and Julia.

The pattern came in other colours, like yellow with brown flowers, and turquoise with green flowers. The larger roasting pots had a big tulip motif within the pattern, but these shallow roasters only have the three-prong tulips seen here.

By the way, the cute padded stool was a $1.50 purchase from the old folks' home. I'm not sure whether to remove the upholstery and repaint the little bench or leave it as is.

I've shown my Le Creuset #20 Au Gratin for comparison on size. This #36 is a whopper, and I am a bit intimidated about using it. I figure a big chicken roast might be in order.

Unfortunately, another difference aside from the sizes are the conditions of the two pans. This Dru Holland piece has seen some better days and could use a good scrubbing. I still think it was a great deal at $4 from my local thrift store.

Linking up to Her Library Adventures' Flea Market Finds!

Le Creuset 1980s Floral Design

I had a reader contact me regarding a great Le Creuset enamelled cast iron piece found at a yard sale in Florida. It is a beautiful white oval dutch oven from the 80s with a painted floral design.

This piece was purchased for $10 and looks to be in perfect condition! What a bargain.

According to Le Creuset, the design is called Petits Fruits by Perla Meyers. It was designed in 1983 and produced for about 20 years. The only thing I can find out about Perla Meyers is that she is an author of cookbooks, and produced one specific to Le Creuset recipes. I am not sure if she consulted on the design and lent her name to the line? That seems like a very modern way of using celebrity names for marketing... Like Graham Ramsay dinnerware for Royal Doulton...

As you can see, the sizing noted on the underside of the lid uses the vintage lettering convention rather than our numerical sizing we see on modern Le Creuset pieces.

I am actually working on a post that will provide sizing guides to all your favourite Le Creuset pots and pans! I think it will be a handy reference tool.

Thanks to CB from Nova Scotia, Canada for sharing this lovely find with us! I hope you are getting plenty of usage out of this beautiful piece!

Vintage Le Creuset Flame Coloured Oval Cocotte!

The ever elusive Le Creuset vintage oval #26 cocotte is finally mine! It has foiled me twice, but it was third time lucky for me this weekend. The first time I saw this piece in person, it was in a beautiful turquoise aqua colour. I shared my discovery and decision not to buy it at this post regarding the Turquoise Aqua Le Creuset Cocotte.

Then last week when I was purchasing my Pyrex Primary Mixing Bowls from the seller who was moving out of town, she revealed to me that she has just sold an oval flame coloured cocotte exactly like it. In perfect condition. For $15.  EEEEK!  I was so stunned I couldn't even speak.

You may have seen this piece as part of Le Creuset's Heritage Collection which sells on Amazon, as I mentioned it as one of my Christmas wishlist items! Le Creuset brought this piece back in the iconic flame colour, indicating on their website that it is a "design directly from the Le Creuset archives of the 1930s and 1940s."

I almost chose to not purchase this oval dutch oven. You see, I went to my first estate sale ever on Saturday, and finally got in after about one hour in the lineup. There were many dealers in the batch of people that got in ahead of me, and there were no advance photos or anything - just the promise that there was "some" Le Creuset items. I peered wistfully into the window from my spot in the lineup as a fellow carried out a perfect Le Creuset Cobalt Blue dutch oven.

By the time I got in, the place was fairly picked over. This was sitting on a table priced much higher than I expected and the condition inside was pretty terrible. I was so disappointed that I left it and went to pay for a couple of small items. The seller remembered me from emails with my condolences and our conversations about vintage Le Creuset that might be at the sale. She said she appreciated my emails and sold me the piece for $25!  She wanted to make sure that her mother's beloved piece of Le Creuset would be cared for by someone who appreciated it.

That was my first experience at an estate sale in Vancouver as they are not common here. Certainly there was a melancholy tone, but the sellers were upbeat and happy to meet people who appreciated their parents' collectibles.

Now here's the question - is the condition so bad inside that I should use it for decorative purposes only? Or would you be comfortable cooking in it?

Vintage Red Copco Skillet Made in Denmark

In a previous blog post where I talked about my turkey salad sandwiches, I promised that I would give more face time to the red Copco cast iron skillet I was using for my green onions.

This Copco 109E skillet is one of the first things I purchased from a Craigslist seller. I was very nervous about the concept of meeting a stranger to make a purchase!  However, the beautiful red colour and great condition reeled me in.  The skillet is 8" in diameter with a pour spout, making it perfect for frying up some green onions with olive oil and salt.

The skillet is made in Denmark as labelled on the underside of the pan. Copco made some great enamelled cast iron pieces between the 1960s to 1980s, designed by the modernist industrial designer Michael Lax. Lax was an American born designer who studied in Finland and was known to have a Scandinavian influence on his designs. His iconic Copco pieces included paella pans, roasters, and tea kettles. I am not sure if this skillet is from Michael Lax's era with the company but I still love the sleek look of it.

If anyone knows the timeline during which Copco made enamelled cast iron, please let me know!

Griswold Cast Iron Skillets Part II

Thanks everyone for your comments on my rare Griswold #2 Skillet! As I mentioned, I was lucky enough to find a larger #8 Griswold pan on a nearby shelf on the same day.

I usually find large cast iron pans too heavy to handle but this one seemed surprisingly light when I picked it up. Vintage cast iron has thinner walls and smoother finishes than those produced by major manufacturers today. I suspect this has to do with labour costs, as the old Griswold and Wagner factory workers completed the extra step of grinding the pan interiors to a smooth finish after casting. Some sources also refer to higher quality metals being mined during that era.

There are pros and cons for both vintage and modern pans. The newer Lodge cast iron pieces have a rougher finish, but their thicker walls allow the pan to heat up slowly and retain even cooking temperatures. Griswold pans are better for searing, as their thinner walls heat up more quickly. The smooth surfaces are better suited to seasoning, and subseqently provide better non-stick performance.

I love this elegantly simple detail at the underside of the handle as it meets the pan. Apparently this is an identifying mark for collectors to differentiate authentic pieces from fakes.

I was certainly surprised to learn the high value of the collectable small skillet shown below. This larger pan, on the other hand, is in a much more common size and is therefore valued at about $40. I think I may have to dabble in the art of Thrift ReSelling for the little guy, and keep this one for myself.

My plan is to clean the pans thoroughly and season them well so I can examine their true condition. The beauty of old cast iron is their ability to be stripped, cleaned, and restored. I can't wait to see the results of this process! If all goes well, I will post a tutorial on the subject. =)

If you are planning to keep your eyes peeled for valuable vintage cast iron pieces, here are the Top Five pointers I picked up:

1. Griswold is more sought after than Wagner

2. Wagner pans are similar quality to Griswold (I suppose ReSell the Griswolds, keep the Wagners?)

3. Heat Rings on the underside of a Griswold pan date the piece to the 1920s or before

4. Griswold pans without an ERIE marking were made in a separate factory and are of much lower value

5. Some later pans were marked with both Griswold and Wagner names when the companies merged. These are of limited value.

Happy Hunting!