Wednesday, September 9, 2015

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!

6 comments:

  1. Amazing score - and you don't even have to feel guilty as the seller knew what it was. Just a tip, if you can't get all the greeblies off try setting it in a sink overnight with some vinegar and baking soda and water. The combo makes almost anything come off. I use this formula when I accidentally burn stuff onto pans.

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  2. Yay you're back! And with a fab find too!! :-)

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  3. Five bucks for Le Creuset?? I am so envious! Love that red color, too :0)

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  4. Ok I need to brag about finding 2 n of these and paid $1 each!! They were dusty but not sure they were ever used!! What a score. And I had no to idea other than idea love cast idea Ron.

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  5. Ok I need to brag about finding 2 n of these and paid $1 each!! They were dusty but not sure they were ever used!! What a score. And I had no to idea other than idea love cast idea Ron.

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