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?

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!

Cleaning Le Creuset with Barkeepers Friend

Remember my fab $10 Le Creuset find from a few months back? Well I have been using it a lot and kept thinking about whether or not I could clean up the dirty underside a bit.

I actually bought my Bar Keepers Friend for use cleaning vintage Pyrex, but saw a blog post somewhere touting its ability to clean stains on the exterior enameled surface on LC pots.

I moistened my thick paper towels and sprinkled on the BKF, then started scubbing gently. After one cleaning, I was starting to notice some improvement. I gave it a quick wash to see if the enamel lost any sheen, but it was fine. I gave it a second round, scrubbing a little harder.

Here is the Before and After:

Anyone else used BKF on Le Creuset with success? I am pretty happy with it, and might tackle another scrubfest this weekend.

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!

Le Creuset Ribbed Bottom Square Knob Lid

I have been a lazy blogger of late... There has just been so many current events to read about, new TV shows, new recipes to try, and a fast-moving baby to chase around!

But as you know, I've always got time for some Le Creuset.

I ebayed this little 1 quart beauty and I just love it. This older piece has three traits which no longer exist on modern pieces:

-square cast iron knob on the lid
-ribbed, enamelled underside of the pot
-letters rather than numbers to denote the pot size.

I love the look of the square knob!

Does anyone happen to know the age of the pot, or when these three items were phased out?

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!

Le Creuset Garage Sale Haul... from a Reader!

Nope, it wasn't me! A lucky reader emailed me some photos showing his epic vintage Le Creuset haul.

Each piece is individually priced but he scored this whole set at a garage sale in Alberta for $20!! What a deal!

He mentioned that the sellers were two ladies in their 80s. This seems to be often the case, where an older owner decides that the cast iron cookware is too heavy and passes the pieces on.

Look at the fantastic condition of the interiors. They must have taken wonderful care of these pieces.

I also like how some of the older vintage pieces have the enamelled, ribbed bottoms.

I am glad these went to a good home, as this SixBalloons reader really appreciates vintage goodies... But it kinda shocks me that no family members wanted to scoop these up! Le Creuset cookware should be treated like family heirlooms, shouldn't they?

Le Creuset Thrifted at Salvation Army

So my first trip to a thrift with my new little baby was a bit of adventure... A great one that is! I suppose it was actually his three month birthday, and to be honest, I hadn't really figured things out yet. Like how to bring him into a store.

I was visiting the optometrist and doo doo dooooo, just happened to find a parking spot right in front of the Salvation Army. I had to pop inside. I foisted the little guy on one shoulder and took a quick stroll around.

He started screaming... Then, I spotted this vintage white Le Creuset saucepot with wooden handle.

I have actually owned this before - see my Vintage Le Creuset #16 saucepot post. This pot, however, was marked $7.99, much better than the $30 I paid for my other one.

I settled my little guy down, and my eyes scanned the rest of the shelves. I cannot believe that this beautiful blue #24 Le Creuset dutch oven was sitting right there next to the white one. Luckily for me, I believe they were still there because the staff had placed the two pieces on the floor under the shelves. I guess they were too heavy!

The interior of the pot was in pretty decent condition considering that it was... $9.99!!! I quickly and calmly picked up a wheely shopping basket and placed my goodies safely inside.

So just for comparison purposes, the photo above shows my wedding-gift #26 Cobalt Blue dutch oven on the left. I believe that rang in at about $320 in our local store (Thanks Auntie Helen!) while my thrifted Le Creuset was a Salvation Army score at $10.

A super nice lady in the line up behind me said, "Le Creuset, good work, girl!" Haha. She also must have noticed my frazzled state and I was so relieved when she offerred to help me bring these heavy pieces to my car with me!

I like the look of this receipt with my $18 total. =) I'm also happy to report that I now know how to use our stroller, so I am now slightly less frazzled!

I'm linking up to Flea Market Finds and Thrift Share Monday!

Vintage Le Creuset Saucepot from Craigslist

My hoarding of Le Creuset lovelies continues!! Shortly after SixBalloons baby was born, I was feeling pretty cooped up in the house and isolated from the outside world... except for the trusty internet and the even trustier Craigslist.

I checked out a posting with a photo showing that signature vibrant Flame colour. A vintage Le Creuset piece! The seller was in the neighbouring suburb to me; not very far, but a terrifying distance in my mind. I wondered, "How does one go out with a baby? Alone??".

Check out the nice interior of the pot. Used and appreciated, but lots of life left.

I let the seller know that I'd gladly purchase it if she would sell it for $20. We agreed on the price and I asked her to hold it for me since I wasn't sure when I'd be able to reach her. She ended up dropping the piece off to me. I just love coming across kindhearted people like this while thrifting or buying something in the Craigslist community.

The #14 size pot is fairly small, and makes sense for heating up single-serve portions or making sauces. This pot appears to be newer than the similar #16 Le Creuset Flame Saucepot that I found at Value Village back in the day. It has the similar hollow cast iron handle, but the phenolic lid knobs are different. The older piece also has a textured, enamelled surface, whereas this piece is unglazed cast iron.

The underside of the handle has areas of bubbled enamel that seems to be a manufacturing flaw. Other than that, there is just a minor chip on the lid, so the function is still good.

Can't wait to try out some new dishes with this pot!

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share!

Best Thrift Store Finds of the Year!

Now that 2011 is coming to a close, I've decided to start reminiscing about my "Thrift Hits of the Year"! It's been a great year of collecting goodies, and I hope you've enjoyed coming along for the ride. Click on each link to read more about it and see additional photos!

First up is this vintage Royal Quiet De Luxe Typewriter in amazing condition. I fell in love with the details found in the fonts and parts, and the sturdy construction of this piece... it was working perfectly and was a great bargain at $15!

This gorgeous vintage Le Creuset Flame Cocotte was found at my first-ever estate sale... I was so tickled to find a few months later that the official "True Le Creuset" site mentioned my post here.

At my favourite local church thrift, I picked up these Vintage Peep Toe Ballys... Yes, Five Dollar Ballys! In my size!

This little Danish Teak Bird Pencil Holder stole my heart at another church thrift sale... and at 50¢ was a crazy steal. I made sure to send some donations their way this year. I haven't found out any more information about it, except for someone who contacted me from Switzerland to tell me he had the same piece. =)

This Promotional Pyrex Aqua Blue Scrolls bowl is from 1959 and I cannot believe it was sitting on a shelf for two days at Value Village before I came and rescued it.

Even though I love many more things that I was lucky enough to find this year, these are the standouts looking back. Of course, thrifting is full of pros and cons... Last week I went through some of the Things I Regret Buying at the Thrift Store, but I don't mind donating them back for a good cause.

Linking up to Colorady Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday and Vintage Scapes' Thrift Hits of the Year!

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!

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!