What a score! Descoware are was purchased by LC and closed. Descoware was a favorite of Julia Child's!

Good shopping!! My mother and MIL both had pieces of Descoware. I remember it fondly. I have no idea what happened to Mom's and MIL's was all chipped, so I passed on acquiring it.
I have the same large skillet. It's awfully heavy. What have you used it for? My favorite large LC is their brasier. It has an enameled bottom and a heavy lid. Perfect for sauteeing or whatever!

Compumom, I used the big LeCreuset for the steaks on Mother's Day, get that cast iron screaming hot and it makes a great sear on the steaks, plus they all fit in there at once, double bonus. Elery has used it for a couple of stir fries and French Toast, and I used it to fry cracklings when I rendered lard and to make bacon, because I wanted the fat to help season the pan.

It is heavy, far heavier than the Griswold I have in a similar size, but it's pretty and so far I like it.

kitchendetective, I got on line and checked on the DescoWare and found that it was a favorite of Julia Child's, and that they stopped making it sometime in the 70s, I think, but I'd never even heard of it!

I haven't figured out what to make in a tiny little skillet like that, it looks like it's not been used very much.

Annie

I have a big skillet with the wooden handle. Was my grandmothers. Heavy! Love CI enamelled or not. Great score!

"---I haven't figured out what to make in a tiny little skillet like that---"

You can probably remove the handle and use it for baking something.

dcarch

I have two Le Creuset frying pans with wooden handles. The smaller one is just the right size for a grilled cheese sandwich or two fried eggs (sometimes three) :-)
What a score!

Good for you Annie! I have a small skillet like that for eggs or grilled cheese, as mentioned.

I picked up some skillets off of Freecycle a couple years ago. I'm sure she didn't know what she had, in the form of quality. They were pretty blackened, and Barkeepers Friend and oven cleaner cleaned them up beautifully.

One was an orange Le Creuset, one a Paderno skillet and the other was Kirkland with a copper lining (a rim of copper at the base). Good, heavy cookware.

You would have to remove the handle, then the little pan would be perfect for a small skillet of cornbread, omelet for one, frittata for two, etc.

Teresa

I have a tiny Le Creuset skillet, probably 6", in which I toast small quantities of nuts. I haven't used it for much else, but it's great for that.

Sally

Congrats on your great score, Annie!

Thanks, everyone. The little tiny skillet is the Descoware, so the handle is not detachable. It's about 6 inches across, maximum, so I guess you could make a frittata for one, it could definitely go into the oven.

The wooden handled LeCreuset is bigger, maybe a 9 inch, but too deep to be a good crepe or omelet pan, I'm leaning toward stir fry and sauté, because it's deep enough to really stir things around.

The big one, I think, will get the most use. It's not made it off the top of the stove yet, because it's so big and heavy I can't decide where to store it. If it becomes a favorite it'll have to be easily accessible. If not, it'll go into the basement until we need it.

I keep reminding myself that I really, really, really don't need any more pans, I have all of mine and all of Elery's. But then, I find something like a 12 inch deep cast iron dutch oven. I don't need any more, I really don't...

Annie

Jerry has permission to buy any Le Creuset or Descoware at estate sales whenever he finds them at good prices. I may have enough pots and pans, but they are mostly old Revere ware that's warped and worn out (also estate sale finds). That being said, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen. You just can't have too many good pots and pans.

Sally

Good looking pans, AnnieB. And someday, when you get tired of cooking...breathe...you could pass them down to the next chef de cuisine.

I do wish you lived closer, because I've sold quite a bit of Le Creuset pieces, through online local auctions, but also on Ebay. I think LC bought out Descoware over 50 yrs. ago, so I rarely run into them.

At the moment, I have only one Descoware casserole (in gradient red/orange 'flame') up for bids.
If it doesn't get any action within the next few days, I might just pull it, and keep it, because I'm one pan short of a hoarder.

Sol

Sol, remember, I'm not that far away, my mother lives just West of Mt. Pleasant and Elery's kids are all in Jackson, so sometimes we go pick up Mother and take her with us to visit. I always wave out the window as we go past your town!

Yes, I will definitely be passing pans down to grandkids who want to cook. Ashley has already informed me that I should not give her any pans that can't go into the dishwasher, so she's not getting any of MY cast iron, the slacker!

Annie

Annie, love the little one!
I like that they are not stove hogs. A back burner baby for toasting spices and nuts, garlic chip slow roasting...

I have a few downstairs i re-discover during some cooking season that finds them perfectly useful for a while, then back in limbo/(purgatory) again.

Nice find there, Annie.

Must have been a good week for Le Creuset--I scored a size 26 (10.5") dark green LeCreuset skillet at a rummage sale last Thursday. There was one of the small ones there, too, but I passed on it. Also bought a great Calphalon crepe pan in nearly new condition at the same sale. I have several other Calphalon pans that I like a whole lot.

What I'm looking for are carbon steel frying pans. I found one last year, a really nice heavy-weight small-medium sized (9.75") one for only 25 cents! There is no brand name on it anywhere, darnit, because I love that pan and would love to have some just like it in larger sizes.

Have not cooked in the Le Creuset pan yet. It's sitting on the range--I think I must be waiting for it to morph into carbon steel.

I've been reading this thread about these great pan and had nothing to contribute more than "great score!", but it occurs to me that the DescoWare one would be perfect for blintz pancakes. They're thicker than crepes, and are made by pouring the batter in, then out again. The part that goes up the side (into the spout) becomes a flap for when you start to roll.

And I thought of that because I can say to Ci_lantro that DeBuyer makes great carbon steel pans, including frying pans. I have several of their thin, crepe pans, which I love. The ones from Paderno and Mauviel look almost identical.

Thanks plllog, that's a good idea, and I've never made a blintz.

Thanks for the tip on DeBuyer also, I checked on Amazon and found a crepe pan for $24 with Amazon prime. I'm looking for a good crepe pan for Makayla, she loves them and makes them here, so I know she could make them at home.

Annie

Nice pans Annie!!!! I also have no problem buying used kitchen items. I only have one Le Creuset pan and it was bought at a consignment sale. $30 vs. $240? Ummm, I'm good with that.

Can't wait to see what you make in yours!

Tracey

SCORE! Very nice, Annie! Have fun.

Cj

Woot!
I use my smaller LeCrueset frying pan (mine does not have a wood handle) as Teresa suggested - for frittata. YUM!

Thank you for sharing the pictures!