Customer Reviews

CorningWare French White 5-Piece Serving Bake and Serve Set

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Your mother's" Corningware was not this stuff. This is only stoneware from China.

The original "French White" Corningware was made of Corning's famous pyroceramic glass, which could be used on the gas stove, put directly in the freezer, put under the broiler right from the freezer, and oh yes, also used in a microwave. And it was very unlikely to shatter if dropped. If you pounded on it with a hammer and nail you might have gotten it to break.

When World Kitchens bought the license from Corning, they decided to halt production of a line of cookware that would take anything and last forever, and dupe customers, especially brides (and Amazon reviewers), into thinking the stoneware "French White" was the same thing as the wonderful French White pyroceramic cookware previously available to their mothers and sisters.

The pattern is very attractive and can be used with any decor, and they do offer many sizes, but this stuff is not, repeat, really not, what people mean when they say "Corningware." You want to be aware of what you are getting if you are thinking of purchasing it.

Le Creuset can do most of the above mentioned, but it being metal you cannot use it in the microwave. Stoneware cannot go on top of the stove, and repeated trips from the freezer to the oven will eventually cause it to craze and crack. And stoneware will also chip, and break if dropped, etc. Pyrex glassware cannot go on the gas stove although you can take it from the freezer to the oven, and also microwave it.

The only product which could do anything was pyroceramic, and World Kitchens has chosen to remove it from the market because it is "too good."

They have recently brought back a few of the old square shapes, with the Cornflower, or plain white, calling it "vintage," but the French White shape is not making a reappearance yet. If you want it, email them and ask for it!

Meanwhile, get Le Creuset for stovetop cooking and roasting (yes it is expensive but it lasts forever and cooks beautifully), and reheat things in Pyrex in the microwave.

The review above is so right. I made the mistake of putting this on a stove top and it cracked. The separate metal handle is also pretty stupid - awkward to use and store. Try fitting a hot casserole into it while you have oven mitts on. The good news is I recently went to a Corningware outlet store and they had a set of stove-top/oven/freezer/microwave casseroles - like the one I used to have. Not cheap but it's made in France. I haven't used it yet, but it seems like it's being reintroduced.

The Original French White introduction was in the 1990's and was always stoneware. It never was what your mother had. The thermal benefits of the original material diminished in importance for home cooks with the invent of the microwave.It a great product when you use it the way it was design and according to instructions.

History of CorningWare®

The original CorningWare® bakeware which was first introduced in 1958, was made of a glass-ceramic material that could be used on the stove, in the oven and under the broiler. After World Kitchen acquired the brand in the late 1990's, CorningWare products were switched to ceramic stoneware production. Introduced later that year was the French White collection, which has been an all-time best seller among brides-to-be.

The stoneware transition was made, in part, to ensure that the brand adapted to the evolving tastes of consumers who today put a premium on color and design. In addition, with the advent of the microwave, the thermal benefits of the original material diminished in importance for home cooks.

The CorningWare stoneware collections can be used in conventional, convection and microwave ovens as well for storing food in the refrigerator and freezer. It washes easily by hand or in the dishwasher. Non-porous, stoneware won't absorb food odors and resists staining. And it's non-reactive so acid-based foods can be prepped or baked in it.

CorningWare bakeware, a perfect blend of style and function, is designed to be used for convenient same-dish baking and serving, whether for casual or formal dining.

The one star review mention the products is not the same. Well in 1958 there was no cable-vision, no cell phones no computers and most tires had inner tubes in them. Product change for the better.