Tuesday 13 March 2012

Snack bowls?.....Or Casseroles?




A recent acquisition was this snack set from Etsy seller Tara at Visualizing Vintage. I love the colour and retro pattern and that its called a 'snack set' - love it! It is also quite tough plastic and they stack too!

It got me thinking about the vintage china and kitchen stuff that I buy. I always aim to buy things that I will use- its not just for admiring in this house. And if it doesn't work for its keep its takes a trip back to the thrift shop! When I started buying vintage stuff I was taken up by all the great casserole dishes that you could find, until I realised that I just don't cook, eat and serve that way. In fact I don't think that many of us do now. I'm all about taking away the formality around mealtimes- those formal meals of the past where the woman serves out of a range of dishes, to the menfolk first- well I shiver thinking about it!

To make entertaining more relaxed I do a trick from Nigella- put the plates and cutlery out informally. I often wrap the cutlery in napkins and put it in a lovely Hornsea vase for people to help themselves. And food to share and pass round is much more me.

Two exceptions on the casserole front however are the Figgjo Flint wee casserole dish (third picture above) and the JG Meakin green one (fourth pic). The Figgjo Flint one is the perfect size for my homemade hummus or mackerel pate and the Meakin one was a present from my Aunt. Its good for rice or pasta salad in the summer.

Anyway I digress- snack sets like this one I can use. For dips, chips, kiddo parties, salad- I could go on but you get the idea. I think I could probably make room for some more too!

Do you mainly buy for use or for display? I would LOVE to know?

Oh and thanks fort all your recent comments it makes my day!

Jo x

10 comments:

  1. Ooh I love the stacking snack set! And both those casserole dishes/tureens are lovely, I would probably have trouble getting rid of them even if I didn't find them useful - sounds like I'm a bit less self-disciplined than you! I do try not to buy things just because they look pretty, but now that I'm planning to set up an Etsy shop I buy things 'to sell' - of course I haven't started selling yet, so I've got a bit of a stockpile - which is fine as long as I sell it eventually! ;)

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    1. Thank you- I am really looking forward to your shop opening- you have some lovely stuff. Thanks for visiting, Jo x

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  2. WANT! They are all super cute : )

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    1. Thank you- I am sitting looking at those stacking bowls just now and they make me very happy- how sad is that! They have also doubled up as toys for Neve today which is a great dual purpose!!!! Jx

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  3. Hi Joanna,

    Thank you so much. They look so beautiful in your kitchen and go perfectly with your tiles! I love your casserole dishes also. They are perfect! It is such a wonderful blog. I have to admit, sometimes I buy because I am attracted to the beauty of the dish and sometimes for the purpose. When it is for beauty, it is because it just draws me near and I just fall in love with it and have to have it. Thank you again - Tara Visualizing Vintage

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    1. Thank you Tara! I really do love them. You packaged them so beutifully also. Glad you like the blog. Good to hear your thoughts, Jo x

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  4. LOVE your Meakin! I have the same style dish but with a different graphic on it. I don't use my casserole dishes often but I do try to use them when we have friends over for dinner. It's just so nice making a fish pie (or something) and then putting it on the table for people to help themselves. So not super formal but a little more special than a normal dinner.

    I am trying to use some more of my vintage table ware though - even if it is just to store leftovers in the fridge. At least this way they make it out the cupboard :-)

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  5. Thanks Col- I agree and these casseroles are a wee bit small for a fish pie- maybe I need to upsize!! Thanks for commenting, Jo xx

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  6. oh my - how did I miss this post? Head buried somewhere not nice me thinks! LOVE all of these... I used to buy stuff because I like and didn't use it, like my hornsea collection. But now I am using all... otherwise what's the point? If you don't want that Figgjo Flint one I know a good home ;-)xxx

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    1. Hi Lou- Did you mention Hornsea!! I love it too! Many a sad Ebay loss on lovely John Clappison mugs/vases.... I know the Figgjo Flint is fab- if I ever get more ruthless with my collection! Jo x

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