A Love Letter to Pyrex
by Katy on March 5, 2009 · 12 comments
Hello there, small, clear and handsome.
I’ve been thinking about you.
I can no longer hold back the strength of my emotions, and I must declare to all the world:
I love you, Pyrex!
Our relationship started out innocently enough with a medium sized measuring cup. Seemingly nothing all that special, yet how could I have known how I would grow to love the simplicity of your design, the beauty of your form, the strength within your fragility.
Along came a set of three mixing bowl with snap-on lids. (I shiver with the memory.) The bowls so bright yet still see-through. You declared your contents to me with an honesty that prior storage had shied away from. And when two of the bowls broke, the lids fit perfectly on my vintage Pyrex bowls, for your classic form never goes out of style.
Long before the dangers of microwaving in plastic became known, you provided me with the safety and security that I craved. I knew you would never harm me, that our love was reciprocal, equal, special.
I look around my kitchen, and there you are. My pie pans, casserole dishes, measuring cups and of course, my mixing bowls. Ahh . . . the memories of young love.
Our love has deepened and evolved through the years. I know I can depend on you.
But we are at a point where where we’ve been together for a long time, and I’m looking to add some variety to our intimate relationship. Fear not, my glassy eyed lover. I’m just keeping an eye out for some Pyrex bread pans. I feel that they will further strengthen and deepen our relationship.
While others may buy bowls, pans and storage that need constant replacing, you and I will stay together for better or worse. The landfills will not be filled with the detritus from our love.
Thank you Pyrex, you have made me a happy woman indeed.
To find out more about the effects of plastic food storage, visit fakeplasticfish.com, Beth Terry’s terrific blog.
Click here to read my other Non-Consumer Advocate love letters.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I adore my pyrex leftover containers…I’m planning to post about them soon.
However, I have to warn you that pyrex bread pans aren’t all that great. You really have to grease the pants off of them in order to get yeast bread out of them, and even with lots of grease I still end up having to carve the bread out sometimes.
My Williams-Sonoma gold touch bread pans are the bomb-diggety bomb, though. They’re heavy and solid and bread comes out of them very easily.
I, too, am a HUGE fan of Pyrex. I’m gradually getting rid of all of my plastic food storage containers and replacing with appropriately-sized Pyrex versions. But, much as it pains me, I have to second Kristen’s assessment of the Pyrex bread pans. I have yet to get a loaf to successfully pop out of mine, so they’ve been relegated to meatloaf and other things where it doesn’t matter so much if it pops out nicely. Such a disappointment!
I ended up purchasing some Pampered Chef unglazed stoneware loaf pans – I have two of the full-size loaf pans and one of the mini loaf pans (4 mini loaves, 1 pan – uses whatever recipe for 1 regular loaf). I LOVE THEM! Everything I’ve baked in them has come out exactly right, and I’ve never had a problem with anything sticking, even with just using non-stick spray and no grease or butter. I know Pampered Chef is on the pricier side, but I’ve always viewed my stoneware as an investment (in my sanity, if nothing else) and I have had no regrets over the purchases.
Love this post. Glass containers rock. Just a word of caution: never add water to a hot Pyrex container. I had something (I think it was yams) baking in the oven in a Pyrex baking dish. I had water in the bottom, and when it evaporated, I decided to add more. BAD move. The thing shattered into a million tiny pieces all over my oven. Seriously. It was wild. No injuries, but it sure did freak me out.
I think Pyrex might be two-timing you. It shows up in an awful lots of kitchens, if you know what I mean….To be perfectly honest, we actually have our own thing going here. I’m just sayin’…..Love affairs are good and all, so long as you know the WHOLE story, from one gal to another…..
Ashley — I am heartbroken from Pyrex’s cheating heart. I may never recover.
Kori and Kristen — I will keep an eye out for heavy duty bread pans. I see Pampered Chef stuff all the time in the thrift stores.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
The Non-Consumer Advocate
I agree with Kristen on the gold touch pans. They are a little more pricey (I think I paid $16 for mine), but nothing sticks to them. I don’t have to grease it at all when making bread. I’ve used it at least 100 times and it still works perfectly.
Oh, Pyrex – and let us not forget Corningware! I lost my Pyrex storage bowls in a move, and I seriously want replacements, so I have my eyes open at the thrift stores. A hint about unglazed stoneware: do not put soap in it, and save the packing boxes to store it in. It saves a lot of chips, breaks and other damage.
I’ve got some old Corningware bread pans that I inherited from my mother (ugly blue design – remember that one?). Anyway, I have never had a problem getting my loaves to pop out. I keep the pans hidden in a dark cabinet too so maybe they are so happy to be out in the open on Saturdays that they behave and make good bread for me. 🙂
katy this is one of your best ever posts. I just giggled all the way through it.
i am busy replacing plastic storage containers with glass. So far, I only have one gorgeous pyrex glass bowl with a purple lid. I bought it for a quarter at the thrift mart last summer.
I also bought a vintage double casserole Pyrex dish and inherited all boyfriend’s grandmom’s Pyrex bakeware.
So, sorry to say Katy, Pyrex is really spreading himself around lots of places. Seems everyone wants a piece of him.
I love pyrex so much I’ve started selling it on my ebay store, of course keeping all that I come across of my favorite pattern, Autumn Harvest.
See my listings at
http://stores.ebay.com/Golden-Hour-Glass-and-Antiques_Pyrex_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ7QQftidZ2QQtZkm