Distinctive-Decor.com Blog

New from Wilton Armetale - Gourmet Grillware

Wilton Armetale metal serveware has been known for its beauty, durability and timeless design for decades. Restaurants, caterers and home chefs have experienced the quality, versatility and durability of Wilton Armetale products.

The original Armetale metal alloy was designed for the rigors of restaurant use. It was developed in 1960 and remains the alloy used today in all Armetale metalware products. You can enjoy the same quality alloy that the restaurants use; it will not chip, break, crack, tarnish or rust. Whether your taste is for a highly polished finish, matte finish, contemporary design or traditional design--Wilton Armetale makes it and makes it well. Each hand-crafted Wilton Armetale piece is produced by American foundry workmen and women using sand molds to preserve design details and enhance quality. Each piece will last multiple lifetimes and may be passed from generation to generation.

The Wilton Armetale metal alloy is ideal for either keeping foods hot or cold. Each Wilton Armetale piece may be placed in the refrigerator or oven to keep your meals cool or hot for long periods of time. Each piece can withstand temperatures of 1000 degrees so it can be used on the stove top, too!

While all Wilton Armetale products can withstand exceptionally high temperatures, Wilton Armetale has now created a new range of products designed especially for use in grilling. This Gourmet Grillware allows you to grill and serve on the same piece leaving fewer dishes to clean after the meal! Cook on the grill, stovetop or oven and keep foods hot longer. Gourmet Grillware will not rust or corrode like cast iron. Safe for cooking at temperatures up to 1000 degrees. Easy care - simply wash with warm soapy water, no polishing necessary! Grillware is non-toxic and has a lifetime warranty against breakage

Vietri Dinnerware, Glassware & Home Accents

Vietri Dinnerware - Bring the ambiance and tradition of Italy into your home with Vietri Tableware, glassware & home accents. All Vietri glassware is mouth-blown and Vietri ceramics are meticulously hand-crafted and beautifully hand-painted in Italy.

The serendipitous and inspirational story of Vietri started in 1983 with a mother-and-daughters trip to Italy. The trio of ladies, Lee, Susan and Frances Gravely, were enamored by the artistry of the uniquely hand-painted and colorful dishes used in their hotel. They inquired about who made them and where they were made. Using a hired translator, they found the factory and met with the owner, Don Vincenzo Solimene. After three days and a handshake with Mr. Solimene, they departed Italy with a suitcase full of samples and their dream to create a company that embodies the spirit of the Italian dining culture.

Today, Vietri still carries the line which Mr. Solimene continues to produce for Vietri. However, Vietri now uses over 140 Italian artisans to create their wide assortment of "Irresistibly Italian" wood, ceramic and glass dining and home decor pieces. Favorite collections include: Vietri Cucina Fresca, Vietri Incanto, Vietri Rosso Vecchio, and Vietri Chiaroscuro (pictured above).

We are pleased to add Vietri products to our selection of high quality tableware and home decor items at Distinctive Decor. As long time admirers of the Vietri products we are proud to display these beautiful selections within our store and on our website.

Le Cadeaux Melamine Dinnerware

We have been so busy adding new products to our website that we have not had time to highlight them in our new products blog! We will attempt to make up for lost time over the next few blogs and introduce the exciting new products we have to offer.

Le Cadeaux Melamine Dinnerware - Set your table in style without the worry of breakage! At first glance you and your guests will think that Le Cadeaux dinnerware is quality ceramic or porcelain, but Le Cadeaux dinnerware is actually made of durable melamine. All pieces are dishwasher safe and virtually unbreakable. Great for backyard barbeques, patio place settings or every day use indoors (especially if you have small children!). Choose from Le Cadeaux Gallo Yellow, Le Cadeaux Gallo Red, Le Cadeaux Wallpaper Black & White, or Le Cadeaux Wallpaper Lime Green.

Chef N Kitchen Utensils

Chef'n® is a leader in the kitchen housewares industry due to its savvy for invention and improving common kitchen tools. Chef'n® is a company on the move fueled by their thirst for innovation. Chef'n® strives to create kitchen products that are smarter, easier to use and fun.

Chef'n®'s use of collapsible and high tech materials, vibrant colors and innovative design perspectives allows them to create extraordinary kitchen tools. Make sure to check out the SleekStor Measuring Cups and Spoons, Flexicado Avocado Silcer, Palm Peeler, and Grapefruit Sectioning Tool.  You will see that Chef'n® makes cooking a truly enjoyable event!

Portmeirion

We have been admiring Portmeirion dinnerware for many years and are excited to add this high quality Englsih tableware to our selection of tableware at Distinctive Decor. The Pormeirion Company was established by husband and wife team Susan Williams-Ellis and Evan Cooper-Willis in 1960. Ms. Williams-Ellis purchased a small pottery decorating company that she had worked with for several years in Stoke-on-Trent, England called A.E.Gray Ltd. In 1961, the couple purchased Kirkham's Ltd., a small pottery manufacturing company. This allowed Ms. Williams-Ellis to begin designing the shape and style of the pottery instead of only decorating pottery made by others.

In the 1970's Ms. Williams-Ellis discovered a nineteenth century publication of antique botanical illustrations. These were adapted into the Portmeirion Botanic Garden Collection. This collection grew to become one of the world's top selling tableware lines. After 30 years this still accounts for over one-half of the company's production. Other notable collections include Portmeirion Pomona named after the ancient "Goddess of Fruit" - Pomona. This collection features nine fruit motifs inspired by a collection of 1830's books. The dishes feature a "romantic" shape based on the rounded forms of fruits and gourds. The Portmeirion The Holly and The Ivy Collection is a lovely holiday collection.

Introducing Culinary Institute of America Master's Collection Cookware, Cutlery, Bakeware & Kitchen Tools

CIA Masters Collection Cookware

What makes this cookware unique is that it was designed by the people who know cookware better than 99% of us--the elite Certified Master Chefs at the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America.  Their insightful and practical ideas were incorporated into each pan, knife, tool and baking pan--at their insistence.  You will be altruistic when buying this cookware, also; simply buying anything in the CIA Masters Collection line you will be contributing to the CIA Scholarship Fund, which makes many deserving people's dream of becoming a CIA trained chef come true when they cannot afford the cost of tuition.

You may be asking yourself, "how could they improve tools that have been around for eons?"  I did, too, but I was pleasantly surprised by the tweaks they made to common tools to make them more useful.  For example, they created 7-ply cookware, but not ordinary 7-ply cookware; they created it with a super conductive copper core.  Their ladles are made with an all-around pouring edge to prevent dripping.  The CIA cutlery and bakeware is on the cutting-edge of ergonomic design. These are only a few examples.

We hope that you will browse and purchase this high quality cookware, cutlery, bakeware and kitchen tools for your kitchen.  You will be happy you did!   

Enclume Pot Racks

We scoured the marketplace looking for functional, beautiful and quality pot racks to offer our customers.  We found what we were looking for in Enclume pot racks! Store your cookware in style with an elegant Enclume pot rack. Manufactured of the finest cold-rolled steel by skilled craftsmen in the United States, Enclume pot racks are designed to be both beautiful and functional. Enclume craftsmen use traditional French metal-forming equipment to create their pot racks, but all key fabrication steps are performed by hand.  Complement your kitchen design while adding convenience and showcasing your cookware. Choose from hammered steel, stainless steel, chrome, copper or brass designs in a variety of elegant styles and configurations.  Enclume pot racks are sure to add warmth and a touch of class to your kitchen.

Teaposy

What is a "teaposy"? A teaposy is a hand crafted blooming tea made of Silver Needle white tea. Among the rarest of all teas, Silver Needle white tea has a soft, delicate flavor. This special tea is produced in China's Fujian Province. The new buds are plucked from the tea bush before they open and withered to allow the natural moisture to evaporate before drying. Teaposies are made with the select spring and autumn harvests and scented with floral jasmine during peak season. The white tea is then accented with herbal flowers and fastened with natural cotton thread.

Teaposies are available in 8 distinct varieties including Butterfly, Calendula, Falling Water, Heart of Love, Lady Fairy, Let it Snow, Noble Essence and Red Song, or in a Teaposy medley assortment. Each box contains six individually vacuum-sealed blooming teas. For best results brew with boiling water in a heat resistant glass teapot like the Teaposy Tea for Two teapot or the Teaposy Daydream Teapot. Teaposies take several minutes to bloom. Pour your tea and then continue to add boiling water to the pot as you can get 4 to 6 pots of tea from one teaposy. You may continue to enjoy the beauty of the teaposy for several days by adding cold water to the pot. Do not pour directly over the teaposy - pour gently toward the side of the teapot. By changing the water frequently the teaposy may look beautiful for weeks!

The Teaposy Garden gift set and Teaposy Blossom gift set make wonderful gifts! Don't forget Mother's Day is coming soon - May 13, 2007!

Rachael Ray Cookware

Rachael Ray, the author of top selling cookbooks and star of television shows on the Food Network, has now created her own line of cookware. The Rachael Ray cookware features hard-anodized construction for even heating and durability. The nonstick interior lets foods slide out of the pan easily and the grippy silicone handles are comfortable in your hand and oven safe to 400°F. Rachael Ray cookware is enhanced by glass lids that allow you to monitor foods without removing the lid. (For covered items)

We have tested the Rachael Ray cookware and it exceeded our expectations. Rachael had functionality, ease of use and quick cleanup in mind when the cookware was designed. In addition to the hard anodized Rachael Ray cookware set are other unique pieces including an oval grill pan, a "Sammy" press, and an oval stock pot with pour spout. The oval grill pan is perfect for grilling fish or anything oblong, and the stock pot has a convenient pour spout built in for draining liquid. The rectangular skillet with "Sammy Press" allows you to prepare some of Rachael's favorite sandwich recipes. Cookware sets, skillets and fondue pots are also available in orange or blue enamel. The Rachael Ray cookware is truly a quality cookware for the budget conscious.

la Pavoni Espresso Makers

Desiderio Pavoni created the first espresso machine in 1902. The la Pavoni Spa was established in Milan, Italy in 1905 to market this product. The la Pavoni company has been manufacturing machines for espresso and cappuccino coffee since its inception. From the outset la Pavoni has been involved in research and development of new products, design, production, sale and after sales service. We are pleased to add la Pavoni espresso makers to our selection of high quality kitchen wares at Distinctive Decor. Not only do these make fabulous espresso, they also look fantastic on your countertop! Read more about the la Pavoni Lusso espresso machine in the "Tips & Recipes" Blog by Marcus.