The spun iron casserole

You have been patient, we have been busy.

We are pretty sure that you are going to be as pleased as we are and consider the wait worthwhile.

We have been giving a lot of time and brain power to our larger casseroles and slow cookers and listening carefully to your comments, compliments and criticisms.

We have been making the cast iron version for over a decade and as it was the very first Netherton product to be introduced, we hold it in a lot of affections.

However, although we take our inspiration from the ironmasters of the past, those giants of the Industrial Revolution, we have no desire to dwell in the past and we review and refine our designs to meet the rigours of 21^st century life.

“The past is another country; they do things differently there” (L P Hartley; The Go-Between)

And the future, for better or worse, is constantly evolving.

The rise in popularity of induction hobs has been phenomenal.  It is also heartening to see the increasing interest in the beautiful, British made Esse and Everhot range cookers.  And, it seems the two can go hand in hand, with an induction hob fitted to a range cooker, but both demand flat based pans to work efficiently and effectively.

To meet the clamour and call for induction and range appropriate cookware, we decided it was time to bring our casserole into line with the rest of our cookware range.

Thus was born the heavy duty, spun iron 4 litre casserole.

Our large, deep casseroles, which were previously cast,  are now made by the same process as our frying pans and saucepans, bringing the whole range together and better meeting the needs of modern kitchens.

Specifically designed to be used an anything from embers to induction, the flat based, spun casserole performs just like a cast iron casserole.  And we have taken the opportunity to add a beautiful new lid, with a brass highlight to complement the prospector pans.

As ever, we have retained the essentials of the cast design, so that you can mix and match old pieces with the new – the cast and tagine lids will fit the new bowls, the new lid will fit the old bowl.   

Metal spinning is one of the oldest techniques for the production of circular hollow metal components. History records show that the Egyptians were metal spinning nearly 3,000 years ago, during the reign of the Pharaohs. Up until the First World War, only nonferrous metals as gold, silver and brass were being spun. Wartime needs brought about new designs and stronger machines.

Metal spinning involves spinning a flat sheet of metal — usually in the shape of a disk — at a controlled speed. A “spinning mandrel” or tool is used as the basis of the spinning process. The mandrel is made to the shape that corresponds with the contour of the part to be spun, in our case imagine a solid bowl or pan body. A blank is placed between the mandrel and the tail stock of the lathe. Spinning tools, often called spoons,  are used against the blank to shape it around the mandrel or tool.

Metal spinning ranges from an artisan's specialty to the most advantageous way to form round metal parts for commercial applications. 

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www.netherton-foundry.co.uk