I have been a regular shopper at this chain for about two decades now (gawd that just sounds so wrong). My latest score was under $20. Rear Left: This cute little 2-1/2 qt. ceramic soup tureen has a lid with a little cut-out for your ladle of choice (not included). No maker's mark but it's octagonal design makes it look like the little brother of the Pfaltzgraff 4-qt. one I already have which lives in the back of the cabinet (because it is just too awkwardly massive to haul out for regular family meals). The mixing bowl in the front is not ceramic but some sort of glass, perhaps milk glass, (not pyrex, it appears older, maybe 1950's?) It is nice and heavy, sufficiently deep, has a glossy-smooth finish and rings like a bell when you flick the side. Again no maker's mark. In the above pic I am currently soaking beans in it for tonight's 15 bean soup (which will be served in the cute little soup tureen) and I must say I feel cheated because in the entire 20 oz. package of mixed legumes I found only two, count em, two individual black turtle beans among the zillions of mixed limas, split peas and various colored beans and lentils. Whats up with that? Anyway, next I got a really neat covered ceramic roaster with embossed roosters on the lid that looks just big enough for a good size chicken, made by a company called Sassafras out of a mystery trademarked substance dubbed "Superstone" (not to be confused with "Silverstone" or "Superglue"). Sassafras website does not list this particular model one anymore, maybe they stopped making it?
The inside of the bottom is glazed but the rest is unglazed. I tried scrubbing the drip marks off the top with Comet, but with unglazed ceramics I guess it's just not possible. Oh well, if you're like me, a confirmed non-germophobe who doesn't have qualms cooking with somebody else's cast-off drip-stained roaster lid, I am satisfied to say that at least now I got my very own unglazed stoneware roaster like a proper gourmet. I hear french bread baked in one of these is supposed to be pretty darn good too. No chips or cracks anywhere, each item retailed at $5.95 apiece (plus Michigan 6% sales tax).Value World is also my favorite place to shop for clothes, expecially for 2-to-10 year-olds, because playclothes are basically disposable in that age range, they grow so darn fast, and trying to keep them "nice" is an exercise in futility anyway. So every 8 to 10 weeks, after saving up about $25 per head, I buy each pre-teen living at my house at the time a whole "new" (to us) casual wardrobe of jeans/sweats/tees. There. Now you know the truth. I'm cheap. And proud of it.
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