"Quality in the Kitchen" ... any one heard of it?

[chriscrutch]

A few years ago my sister got me a saucepan for Christmas. It's easily my favorite piece of cookware, and I wish I could have a whole set of them.

I'm in desperate need of new pots and pans and I'm looking to purchase soon. I'd love to get more like my favorite. The only thing that will help me identify the pot is on the bottom. There's a picture of a bird and the words "Quality in the Kitchen" on it. I assume that's the brand name, but Googling it comes up with thousands of irrelevant results and no relevant ones that I've found.

Does anyone know anything about this brand? Where can I get it (or something comparable)? Any one else have some of their stuff, maybe for a lot longer than I have (does it age well)?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

--chriscrutch

 

[Katie H]

Well, first, welcome to DC, chriscrutch.

Now...for your question. It could be a regional thing and since you do not tell us where you are, we cannot give a better answer.

Try Googling for information.

 

[kitchenelf]

A few years ago my sister got me a saucepan for Christmas. It's easily my favorite piece of cookware, and I wish I could have a whole set of them.

I'm in desperate need of new pots and pans and I'm looking to purchase soon. I'd love to get more like my favorite. The only thing that will help me identify the pot is on the bottom. There's a picture of a bird and the words "Quality in the Kitchen" on it. I assume that's the brand name, but Googling it comes up with thousands of irrelevant results and no relevant ones that I've found.

Does anyone know anything about this brand? Where can I get it (or something comparable)? Any one else have some of their stuff, maybe for a lot longer than I have (does it age well)?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

--chriscrutch

I too came up with zippo on Google - does it say where it's made?

 

[bigjimbray]

I have a simple solution for you, since your sister gave it to you why don`t you ask her
where she got it. Maybe they have the whole set there.

 

[chriscrutch]

I did ask my sister where she got it, and I went over there, and struck out. She might have been wrong about it, too. As I said, it was a couple years ago.

There are no markings of any kind on the pot or the lid, except for the bird and the words that I described earlier.

And, if it helps, I live in Maine.

Any one got any thoughts?

--chriscrutch

 

[*amy*]

Welcome to DC, chris.

I have not heard of the brand, but you might try a search on ebay w the trademark sign:

Quality In The Kitchen®

I didn't find anything available now, but it may come up in the future. Good luck.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Was it a promotional item from a grocery store?

 

[Michael in FtW]

Well, it appears that "Quality in the Kitchen" is neither a brand name nor a trade mark registered in the US (from a search), nor does it appear that it could be from what I read, on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website.

Now, if you would tell us something about the cookware itself I'm sure we can help you find something comperable.

 

[chriscrutch]

The eBay idea is something I wouldn't have thought of. I'll give that a try.

The pot didn't come from a grocery store, it came from a department store (TJ Maxx), but I suppose the idea of a promotional item isn't out of the question, either.

The pot is heavy for its size. It's a very dark, almost black metal, not glossy but very smooth and polished. The thing that I really like about it is that it's very non-stick, I'd have to work really hard to burn something on there. It doesn't seem to be coated, though. It's certainly not teflon. Most of my other pots are teflon coated and they've been scratched up and the teflon is coming off, often into the food. That's why I've got to get rid of them. But this doesn't seem to be coated. I've used metal utensils in it before, even scratched it once and it just has a small gouge in the metal, but it retains its non-stick properties. It's got very even heating, oven proof, very little transfer of heat to the handle.

Mostly it's the non-stick without being coated that I love so much. It's so easy to clean, and I can even burn the crap out of it with very little discoloration of the metal or having the food stick. It's absolutely fabulous for making caramel.

Ideas for alternatives or other thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks to all for your help.

--chriscrutch

 

[Bilby]

You could ask the management of the department store for assistance. Or take the pot into the store and ask in the cookware dept. You might find someone has worked there long enough to remember the stock.

 

[Jeekinz]

Does the bird look like this?

 

[chriscrutch]

Jeekinz:

Nope. Thanks, though.

--chriscrutch

 

[Michael in FtW]

From your description it sounds like what you have is probably a heavy, off brand, hard anodized aluminum saucepan.

TJ Maxx buys some overstock and closeout items - so who knows where it came from? Could explain why nobody there knows anything about, or if you can ever find anything made from the same company again, especially since there is no brand name on the saucepan. I bought a 7-pc anodized set of cookware (Foreverware made in New Orleans, LA - out of business for 15+ years) from Service Merchandise (also now out of business for 10-15 years) about 20 years ago that was about 3-4 times as thick amd heavy as Calphalon - and the entire set was less than a 12-inch Calphalon skillet from the Calphalon store.

However - it could be cast iron - although I doubt it. Tell us - is the hamdle and saucepan one-piece, or is the handle rivited or welded to the pot???

 

[chriscrutch]

It's definitely not cast iron. I have a cast-iron skillet. The handle on this sucker is riveted on, and it's not nearly that heavy. Plus, I've never seen cast iron that was polished as smooth as this pot is.

So hard anodized aluminum wouldn't chip or peel if scraped by metal utensils? It wouldn't show its aluminum color under the scratch? I guess I'm not entirely sure what "anodized" is, then. I'll have to look it up on wikipedia.

But, in any event, is hard adonized aluminum what I should be looking for in my next set of pots and pans? Any suggestions on brands or tricky things to look out for? Will they last me more than 4-5 years? How does the "non-stickness" compare to teflon coated stuff? Personally, I've never found teflon to be all that amazing, anyway.

Thanks to all.

--chriscrutch

 

[Lievriere]

This is the underpan logo of Swift Cookware, which I believe comes from Birmingham, England. Go to Amazon.co.uk and search for Swift Cookware and you'll find the current range.

Thanks for your post ChrisCrutch, because it led to me finding this cookware. Just this morning my wife said that our egg poacher was the best cookware she had. I searched the web for their logo and found your post, and recognised the bird as a swift, so searched on that and found the whole range. Then looked at the lid of the pan. ....., which said Swift!!

Hope you get notified of the post, in which case you've at last found your cookware - not cheap, but fantastic quality.

 

[Angel03744]

I have the complete set..
We brought them in 1999 with money from our wedding gifts.
They where early £200

I think they came from John lewis