Posted 4 years ago
dav2no1
(823 items)
1/2 L French Pot
6" tall - Opening is 2 1/2" wide
It is marked: 1/2 L France
I assume that's half liter?
I believe this is 1930s-1940s?
Not sure what the metal is ....it seems to be aluminum? I have seen larger sizes that are called milk or water pictures.
I received this from my grandma a long, long time ago. I'm not even sure why she gave it to me? I guess I must have liked it. Grandma called this a chocolate pot But I don't believe that's what it is.
I believe this is a milk or water pot? If you have seen one or have any suggestions let's hear them.
My first impression was that it was meant to contain a hot liquid since the handle is wrapped.
That's what I thought at first also. But now I think it's more of a decorative feature than a functional feature.
Another thought came to me about your pot:
The way it is made with that rim around it’s middle could indicate that it is meant to be a “double-boiler”. If that’s the case, the pot would sit, suspended, in a pan which would hold hot water to heat the contents of the pot.
Being the “top” part of a double boiler would explain why the bottom of the pot shows no signs of wear or heat from a burner.
If using a block of chocolate for some recipe, it would need to be slowly and carefully melted over indirect heat to prevent scorching..... so the double boiler technique would be indicated.
Then, progressing with the recipe to make a hot chocolate drink, the double boiler technique would keep the milk/chocolate combo nice and hot but never to the point of boiling or scorching.
Somewhere, there may be the pan which would have been the bottom part for holding the water.
Soooo, I believe Grandma!
Not sure..I will take a closer look when I get home. But from research we know this..
Most important was the lid, which had a delicate hinged finial, or cap, that formed a small opening for the molinet.
“It was inserted to keep the chocolate frothed and well-blended,” says Coffin of the utensil. “Because unlike the coffee I think that the chocolate tended to settle more. It was harder to get it to dissolve in the pot. So you’d need to regularly turn this swizzle stick.”
It was this hinged finial that came to define the form. “You can always tell a chocolate pot and the way you can tell is because it has a hole in the top.
Most chocolate pots hat I've seen are tea pot shaped and made of ceramic.