I understand in life that there are often two sides to every story, and that our own individual perceptions can colour how we experience something. Something happens, and like the proverbial snowflakes, no two of us tell the story in the very same way.
Except when we have a glass baking pan (size 13 x 9 inches) made by a particular and prominent maker of glassware that explodes in the oven.
Oh, now wait. I'm not supposed to say "explode", because the company in question, when confronted with a whole whack of folks who've experienced this same phenomenon with their 13 x 9 inch glass baking pans, well, that company has a spokesperson who, in a tone so patronizing that you can almost feel the pat on your tiny, misguided head, will tell you that the glassware doesn't "explode", it "disintegrates".
Now, one of the definitions of "disintegrate" is "to become reduced to components, fragments or particles", and I suppose, based on that, that the company spokesperson is not wrong, for my glass baking pan was, indeed, reduced to components, fragments and particles. In fact, so reduced to components, fragments and particles that those same components, fragments and particles ended up all over the inside of the oven (including in the baking pan *above* the one that, er "disintegrated"), as well as all over my kitchen.
Of course, the helpful company spokesperson doesn't want those of us who experienced this phenomenon to use the word "explosion", because, of course, the pans couldn't possibly explode. Nyet, nein, non, no. Those pans could not, in the strict definition of things "shatter with a loud noise", or "burst violently and noisily."
Except, those of us who have experienced this phenomenon? We've all heard a loud noise, and we've all ended up with glass everywhere, in every direction. Some of us have been hurt by the flying -- ooops -- disintegrating glass.
I was fortunate, I think. I honestly don't know how I didn't end up in the emergency room last night, as great shards of glass were strewn everywhere across the kitchen floor. I was holding the pan in my left hand and stirring the roasting vegetables with my right when the thing exploded -- oops -- disintegrated.
The worst for me was a ruined dinner (which made me weep, as it was a lovely dinner of roasted autumn/root vegetables that I'd lovingly selected just that afternoon), some cuts in the fingertips of my left hand, a piece of glass in my right foot that The Other dug out with the tweezers, and the shakes for a couple of hours. As we cleaned up the shards, I shook even more, because I couldn't believe how lucky I was that I didn't end up with one of those flying into my face and taking out an eye.
It took all evening and some time this morning to take the whole oven apart and get the glass and exploded -- oops -- disintegrated pan and ruined dinner out of it.
The moral of this story? If you are a company, and you send your spokesperson out to speak to your customers (some of whom *were* hurt by the exploding -- ooops -- disintegrating bakeware you make), and this person is condescending and patronizing and pats us on our heads and insists there is nothing wrong here, that we're just being a little sensitive, and uses doublespeak and obfuscation to deal with the situation, well...
You can expect that I will never buy a piece of your disintegration-prone bakeware ever again. Nor will I buy any other product your company makes. Never. Ever. Again.
And remember -- your customers? Are your best marketing tool. Treating your best marketing tool like naughty children? Not your best move, you know?
Oh dear. I am glad you are well except for some cuts. You are right, this could have been way worse. That's why I am a sissy and don't like putting glass in the oven at all. Actually, I don't use glass baking dishes. Or pots. No, siree.
I also have never used a pressure cooker, though my Mom assures me that when handled correctly, there's no danger at all. Being me, I'd rather cook for a couple of hours longer than living in fear of exploding - oops, disintegrating - cookware.
Does that make me a lesser person? ;-)
Posted by: Mona | December 18, 2007 at 10:42
I don't have a lot of glass bakeware (and one less, now), but I'll be getting rid of what's left.
Oddly enough, I don't use the glass pans very often, but this one was just the right size for the veg. I *almost* used a second metal pan, but changed my mind.
Interesting that you mention the pressure cooker -- I resisted them for many, many years, and only bought one when I was in France, because they *are* much improved. Oh, yes, you can still get inexpensive ones that don't have the newer safety features, but if you invest the money in one of the very good ones, they *are* very safe.
I now own three of them. I'm fairly careful with them, and do trust the safety features. But I will confess that when I need to blow the pressure off, I turn the valve quick and get out of the way.
:-)
And there's lots of stuff the pressure cooker just doesn't do well, especially if you need the kind of flavour you can only get from having something simmer for hours.
Mind you, it's great for steamed potatoes and lentil soup.
Posted by: katherine | December 18, 2007 at 10:51
Pictures of the aftermath and a link to the article with the comments from one of the manufacturer's VPs are on my blog.
And I'm *really* thankful that K wasn't injured in the incident.
T.O.
Posted by: The Other | December 18, 2007 at 13:22
Funny, sounds like the exact same situation as mine.
Here's the link to the post I made last December...same month too...hmmmm
http://stickchicky.blogspot.com/2006/12/looking-up.html
Posted by: Sarah | December 19, 2007 at 02:56
Holey, moley. And here I thought this was going to be a rare occurrence, and there just seem to be more and more incidents.
Near as I can figure, the glass must have experienced some kind of temperature shock when I opened the oven door. Okay, the kitchen is cold, but still. And they claim you can go from freezer to oven and suchlike, which would make me nervous.
I wish I'd had the foresight to take pictures before we started cleaning up.
And I'm glad to hear you weren't hurt, either.
Posted by: katherine | December 19, 2007 at 09:13
Wow. That is crazy. I may have to throw out some glass baking pans.
Posted by: zydeco fish | December 19, 2007 at 11:58
Yup. I'm going to be encouraging anyone I know who has them to get rid of them.
Posted by: katherine | December 19, 2007 at 17:26
Wow! I'm glad you're okay, Katherine. It could have been catastrophic.
Note to self: no more Pyrex until this issue is addressed to the customers' satisfaction.
Posted by: Mark Blevis | December 20, 2007 at 06:27
Thanks, Mark.
You would not believe how many exploding Pyrex stories have been shared with me this week. I'm thinking the whole situation merits a bit more investigation.
Posted by: katherine | December 20, 2007 at 23:04
Wow. Or not so wow. I saw the photo's at "the other's" blog, and you are right on -- how lucky you were. It's very scary -- so many of us use Pyrex and have used Pyrex for years, so this is not fun to see or read about. Thankfully it wasn't worse. M
Posted by: MaryjoO | December 21, 2007 at 11:24