what is this? where can I find one?

August 1, 2008 11:31 AM

help me put a name to this utensil so I may be able to replace it. I have tried all local sources, and the I haven't the time to go from site to site trolling. We generally use it to melt butter, warm sauces etc., and I find it extremely useful, but everywhere I look, I am referred to butter warmers, and they are much too big.

the measurements are 2 1/2 inches across the bottom, narrowing to 2 1/4 inches across the top with a flare and a spout. It is 2 and 3/4 inches high, and the handle is 6 inches long. It is some sort of ceramic covered metal, and It feels heavy for its size. It holds one cup precisely.

My wife has had it since before we were married, and as you can see, the handle has rusted off.

If you can name it, thats great. If you can tell me where to get it, I'd truly appreciate it.

Sorry for the picture quality, but you get the idea.

posted by rudy26 to home & garden (11 comments total)

It looks like an ibrik (Turkish/Middle Eastern coffee pot), though I've usually only seen plain metal ones, not enamel. I don't know much about them, but I'd guess your best bet would be a Middle Eastern grocery or gift store.
posted by Meg_Murry at 11:38 AM on August 1, 2008

An ibrik for coffee. On preview, yeah, Meg_Murry has it.
posted by cocoagirl at 11:40 AM on August 1, 2008

Yes, it's the size and shape of my ibrik.
posted by Houstonian at 11:40 AM on August 1, 2008

It's a cezve, or ibrik, coffee pot.

You can also get butter warmers in sizes as small as 16 oz, but I'm guessing that may still be too big for you.
posted by peachfuzz at 11:51 AM on August 1, 2008

Yep! That is an ibrik! You should really make some Turkish coffee some time. It's faaaaabulous.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:53 AM on August 1, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

I am not sure what they are called, but these exact items were part of the enamel fondue set my mother had when I was young.
posted by juggler at 12:55 PM on August 1, 2008

I have something similar to this, except aluminum with a black bakelite handle. My great-grandmother used it to melt butter on the stovetop for the tops of her biscuits. I sometimes see them in antique malls and flea markets.
posted by weezetr at 1:06 PM on August 1, 2008

Weird! My Mom has one of those too, and I _always_ thought it was just for melting butter and mixing up sauces. Who knew it was actually a coffee pot??
posted by autojack at 2:04 PM on August 1, 2008

Yep, it's a cezve (in modern Turkey they are called cezve, ibrik is really used for anything with a long and narrow neck that can be used to dispense water, and is not reserved exclusively for coffee pots. The device on this photo is what I think of when I hear ibrik).

I doubt you are going to be able to find an enamel covered cezve in a brand new condition. Those used to exist before stainless steel was much more feasible and available. So they are no longer manufactured, as far as I know (I have not seen one sold for a very long time).

If you don't specifically care for an enamel one, but a stainless steel would work, Tulumba.com, a Turkish store in the U.S. sells a couple sizes: A small one about 13 oz. and a mini one about 6 oz.

If you really want an enamel one and you are fine with buying a used collectible, there is one on sale here.
posted by tuxster at 3:28 PM on August 1, 2008

Another enamel one.
posted by 8dot3 at 8:39 PM on August 1, 2008

Ibrik may be correct, but it still looks like an enamel butter warmer to me -- in fact that looks exactly like the set my parents still have. You can also find many similar under the name dipper, and it overlaps a lot with what is often called a milk pan. These are not unknown to American cookware, in other words.
posted by dhartung at 9:58 PM on August 1, 2008