Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: pumpkin pie on February 06, 2011, 10:10:39 am
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Wow what a response. Thanks to you all who looked at my post. Nicola your version the Vinod, looks really nice, and more like the thermoserver. The one I trialed looked more like the picture that Cornish cream posted, that was from the UK. My test results, were: at 6.10pm I boiled the kettle with 2L water and put 1L into each pot and used a jam making thermometer to test the temp of the water. The thermoserver read 90deg and the Indian pot 89deg. At 8.00pm the thermoserver 54deg, the Indian 68deg. At 9.25pm thermoserver 40 deg and Indian 54deg. I had to make a visit to the toilet at 1am. so thought I would do a test then and the thermoserver 28deg and the Indian 40 deg. I took the thermometer back to 0 in between testing each pot by plunging it into cold water, to make sure each started at the same point. The Indian pot certainly retained the heat for longer.
Then the next day I did a test for the cold. At 5.35 pm I made a batch of fruity dream from the ED cook book and put 1/2 in each pot, and tested both at 6.35pm and 7.40pm these were tested by taste and not thermometer, and by 7.40pm the batch in the Indian pot certainly tasted cooler than the batch in the thermoserver. Although they had both retained their shape.
I just thought if doing a dinner party I may need more than one thermoserver, and there are only so many demos you can host to get an extra thermoserver. Hope this maybe of help to you. Yes I think most indian grocery stores would sell these pots. Cheers.
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Great little test PP, thanks for doing that - so our dearly loved thermosaver is not as good as we thought it was ;)
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I don't think Thermomix HO will be thanking you for your testing and reporting! I certainly wouldn't have had a demo if I could have bought a thermoserve cheaply elsewhere. Great work Pumpkin Pie!!! ;D
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Pumpkin Pie, what is this Indian Pot you tested? Do you have a link? I am very interested. :)
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I'm going to be following this thread with interest. Thermomix head office makes such a big deal about everything, so it's nice that they don't have a monopoly on this.
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Great report!
Are you able to take a pic of the one you've got?
What size? Brand? Think I'll be popping to one of the local indian stores soon.
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The one that I purchased at the Indian kitchen store in Toronto, Ontario was called "Kitchen Sense stainless steel hot pot". It is from the Ashridge Trading Company--www.ashridgetrading.com--am just trying it to-day, although the store clerk told me that they do work for keeping things hot, they were not to be used for cooking. Marnie
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Big thanks to Marnie for giving me a heads-up on this thread. :-* (I rarely have time to visit here, and I would have missed this important info, had it not been for Marnie.)
And great big thanks to Pumkin Pie for your thorough testing. :-*
I have been searching for a more accessible Thermo Server since I got the Thermomix in 2009. I scoured the internet and could never find a suitable option that was available to us 'home cooks'. I found some similar products for restaurant use, but they were not cheap, nor easy to order by non-restaurateurs.
Marnie's findings at Ikea and at the Indian shop offer some great options, as does the tip about the UK source. I have added this info to the Thermo Server page on my blog at:
http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2010/4436/what-is-thermomix-thermoserver.html
Though I am not a consultant and do not work for the company, I want to say here that I think the Thermo Server is really a superior product. Its design is clean and simple, 8) and it stores easily. It is lightweight and easy to clean. I have tried to find something truly equal and haven't yet. :-[ There is a promotion on this month (February 2011) for those in Australia who host a demo and the incentive is the Thermo Server -- (or even TWO --not sure exactly what the rules are). If anyone in Oz doesn't yet have a Thermo Server, I suggest this is a good time to host a demo. ( juss sayin' ... ;) )
Thanks everyone, for this really helpful thread!
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Helene the promotion this month is when you purchase your TM you get two thermoservers when you host your demo. You get one thermoserver as standard when you purchase at any time and host a demo. If you are an owner and you host a demo in Feb with a minimum of three guests from different households you can purchase a blue TM carry bag for $70 or if someone purchases at the demo you can buy it for $40.
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How much do the blue bags normally cost? :)
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Chelsea they are a promo bag so not a normal stock line. The standard carry bag is black and is $120. It looks exactly the same as the black bag in terms if pockets compartments etc just blue.
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Aw gee. I like the blue bag better. It would match the van. My black bag has been very useful and I'd hate to be without it.
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The one that I purchased at the Indian kitchen store in Toronto, Ontario was called "Kitchen Sense stainless steel hot pot". It is from the Ashridge Trading Company--www.ashridgetrading.com--am just trying it to-day, although the store clerk told me that they do work for keeping things hot, they were not to be used for cooking. Marnie
Thank you for the link Marnie. The store looks interesting :)
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May I suggest the dreampot It is sold from Queensland they come in 3 different sizes 3 ltr,5 ltr and 6 ltr. They are not cheap but work extremely well. I have the 3 ltr and the 6ltr. and i am very happy with them. Basically they are passive cookers. You can take them to the beach on a boat anywhere. They cook whilst you travel or keep cold as well. Look it up on the net you will get all the info. Frans.
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Chelsea they are a promo bag so not a normal stock line. The standard carry bag is black and is $120. It looks exactly the same as the black bag in terms if pockets compartments etc just blue.
Thanks Meagan. :)
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Have I missed something? What response are you talking about pumpkin pie?
The Thermoserver would be much better if it had a SS lid, IMO.
Edited to add...I found the original post.
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May I suggest the dreampot It is sold from Queensland they come in 3 different sizes 3 ltr,5 ltr and 6 ltr. They are not cheap but work extremely well. I have the 3 ltr and the 6ltr. and i am very happy with them. Basically they are passive cookers. You can take them to the beach on a boat anywhere. They cook whilst you travel or keep cold as well. Look it up on the net you will get all the info. Frans.
Thanks Frans. I had a quick look and couldn't believe it ,the supplier here in the UK is only just up the road from where I live. :o
http://www.ekmpowershop12.com/ekmps/shops/dreampot/contact-us-4-w.asp
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Pumpkin Pie, what is this Indian Pot you tested? Do you have a link? I am very interested. :)
Kath, the brand was milton, and I am sure you could buy something similar in any indian grocery shop. Sorry I don't have a link. Good Luck
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The Thermoserver would be much better if it had a SS lid, IMO.
I agree. I also think the the bowl lid would be better if it were stainless steel as well so it doesn't absorb odours. I think the company's response would be that the lid would get hot and difficult to remove, but I'm sure Vorwerk could design somesort of silicone attachment to the lid to make it user friendly - my Essteele pots and pans have silicone on the handles so they don't feel hot to use.
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I managed to purchase a similar product in a local indian food shop - plastic outside, stainless steel inside with a lockable lid, which is great if food is being transported - two sizes 850ml and 1500ml and inexpensive.
For those in Perth - shop is "Spicy Touch" in High Rd Willetton near corner of Leach Hwy. I'm sure other stores will have them too.
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That looks great Bonsai how much was it? I am not in Perth I wonder if you can buy these in Sydney? Lockable lid is a great idea
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That's not too far away. I think I may be paying them a visit.
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850ml was $18, and 1500ml $25 - haven't had a chance to use them yet as only purchased yesterday. The brand is "Cello".
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Thanks Bonsai I might google the brand
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Trudy introduced me to an Indian shop in Adelaide a while back so today when I went on a trip with my carers' group to the Central Market, I went to the shop and bought myself a food warmer. It is the Milton brand like PP bought and although it has 1500 on the bottom, it only holds 1 litre which is what I wanted as I have a Thermoserver for bigger quantities. I bought it from Indian Spices, 14 Market Street, Adelaide and also stocked up with my spices whilst there. There is another Indian shop opposite this one so it may be interesting to compare stocks, I only went into this one today. Price $20 and I love the lockable lid feature.
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Trudy introduced me to an Indian shop in Adelaide a while back so today when I went on a trip with my carers' group to the Central Market, I went to the shop and bought myself a food warmer. It is the Milton brand like PP bought and although it has 1500 on the bottom, it only holds 1 litre which is what I wanted as I have a Thermoserver for bigger quantities. I bought it from Indian Spices, 14 Market Street, Adelaide and also stocked up with my spices whilst there. There is another Indian shop opposite this one so it may be interesting to compare stocks, I only went into this one today. Price $20 and I love the lockable lid feature.
Have you tested it yet Judy? ;D
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After half a day out and a big lunch, who feels like cooking. DH got a hot pack for tea tonight ;) Just a handy thing to have in the cupboard and seeing as I was there .......
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Popped into a new Indian grocer that opened up here, and was pleased to find one!
(http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt266/nachothecat/104_4478.jpg?t=1298355686)
Not sure if it was expensive at $23.00?.....but I was happy that it had a locked lid feature. That's one reason I don't like transporting the thermoserve......you never know if the contents are going to be all over the boot! (There's a slight rumour I turn corners a little sharply :P).
Perfect for taking hot dips to bbq's.
Bonus was I finally found some orange blossom water. Been looking for ages, and it was a big bottle for $3......happy days :D
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Ohh that looks like a good one. I prefer the stainless steel ones. I am going to go hunting.
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That is great value maddy - they only had the plastic ones where I went (stainless steel lining).
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Judy, the one I bought was on the left. It is only lining of bowl and lid that's stainless, outer casing plastic.
I think that diamond series is all stainless, but they didn't have them.
Still, I think it should work well. I guess if all in stainless, it may be too hat to handle maybe?
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Apparently there is a tupperware type of thermoserver has anyone seen it? Or knows how much?
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The last tupperware party I went to in Jan, the demonstrator said they don't do them anymore. They were called "insulated servers", there are some on ebay.....
In fact, according to ebay they might be coming back! In red too....
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The current Autumn/Winter catalogue has them back for sale
(http://images.cdn.realviewdigital.com/djvu/Tuppaware/Catalogue/Autumn%20Winter%202011/webimages/page0000002_3.jpg)
No1. = $64.95
No2 = $52.95
No3 = $31.95
I have the gravy jug, which works well, but haven't got any of the others. Someone might be able to give a review on heat length of these?
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Love the jug idea, are they stainless steel inside maddy?
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I think they're all plastic Judy.
Because we consume the gravy quickly, I haven't had the chance really to check how long it stays hot for.
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Thanks Amanda and Maddy these look nice (love your pictures Maddy all your food looks delish)
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If you're in the UK: There's a set of 3 (2.5l, 1.5l and 1l) on Coopers of Stortford for £24.98 (£19.99+£4.99p&p) http://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/coopers-of-stortford-insulated-food-servers--buy-1-get-2-free-prodst06283i/ (http://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/coopers-of-stortford-insulated-food-servers--buy-1-get-2-free-prodst06283i/) They're not as good looking as the Thermoserver but they do have the advantage of being plain white with stainless steel lining.
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I have got all three of the Tupperware Thermal servers. Being Tupperware, they are quite expensive, but I have been luck enough to get them all at different garage sales for $10.00 and $5.00 for the gravy boat. They are all plastic, with the black thermal part being microwave proof (just take it out and zap it in the microwave if needed). I do like the idea of the Indian ones though. Cheers, Nola.
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i have all the tupperware ones and they are all plastic and keep things quite warm..have never tested though and it you want to keep them warmer for longer you put a little hot water between the two layers which is what your supposed to do with them..however the lids are not lock in ones they just sit in the groove on the top so not great for travel but I have often made a dish with guests and put it on the table and its still been quite hot some time later...
i would be intersted to see if i can get hold of some of the indian ones but may have to check uk websites :)
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It's good to see there are similar products out there. Even on Ebay the thermoservers are way to expensive.
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You could try these (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-1-X-4pc-TOP-QUALITY-INSULATED-HOT-POT-CASSEROLES-GIFT-IDEA-/220912532902?pt=AU_Food_Storage&hash=item336f69bda6), they are great. I bought a set on Ebay from this seller and they arrived really quickly. Good price too.
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These look good Nola do the lids lock on?
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Yes they do lock on. They are very light so not too heavy to lift when full.
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Thanks Nola, will look these up tonight.
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Thanks Nola just received my 2nd bowl today and also another thermoserver, so don't think I need these now
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No worries, i'm sure there will be plenty of takers. :D :D
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Wow these are so cheap Nora... Am considering these. They look good. Thanks for the heads up. I was trying to google thermal pots etc last night. ;)
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after following this thread for a while and wanting more thermoservers or similar, do you know what i've worked out? it's cheaper to just hold a demo to get them. my consultant simply said that they were $30 if i held a demo, and to be honest, i like the look of them better than any of the other things i've seen. i can understand the frustration of not being able to get one if one is overseas or in a remote area, but $30 and picking up some tips at a demo is probably the best way for me.
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My recent guest loved the look of the Thermosaver rather than the Indian shop ones and was going to do some searching in Brisbane for something in that style. I know some people don't like the design of the Thermosaver but I think it's the best of any food thermos I've seen (could do with a lockable lid though ;))
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i agree about the lockable lid, judy, but why don't you tell your friend just to have a demo to get the thermoserver? she doesn't have to own or buy a tm, just host. i have 2 thermoservers and will host again in the new year and get another one. one of my friends has had several demos and has a collection of them, so everything matches. they might not be to everyone's taste, but i still prefer them to the plastic versions and i don't think there are many other serving dishes out there which are as well priced.
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I will pass your suggestion onto her TH - she lives in a retirement village so there are plenty of ladies she could invite. Unfortunately most of them are on their own so I doubt a sale would be made but you never know.
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that's right, judy, you never know. if they don't buy for themselves, they may buy for a child or grandchild. my friend's friend had a demo for a thermoserver and her mother bought one for one of her siblings, so there was sale there.
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I've just noticed that Ikea does online shopping and you can buy their insulated serving bowl online http://www.ikea.com/aa/en/search/?query=+Serving+bowl+with+lid
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Interesting thread and testing of temperatures.
What temp does food remain at, and for how long?
Food needs to be stored at a minimum of 63' to prevent bacteria growth, but can be below that for a minimum of 2 hours only.
I have an old electric hot plate, given to my parents in 1949! Still works fine with china veg dishes.
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Hi all, thought I'd resurrect this thread rather than start a new one...
I have had my Thermie for approximately 5 weeks now and have never had a demo (I did attend a Back to Basics cooking class before I purchased). My understanding is that if I want the free Thermo Server I need to hold a delivery demo within 3 months of ownership. Is the Thermoserver worth it? I don't think any of my friends would be interested in purchasing but they might be up for a 'free feed'. Should I book a delivery demo or just get one of the other recommended insulated containers?
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I've just noticed that Ikea does online shopping and you can buy their insulated serving bowl online http://www.ikea.com/aa/en/search/?query=+Serving+bowl+with+lid
Hi I have the Thermoserver as I got it free with my machine but I wanted another insulated dish so I got the IKEA one. IMO the IKEA one is more attractive to put on the table and it is slightly larger, on the down side the IKEA one has a hole on the side where a spoon rests so I would think let's out some of the heat but not so I have noticed. Getting a dish from IKEA is a lot less hassle than holding a demo!!!
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Thanks for bumping this and therefore making us aware of other options for Thermoservers. I know tupperware have/had one too. Not sure how effective it is. The Ikeas one seems cheap though and it would be good if someone could test the temperatures of these for us.
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I have a Tupperware insulated bowl. It is actually in two pieces and you put a small amount of boiling water between the inner and outer sections. It works ok but not as good as thermoserver. IMO.
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http://www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au/search?q=thermos+food+server (http://www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au/search?q=thermos+food+server)
Thermos have food servers. I haven't tried them though.
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Vieve, we usually need more than one thermosaver anyway so even if you do hold a demo just to get one, you are going to have to buy others elsewhere. I love my TMX one, I find it so much easier to use than the one I bought from an Indian grocery store. The TMX lid just plops on top of the bowl, the Indian one has little tabs in the lid which have to slot into the bowl and this always takes time and I have to use a knife to get the tab into the slot. I only want to keep my food warm for a short time, no more than 1/2 hour perhaps whilst I am cooking rice or vegies so the one with the slot for the spoon from Ikea, perhaps you could cover it with alfoil so as not to lose any heat. I thought that was a bit of a silly idea when I first saw it had that slot.
Have a look around at different containers, they all do the job. Have a demo if you feel like it but it's a lot of work for the demonstrator if you are just having it for the thermosaver. I say be kind to our demonstrators unless there is a chance a guest may purchase a machine and really, you never know. Once they see this machine in action, anything could happen. Having said that, I have never had a demo either as I don't have friends who would buy one either :D
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Thanks for bumping this and therefore making us aware of other options for Thermoservers. I know tupperware have/had one too. Not sure how effective it is. The Ikeas one seems cheap though and it would be good if someone could test the temperatures of these for us.
Tasty, I have the ikea one and two Indian shop ones. The ikea one looks the best and it does keep food warm for a while, the lid on the Indian ones seals tight so they do do a better job at keeping food warm for longer and are good for traveling.
I use the ikea one mostly as I don't need to keep food warm for hours - normally I use it if I cook rice first, put it in the Ikea dish and then cook the main meal and about half an hour later serve. It keeps the food temp for an hour easily. If I need to keep it hot for two hours or so (eg when the kids eat hours before us but having the same meal) I use the Indian ones. What I really like about the Indian ones is the sealed lid - great for summer when I cook up dinner and we take it down to the park or beach and eat it as a picnic and the kids love it!
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The one that I purchased at the Indian kitchen store in Toronto, Ontario was called "Kitchen Sense stainless steel hot pot". It is from the Ashridge Trading Company--www.ashridgetrading.com--am just trying it to-day, although the store clerk told me that they do work for keeping things hot, they were not to be used for cooking. Marnie
Following your suggestion I contacted Ashridge and they mailed me the 3 hot pot package at, I think, a pretty good price, charging what they paid to CanadaPost for S&H.
A bit slow in mailing but all three hot pots had small dents in them! Nothing major but if instead of buying them for myself I'd planned them as a gift they would have been unacceptable.
I like the way the lids lock on. Construction seems a bit on the flimsy side so I think they will have to be handled with care. If they do keep things hot and cold for a few hours then, even with these minor problems, I think they are good value for their cost.
I haven't had time to check how well they keep things hot or cold yet.
How do you find their heat-retaining performance?
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Goldfish gave me these 2 thermoservers. I think she said they are from the Indian Grocery Store.
They are fantastic, more efficient than the Thermomix thermoserver. The lids lock in and I'm very happy with them. :D
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They look good mcmich, will keep an eye out for Indian grocery store.
Marie
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Great idea. I will check out our local one. I have often thought I could use an extra thermo type dish.
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Glad you like them Mich!
For anyone in Sydney ...
They're from The Indian Emporium, 1/910 Pittwater Road, Dee Why (between Howard Avenue and Dee Why Parade just opposite the Dee Why Library)
They came in two sizes...can't remember how much they were ATM but will check next time I'm there...
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/21/e7uqabe6.jpg)
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They look good Goldfish
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Does anyone know where I could get something similar in Perth?
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The only ones I have seen over my way are horrible plastic ones.