Info. on "dough bowl", please

[fridaybaker]

A while ago I purchased a bowl at a Viking store. It's a large, stainless steel bowl with a rounded bottom (doesn't sit flat on a counter) and has two handles. I was interested in learning about pastry making and the saleswoman told me that it is a dough bowl, which pastry chefs and bakers use to make it easier to hold the bowl while beating/mixing doughs. However, I've been looking into such things on the internet and find nothing about dough bowls. Life has changed since I purchased it and I would like to sell it (it's a large, heavy, obviously quality bowl) but I have no idea now where to sell it or for how much. Can anyone help me with this? Thanks in advance, Amy 

 

[kyheirloomer]

Hmmmmmm? I've only seen the term "dough bowl" applied to old-fashioned, wooden pieces, most of which were oblongish in shape. They weren't used so much for mixing, as for holding the dough while it proofed.

Any chance of you posting a pix?

 

[fridaybaker]

 

[fridaybaker]

I have just uploaded 2 photos of the bowl; however, am new to this "uploading photos" thing and hope they come through. The second photo shows that the bottom is rounded, so doesn't sit "flat". Also, it was made in Italy. Thanks for the help here!

 

[boar_d_laze]

You didn't manage to post the images.  At least not here. 

Upload your photos to your own computer, into the My Pictures file (if you're using Windows). 

Once they're there, use the upload tool with this software (the icon looks like a little painting -- and is located next to the icon which looks like a film strip, which in turn is located next to the paper clip). 

Usually a round-bottom bowl shape is meant for beating things with a whisk -- like cream and egg whites, for instance. Mixing anything as stiff as dough wouldn't be facilitated in any way.  So, it seems like you were sold a bill of goods as well as a bowl. 

In any case, you seem to be stuck with a bowl you don't like and have no use for.  Unless it's hallmarked by Paul Revere, my suggestion is to donate it to a charity thrift store, take a deduction in an amount of about 80% of what you paid for it originally, and be done with it.

The alternatives, like listing it on ebay, probably aren't worth the bother.

BDL

 

[phatch]

Fridaybaker successfully loaded pix that the spam filter promptly disallowed from a new user. I have allowed the pix and the post to show.

 

[boar_d_laze]

Confirmed -- a whisking bowl, as for whipped cream and egg whites.

BDL

 

[fridaybaker]

Thanks for the responses. I guess the difference between the wooden dough bowls that KYheirloomer mentioned is that they're lower-profile. This has more of the shape of a bowl designed for whipping egg whites, in which case, the preferred material would be copper. Why spend money for a bowl specifically designed for whipping egg whites and then get stainless steel? Hmmm. I do believe a "bill of goods" it is, although it seems so substantially made, it's a shame there doesn't seem to be much use for it. Well, in a way, it is pretty!

Thanks again!

 

[tylerm713]

Looks like a great cereal bowl to me! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[fridaybaker]

Well, I have obviously found a great forum. You are all quite helpful as well as amusing! Now, assuming that my husband doesn't read these posts and start using this beast as his morning cereal bowl, does anyone think that there may be someone out there who would want such a thing? A stainless steel cream/egg whipping bowl? Mind you, this makes A LOT of whipped cream or egg whites. Or, shall I follow BDL's advice and gift it to some other ignorant soul who happens to be shopping at the Good Will versus that sly place, Viking?

 

[boar_d_laze]

Gotta wonder if it isn't sort of zabiglione specifc.  It would certainly be perfect as a whisking/mixing bowl over hot water for zabiglione, saboyan, hollandaise, and other hot emulsions.  Don't do a lot of that stuff either?  In any case, we've got a copper bowl just like it -- supposedly just for egg whites. It's primary use is decorative though.

BDL

 

[kyheirloomer]

How big is it, FB?

If manageable size, it makes sense to use it as the top of a double boiler set up, as BDL suggests. If not, I agree: donate it to the Salvation Army.

 

[kcz]

My grandmother had a bowl shaped like that, except hers was wood.  She put it in her lap and used it for all sorts of things like peeling apples and shelling beans.

 

[fridaybaker]

Okay, I've looked around the internet some more and have come across a site selling this bowl (by a different manufacturer) in several sizes. That bowl is made in Italy, as is mine (small print on the bottom indicates so.) So, I come to the conclusion that Italians do more whisking/whipping of things than we do  -all that zabaglione, maybe? Also, like BDl says, it certainly makes sense that it's for whisking over a bowl of hot water  -it would be perfect for that. Unfortunately, I don't make zabaglione much, especially not for 50 people! Now, if it were copper, it would be a really stunning piece and "usefulness" would be irrelevant (at least to me!)

 

[tastytart]

It could be used as a very nice pan to get a round topped cake. It could also be used to make a cookie bowl. (This is now on the list of things for me to figure out.)

 

[boar_d_laze]

The copper bowl on the right is the one we use for egg whites and zabagliones.



We got it for a song at one of the booths at El Mercado del Este de Los Angeles, aka El Mercado del East Los.  Everyone should go there at least once -- if only for the dueling mariachis.

BDL

 

[amazingrace]

Oh WOW, BDL.  For a brief moment,  I thought I was looking at a pic of my own pot rack,  and wondering "how did that get there?"  I have a very similar bowl, surrounded by other very similar accessories, all hanging in front of my kitchen window.  I bought my copper bowl at a yard sale,  embarrassingly cheap,  but it's solid copper and reasonably thick too.  It's really lovely.