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There’s a lot to love about enamelware. It’s portable, lightweight, and easy to wash, which is why so many people—myself included—love to use it for cooking and serving fireside meals in the great outdoors.
Note: When I say enamelware, I’m specifically talking about serving pieces and cooking vessels made from aluminum or thin steel applied with an enamel coating. Heftier enamel-coated cast iron, while certainly a type of enamelware, is in a class of its own (usually referred to as enameled cast iron). We’re aiming for less Julia Child and more U.S. Parks Service ranger here.
Actually, maybe we’re aiming somewhere in the middle. Because while the literal camp factor of these plates is undeniable, we shouldn’t relegate them to the occasional nature excursion. A good set of enamel-coated bowls and plates is ideal for summer alfresco dining, where overserved guests, rambunctious children, and paved patios provide the perfect conditions for shattered glass and porcelain.
These days there’s a lot of wonderful upscale-looking enamelware you can find online that look nice enough for even the most dignified of summer dinner parties. Hell, you could even take it inside and use it all year. Find some of our favorite sets below.
Solid colors
If given the choice between the bright and punchy Crow Canyon enamelware and the more subdued all white set from Golden Rabbit, we would probably have to get both. The Technicolor stuff would be great for festive outdoor barbecue dinners, whereas the almost porcelain look of the Golden Rabbit plates and bowls make them perfect for a more upscale outdoor vibe.
Splatters and swirls
Splatter patterns are classic for enamelware—this might be the design you recognize most. These Golden Rabbit sets swap the classic splatters for painterly swirls that look more like antique endpapers. The Red Co. set sticks to the classic splatter, but the hunter green color gives them a nice nontraditional spin.
