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A Calphalon Dream Come True

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Dream big! Reach for the stars! Be

9 years ago this mom who had “stayed at home” since she moved to the area (Albany, NY) 1 year before, ventured out and got a part time seasonal job in a kitchen store without a whole lot of “big store” retail experience. I remember the interview well. I had to find an item in the store and “sell it” to the assistant manager. I chose a cookie mix gift jar because I knew baking. I didn’t even know most big brand kitchen products. Calphalon what? It’s funny now but it was not so funny then. I was sure I bombed it, but somehow I was hired and became one of the few who received permanent status at season’s end.

In my time there I became a kitchen product connoisseur. Calphalon, Wusthof, OXO, Le Creuset, KitchenAid and Lodge took up residence in my dream kitchen. Anytime some one came in looking for pans and asked what I would buy I took them to that wall of wonder and proceeded to find out how they cooked and what they needed. Inevitably I sold quite a few Calphalon sets because they are amazing and a girl can sell a dream when it’s HER dream. I knew features like nobody’s business – anodized, non-stick and stainless steel with a copper core, I dreamed big on a part time salary.

Fast forward to June 2013. New town, several jobs later, I made a big leap and hit “purchase” on a ticket to Eat, Write, Retreat, encouraged on by the best blogging mentor a girl could have, Pammy Pam at An Unconventional Librarian. When I thought “NO WAY”, she said, “How are you going to get there?” I got there, and learned, was inspired, grew, and WON. Calphalon gave away 2 gift certificates toward sets of “Your Set” Calphalon pans and I was one of the winners.

I held off ordering my set because I wanted to have a little extra money to add on to the set with the awesome deal they had where every piece you add gives you an extra discount. Imagine my surprise 5 days ago when I finally went to place my order and on top of the FREE shipping you automatically receive, each order also came with a 7 piece utensil set AND A Calphalon Unison Sear nonstick 12 inch everyday pan!!! (Sorry, had to throw a few exclamation marks in for good measure.) Just an FYI, you can choose  Unison Nonstick or AcCuCore Stainless Steel as your base then build from there, mixing and matching as you like. I have no idea when this deal ends but don’t miss it. ( I wasn’t paid to say that either.)

Calphalon Your Set

The 2 on the left? Not part of my order. Those were special delivery for me to review FOR A GIVEAWAY! That’s right, you can enter for a chance to win those soon! Not pictured – 8 quart stainless steel stock pot.

A girl can dream. Sometimes it takes patience. Sometimes it takes a dream being fulfilled in an unconventional way. It may be a dream for a set of pans or bigger, like a better job, a baby, stability. No matter what it is, sometimes it takes jumping in head first, but most of all it means – DREAM BIG! REACH FOR THE STARS! BE PATIENT! You just never know when fulfilling that dream may be right around the corner.

For me one dream was a Calphalon pan dream. What’s your dream?

Today I’m linking up with A Life in Balance for Motivation Monday.

About 

Heather McCurdy writes at Real: The Kitchen and Beyond where she shows families how to slow down and savor life on any budget with tasty homemade recipes and family travel.

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Comments

  1. I love love love.. Calphalon products, did I say LOVE yet?? I use my pots and pans every day and have them for 2 years now and will never ever buy any other brand; they clean easy, cooking is amazing in the pots and pans and my new favorite… the diswasher safe pots and pans.. I always buy Calphalon for my friends as gifts and always highly recommend them (nope, not being paid to say that either)…. just overall a great company with amazing products and boy I have to check out that deal.. sounds like I need to grab a few of my favorite things for the holidays

    Reply

    • I know what you mean. My set is a JC Penney set form my wedding over 12 years ago. I am so grateful to the person who gave them to us but so ready to pull out these new ones. Kitchen reorganizing happens tomorrow.

      Reply

    • Oooo, which size? I use my water bath canner when I need a ginormous pan right now. I know these 8 quart pans are going to be put to good use but I also could really use a bigger one.

      Reply

    • I am not sure how I would survive without a blender. I recently came into a KitchenAid Diamond blender and it is amazing. Before that I have always had the $30 Osters which use to be good but have gone downhill. I had a large food processor for a while and it was awesome until it broke and I found out it had a recall and never replaced it. I have a small food processor that use to be my mom’s and LOVE it. Make a wishlist!!

      Reply

    • Haha! Did you look it up or just know you want it? I knew I was getting a free one to review at some point but I decided in case it fell through I HAD to order one with my set. So glad to have TWO. It will be handy during canning season especially.

      Reply

    • They are amazing. They have 5 layers with a copper layer in the middle to evenly distribute the heat. Stainless steel can be a pain to clean but I feel like it is so much healthier than non-stick.

      Reply

  31. Oh my dream? To help a lot of moms who are struggling while raising kids with disabilities or food sensitivities or both! With my blog of course, and any other way.

    Reply

  36. Congrats on your win. It is always special when you get something you have been dreaming about for so long. I know you are going to create some yummy things in those new pans!

    Reply

  40. Wow!!! You are so lucky and I am totally jealous!! Thanks for sharing about this retreat, too, I hadn’t heard of it and I am going to look into it now! Congrats!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  2. […] At long last, the giveaway I have been talking about is here! I am giving away several beautiful pieces of my favorite brand of pans. There will be 2 winners. One will win a Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick Roaster Set and the other will win a Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick 8 qt. Multi-Pot w/ steamer and colander. Are you ready to win? I can tell you that I have felt like a winner using these products over the last week. As some of you already know, these pans are a dream come true. […]

    Reply

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