As of 1980 fewer opalware products were being produced. Much of the focus for Pyrex opalware was on the Bake ‘N’ Carry, a round casserole that came with a quilted snap-on cozy meant to make carrying a hot dish easier. Bake ‘N’ Carries were released in several patterns, one of which is unofficially known as “Garden Medley,” available to the consumer market in 1981.

Garden Medley was released on the 2 ½ quart Round Casserole (475). The casserole is mustard yellow with a white tulip and stem pattern.

Corning Glass Works offered its first patterned opalware gift set in 1953 when the Heinz Baking Dish was sold in grocery stores. Widespread distribution of promotional patterns occurred after the overwhelming success of the 1956 release of seasonal “decorator casseroles.” Using existing Pyrex shapes, gift sets featured new patterns offered for a limited production time. They often came with mounters, cradles, or candle warmers and were advertised in the spring to appeal to Mother’s Day and summer wedding shoppers and in the fall to give the holiday gift-buyers something new. Corning continued to produce gift sets through 1983, creating nearly 135 different gift set patterns during that time. Corning intended these pieces to be sold for a limited time, and directed retailers to remove older, unsold promotions from the shelves.

Often, patterns used for these gift items were unnamed, or given names descriptive of the dish’s purpose, like “chip and dip set.” Collectors over the years have assigned names intended to be reflective of the specific pattern.