Kitting your kitchen: Le Creuset

Posted by Dana McMahan on March 2, 2008

If there’s one thing I couldn’t live without in my kitchen it’s my Le Creuset. Ok, it’s really two things — my Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart Round French Oven and cherry red 2-1/2-Quart Saucepan.

Enameled cast iron retains heat and promotes gentle, even cooking at low heat making certain the best flavor is brought out from your ingredients. You can simmer, bake and roast with your Le Creuset, in the oven or over gas, electric, radiant, ceramic, halogen, induction, or solid fuel. It’s almost impossible to burn anything in a forgiving Le Creuset, and they’re ideal for long simmering. We use ours for everything from popping corn to making caramel to whipping up a béchamel to cooking soup. Their deep colors add a splash of fun to the kitchen and make for beautiful serving dishes, straight from the stove.

I know you’ll recognize these gorgeous pot and pans from cooking shows and magazines. No TV chef worth his or her truffle salt is missing one, and serious home cooks will have at least one in their collection.

They’re dauntingly expensive – I lucked out and found these two at discounter Tuesday morning for half the usual retail prices. You’re paying for the superb French quality — we’re talking about a lifetime of use here — when you shell over the price of these beauties. Once you bring one home though, you’ll be a lifelong fan. People love their Le Creusets so much there’s even a Flickr group for fans.

Watch a video on Williams Sonoma to see how the cookware is made.

TAGS: Cookware, Le Creuset
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