In Praise of Le Creuset

The Single Most Expensive Kitchen Item I've Ever Had

...and it's worth every (discounted) dollar! (Although my pot is orange, not blue.)

If you've been to the blog-next-door, you know that this is what I asked Benjie to give me for Christmas. I've wanted to start collecting Le Creuset for about 4 years, but could never justify the cost--even when I'd see it on sale in Marshall's or TJ Maxx.
(FYI--if you like this brand and see it at these discount stores, snatch them up! You still come out ahead, compared with the Outlet Store; this same size oval pot costs $140 or so there, and I got it for $100.)

But this year my long-suffering pan--the one I use for almost everything except stir-frying--died when the handle fell off. (We still haven't thrown it away or stopped using it; Benjie likes to poach eggs with it.) But it's no good for large items or long cook times.

In the month or so since I got the pot, I've cooked with it at least once a week. Our new favorite pork dish cooks easily and beautifully in it. It's also sufficient for my 3-hour spaghetti sauce (although really I need the 6.75 l pot for this, just to make stirring easier!).

I love that Le Creuset has great customer service (based on feedback), and I can see myself toting this pot with me for the rest of my life.

I hope to be able to scrore a slightly larger pot and a skillet some time in the future. I don't see the need to possess all Le Creuset's products--as beautiful as they are, I think you only need what you cook with on a regular basis; anything else is just a dust magnet and space hog.