| This 5-1/2-quart French oven by Le Creuset is the most forgiving pan I've ever used. If you just happen to forget you're sautéing onions for a soup while you answer the telephone, there's no need to worry--the onions won't burn. Enameled cast iron has been recognized as one of the best materials available for cookware because it retains heat and promotes gentle, even cooking at low heat ensuring that the best flavor is brought out from the ingredients. It's perfect for use on any heat source--gas, electric, radiant, ceramic, halogen, induction, or solid fuel. There's also a tight-fitting, enameled cast-iron lid that helps seal in heat and flavor. Food will be kept hot as you bring it to the table for serving. And you will certainly want to serve out of this beautiful piece--the deep color and shiny finish will brighten any table setting. --Jane DePaolo |
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 THE dutch oven |
| Review Date: July 23, 2003 |
| Reviewer: ringo, California |
| In the dictionary, next to "dutch oven," is a picture of a le Creuset pot. This 5.5 quart version is sized to fit typical casserole, soup, and stew recipes, and big enough for a large chicken or pot roast. It will fit on an average-height refrigerator shelf (you may need to replace the lid with a dinner plate), and will heat evenly on a standard sized burner (though, given the heat distribution of the cast iron, it would heat evenly on a birthday candle). This is the size the cooking shows use - if you've ever watched over Emeril's shoulder as he arranged stuff in the pot, you know that this is just the right size and shape. My only complaint is that le Creuset recently stopped smoothing and under-glazing the rims of their pots, and is now leaving them rough and "rust-proofing" them instead. For my older (heirloom) pots, I invert the lids for stacking and storage. I haven't been able to bring myself to do this with my newest pot, however, because if I do the rough unglazed rim will scratch up the lid. (ecoutez-vous le Creuset?!) |
Soup's on
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| Review Date: December 5, 2002 |
| Reviewer: Joanna Daneman, Middletown, DE USA |
| I cook mainly soups and stews (they can be reheated over a few days so I don't have to cook every night.) But my stainless pots tend to burn if I leave them to simmer. I love this pot because it heats evenly and slowly, and the enamel is non-stick or nearly so. I keep mine out on the stove all the time because I like the way it looks--the red is very cheerful in our white kitchen. My first test run was a batch of minestrone. My recipe takes three days as I make a double beef boullion to start, then finish off with the strained stock and added vegetables. The results were great. This is a heavy pot and the enamel can chip if you drop the top (not to mention ding your floor.) So be careful. |
the best out there
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| Review Date: December 27, 2000 |
| Reviewer: sherry carey, dallas, texas United States |
| I love to cook and really work my pots and pans over. i am so sick of investing in a *high-quality* cookware set that falls apart and looks terrible after 3 or 4 years. even the circulons and calphalons were disappointments. i've had my eye on le creuset for a few years but never had the opportunity to buy one until recently. i bought mine (the blue french oven) at an overstock store for an incredible price, and now i'm here shopping at amazon for more. pot roasts cook in half the time on lower heat, and cleaning is a breeze. if you love to cook they are well worth the investment. i can't begin to tell you how pleased i am! |
about the breakage thing...
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| Review Date: August 3, 2003 |
| Reviewer: ringo, California |
| (as an addendum to my previous review) As some other reviewers have noted, the pots will break if dropped. This is particualarly true if you have a tile or concrete floor in your kitchen. I've dropped pots onto linoleum and wood with no problems (except for a dent in the linoleum). Some pots are also more prone to breakage than others - the oval french ovens will crack through if dropped on the "long" side, rendering them unusable. The rounded soup pots, however, seem to be almost indestructable. The enamel will scratch and chip, even by such seemingly innocuous things as a dishwasher prong that has the rubber coating worn off (I totally trashed the inside bottom of a small soup pot this way). Banging a metal spoon on the rim of the pot to clean it off is a no-no (though wood is fine). You also can't deep fry in the white-enamel-lined le Creuset, though you can in the black-lined pieces, and the older grey (glissimal) ones. Nevertheless, as a proud owner of naked Wagner cast iron, All-Clad, Kitchenaid, and le Creuset, my choice for stews, soups, spaghetti sauce and rice is still le Creuset. |
Great Customer Service from Le Creuset
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| Review Date: November 30, 2002 |
| Reviewer: , |
| My mom still uses a Le Creuset dutch oven from the 1970s. Other than the enamel looking a little worn (scratched up), it works as good as new. My husband and I received this pot as a gift (from out Amazon wish list, as a matter of fact) about 1 year ago. It's been great for cooking pot roasts, stews, and soups. I don't know what Le Creuset has done in terms of the enamel coating, but nothing seems to stick to it. It's very easy to clean. The one bad thing that happened was that the handle broke off. But here's the amazing thing - I contacted Le Creuset's customer service and received a new handle within days!! I've never experienced such prompt and helpful customer service before. I highly recommend this product as well as any of the other dutch ovens by Le Creuset. |
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