Hero Kitchen Kit: Le Creuset

“That’s one small step for a (Lego) man…”

Buying my first very own Le Creuset felt like a giant leap. Having grown up with a Francophile French teacher mum, Le Creuset was a name I had known all my life. On holidays to France, mum would make a trip to the quincaillerie, or hardware store – for this was about the only place the heavy orange enamel pans were sold in those days – and stock up on heavy lidded pots. And so, buying a large red Le Creuset casserole at the age of 25 or so, marked a milestone for me. No longer a student, earning money, living with my boyfriend in London, owning a Le Creuset. I was a grown up! (How did that happen?) And now I have two children, and the red Le Creuset has a little brother, a smaller blue one, and I couldn’t live without (any of) them.

They are expensive, I admit, but boy, do they last. And boy, are they versatile. Which is why we love Le Creuset, and why these amazing enamel, heavy duty pans get a mention on the blog. Every busy mum – or dad – trying to get dinner on the table needs a Le Creuset, I think. I use mine all the time, and can’t imagine what I’d do without them. Whether it’s to make soup or a stew (the heavy enamel base conducts heat really effectively), to make Bolognese sauce (get all your ingredients in, in the usual way, bring to a simmer and then transfer straight from the hob to the pre-heated oven for 45 mins), or for casserole that goes straight from oven to table, they are simply unbeatable. Perfect for the one-handed cook … Yes, you can even stir them one-handed – they don’t tend to move when they’re on the hob – they’re so darn heavy!

To buy or not to buy a Le Creuset: weighing up the options

Pros

–       Heavy, solid, a Le Creuset is a quality bit of kitchen kit that will last you for decades (they make a great wedding gift)

–       Transfer your dish straight from the hob to the oven, and back again if needs be, and then straight to the table (less hassle, fewer dishes to wash)

–       They conduct heat really efficiently

–       Le Creuset pans look really attractive and come in an array of beautiful hues to match any kitchen colour scheme, including yellow. (And if your enamel chips, they look even more rustic!)

–       They have their own Pinterest page! www.pinterest.com/lecreusetuk

Cons

–       They weigh a ton. Not for the feeble.

–       They are pricey, but they do last for ever, practically (see above).

So there you have it. Le Lowdown on Le Creuset.

Happy cooking!

TOHC xx

Posted by The One-Handed Cook in equipment, Gadgets, Gadgets, can opener, one-handed, family food, baby, cooking, advice, kitchen equipment, kitchenware, kitchen equipment, one-handed, supper, useful kitchenware Tags: 1980s Lego space guy, 1980s Lego space man, cooking, enamel pans, family, food, kitchen equipment, kitchen kit, Le Creuset, lego man, one-handed, useful kitchen gadget