Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Round French Oven, Color: Cherry, Size: 7 1/4 Quart

A month or so ago I was crusing the housewares department here at Amazon.com, looking for a Dutch oven. I'd nearly settled on Calphalon, but I read a review (gotta love these things!) which said that though Calphalon was generally the cookware of choice, for Dutch - in this case French - ovens, Le Creuset was the brand to buy. I took this advice to heart, in part because I loved the cherry red finish, and bought this 4.5 quart oven.

I want to thank that reviewer; it was one of the best pieces of advice I've had in ages. Le Creuset has produced one of the best, most versatile pieces of cookware I've ever owned. This pan heats evenly and holds the heat, but you really have to work at getting food to burn in it. It goes from stove to oven to table with real panache. Nothing sticks. Ever. Really, I'm not kidding here because I did manage to burn something by walking away and forgetting about it for an hour. But after another hour's soak and a scrub with a nylon pad, the...Read more

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.

I got my first Le Creuset cookware in 1978. It was my college graduation week, & I was relaxing on the lawn reading the Sunday Boston Globe. I saw an ad for a Le Creuet starter set (French oven + 2 covered saucepans + skillet) for $..., so I decided to go for it since I was about to be out of the dorm living on my own. That purchase turned out to be one of my best investments ever, as I still use all the pieces today. I now have 3 French ovens, 5 covered saucepans, 3 skillets, 1 oval au gratin, 1 multi 2-in-1 pan with nonstick omelette cover, & 1 cheese fondue set, all in flame. These cast iron utensils are virtually indestructible, except for a few minor dings in the outer enamel. They cook very evenly, given the cast iron, making me a possibly better than average cook (they're one of my unfair advantages). My only problem with the cookware is the heavy weight, but that comes with the territory with cast iron utensils. I guess I'll have to get someone else to lift the pots when I'm...Read more