I love cooking with it... I hate cleaning it... I love that it helps me prepare meals for my family...I hate that it can leach toxins into our food!!!
We talked in June about the problems with modern cookware. It's not easy to find cookware that doesn't leave toxic deposits in your dinner. And then, if you do find something that seems promising, it's obviously going to be pricey!
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| Ain't it purdy? |
So I picked out the Le Creuset 6-quart stockpot. In the color caribbean, which makes me think of a beach in the Bahamas every time I look at it, so I keep it out on my stove even when I'm not using it. I think of it as stress-relieving cookware.
I've only had this stockpot for a few weeks, and I've already used it to make chili, mashed potatoes, tomato soup, and some excellent macaroni and cheese (made with gluten-free pasta
). My first recipe was the mac and cheese, which I've made several times before so I wanted to see how it turned out in this pot. It actually stuck a little to the bottom and overcooked a portion of it. At first I thought this was going to be a problem with the cookware, but as it turns out, the darn thing conducts heat so well that it cooks things a whole lot faster than you're used to. Since then, I've had no problems whatsoever as long as I keep the heat on the low side once the stockpot gets warmed up. My Le Creuset stockpot gets extra points for being scratch resistant. I decided to really put it to the test and I used an electric mixer inside the pot to fluff up my mashed potatoes. The whole time I was wincing because I was just sure I was going to scratch my beloved new pot. But nope: I inspected it thoroughly after dinner and there wasn't a scratch in sight. I am officially impressed.
Now, clean up is a big deal to me. Doing the dishes--though possibly one of the easier household tasks--is my most hated chore. I love my dishwasher, so I'm always wary of cookware that won't go in it. Luckily, my new stockpot is dishwasher safe. Hooray! But I'll confess I'm still in the honeymoon phase with my new cookware and have been lovingly washing it by hand after every use. (Yes, I know that's weird.)
If I had to be picky, I would have to note that the side handles on the pot do tend to get hot during cooking, so I keep my oven mitts handy when I'm using it. The handle on the lid, however, remains cool enough to touch.
I wish I had something bad to say about this stockpot. Pros and cons are so much more fun than just lavish praise. But, seriously, the only downside to this cookware is the price. Since my stockpot is enamel-on-steel, 
it's more affordable than the enamel-on-cast-iron pieces, though, at around $40. I would personally love the set shown to the right, but at $400 that's just a wee bit out of my price range at the moment. But a girl can dream, right?This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday at Gnowfglins and Fight Back Friday hosted by Food Renegade.
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