re: A salute to Lecreuset

We broke down and got a 5.5 qt many years ago. Loved it and used it almost every week. Slowly bought other sizes. Now the 7.25 qt. is the workhorse.

Check the outlet stores (like in Foley AL) for seconds. Some of the blemishes are minor cosmetics. They'll discount them more if you so much as look toward one.

If I really like someone, this is what I give them for a wedding present.

Barkeeper's Friend is the best for cleaning. If you get heavy stains, Cooks Illustrated says just use a bleach solution overnight.

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We took a couple of stained pots from the kitchen and filled them with Le Creuset's recommended stain-removal solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach per 1 pint of water. The pots were slightly improved but still far from their original hue.

We then tried a much stronger solution (which was OK'd by the manufacturer) of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. After standing overnight, a lightly stained pot was just as good as new, but a heavily stained one required an additional night of soaking before it, too, was looking natty.

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Just googled. $300 a pop accurate?

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It is, although occasionally you can find a good deal if you really keep your eyes out for one. Last New Years I was finally able to upgrade our dutch oven from Kohls w/a Le Creuset one (two actually)...Dillards has a 50% off all clearance, and they had two returns of LC pieces, a 7.25 round and a 6.75 oval, $160 for the pair. Probably the best deal I've ever gotten on cookware, and they are fantastic.

FWIW, the dutch oven I got from Kohls for $40 worked really well and I had it for 3 or 4 years with no chipping on the enamel, and if $300 makes your eyes hurt just get a cheap one...even the cheap ones are usually pretty good, albeit not as light, even-heating and bulletproof as the expensive ones.