Whether or not it's true, I've read that it's colored dinnerware that you need to be really concerned about because many companies used lead glazes to get vibrant colors.

I have white Mikasa for my good stuff. I bought it about 20 years ago and it's marked "Japan". It's beautiful and has been durable. Mikasa is made in many different countries though, so you have to check each pattern.

I use Fiesta for casual dining. It's almost indestructible, is dishwasher and microwave safe, and I think it's very attractive.

For those of you who think Fiesta has never contained lead, by the company's own admission, they only began to produce lead-free china in the early 80's. http://www.hlchina.com/company.htm. Look at the paragraph titled "The Third Generation..." So for Fiestaware collectors, it might be a good idea to only use it decoratively if was made prior to that time period.

Sauce is one thing but sometimes you just have to have gravy. How good it is depends of course on the base. You get plenty of pan drippings from poultry to make a good gravy. I like white gravy with poultry so I usually add half & half or whole milk to the reserved drippings and heat it. I make a gluten free blend of flours for bread that uses sorghum, amaranth, rice and corn flours. I use that to make my gravy using the Julia Child method of making a paste of the flour and soft butter, then madly whisking it in to the simmering liquid and then season. It thickens perfectly without any lumps, no after taste and it reheats well. This doesn't taste any different than my mother's white gravy when I was a child. I made some yesterday to drizzle over the turkey and dressing and I must say it was divine.

If you use a commercial gluten free mix, make sure it doesn't contain any bean flour. That WILL have a nasty after taste that ruins the flavor of anything, in my opinion.

I'm sorry you don't like Fiesta. I've used it as my everyday dishes for years. I even inherited some pieces from my mother that she had when I was a kid. Not a single piece of my Fiestaware even has a chip on it and I don't baby it. There have been times I've been surprised I haven't broken something. I bought my original Fiestaware at Macy's on sale but you can also find good prices on Amazon. Fiesta is made by Homer Laughlin. Everything they make is, and always has been, lead free and made in the USA. You can also buy other HL dinnerware which I believe is made more for the commercial trade, although quite attractive. I also inherited some "very old", Homer Laughlin dishes from my mother that I threw away because I thought they were ugly, although in perfect condition. I didn't know what they were then and I wish I still had them because vintage Homer Laughlin is pricey. I keep kicking myself.