blondelle's Profile
Yes, I am starting it....Staub or Le Creuset?
There HAS been a HUGE Staub vs. Le Creuset thread fairly recently. As much as I love discussing this cookware the subject has really been done to death as the thread was added to over a long period of time. Please do a search and you will see it. I guarantee it will contain all you've ever wanted to know and more regarding the strengths and weaknesses and differences of these two cookware brands.
The consensus was that they are both awesome cookware and quality brands. The LC isn't as heavy and has the light interior and a better track record in the warranty dept, and the Staub has the dark interior that's a bit harder to clean, but can season over time. It's really about which YOU like better as there are people here that have their favorites and will vigorously defend their choice. You have to choose what features and styling appeals to you more. You can't go wrong with either!
Lodge enameled cast iron
I haven't had mine crack but I had the Lodge color in the 6 qt. oven and with treating it carefully and never banging it on, or with anything, it had little enamel chips all over it. The enameling looked nice and well applied, but it didn't hold up to even occasional, gentle use. I don't think I had used it more than 3-4 times when I noticed the chips.
Espresso Machine
It's not just the economics that are important to me but the labor and mess. I have no desire to grind my own beans, fill the machine, tamp it down and steam and froth my milk, and then clean it all up. There are some that enjoy this ritual. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them.
Espresso Machine
I LOVE my Nespresso Pixie. You can pick on up for about $150-$160 on sale. Awesome coffee and no mess or fuss. I froth powdered whole milk with a frother and make great lattes with it. Also makes a great shot of espresso. Excellent coffee without all the work.
Windsor pans or saucers for sauces? I'm confused.
"And the price for the pan and lid is $455, which is very low for anything new, stainless-lined, and thick, with a lid."
$445 is low for a 11" saute pan? Yikes! Got my A-C stainless 10.5 one for $66. Why copper for a saute pan? A saute is usually done fast and hot. Why would you need such temperature control that copper gives for that and also 1/8" thickness? A bit overkill, no? The Iron Chefs manage quite well with lowly A-C Masterchef and turn out world class cuisine. I'm just guessing here but I would assume they have a bit more cooking skill than you have and it's good enough for them :-).
Windsor pans or saucers for sauces? I'm confused.
Thanks TJ. The funny thing is that the base of the 2.5 qt. windsor is about the same as the 2 qt. tall narrow A-C saucepan. I guess I will just have to resign myself to keeping all this A-C. There are worse fates in this world! Maybe I can lure a young, handsome chef to marry me for my cookware...LOL! Have 30+ pieces of LC and A-C. Will have to get cooking!
Windsor pans or saucers for sauces? I'm confused.
If you have no other saucepans, wouldn't the windsor make a better saucepan replacement than the saucier? I have the 1.5 qt. and the 2.5 qt. All-Clad stainless windsors. pans. I hated the tall narrow shape of the 2 qt. saucepan and didn't like the lack of pouring lips on their saucepans which these have. After I got those I found the 3 qt. saucier with domed lid and helper handle at a price I couldn't resist. Those are hard to find.
Can you justify for me a reason for keeping both the 3 qt. saucier and the 2.5 windsor? A-C is kinda hard to part with :-). Is there something you could do with one but not the other?
LC Signature line staining and wear issues...
Hey, come on guys and please help a gal out :-). I know many of you mentioned getting some pieces from this new line. I'm really curious if it lives up to their new and improved claims. Do you notice any difference between the two lines in your day to day cooking?
Do your oven racks scrape enamel off the bottom of Le Creuset?
It could also be from rough cast iron grates on the cook top. I'm the same way about my cookware. Even though I know it's not realistic I like to keep it looking new if possible. I wonder if it's possible to use a silicone silicone sheet they use for sheet pans between the oven rack and the cookware. I would be afraid it would melt the silicone though because of the way cast iron retains heat.
LC Signature line staining and wear issues...
This line has been out long enough for some serious use. For those who have been using it does the new enamel live up to LC's claims of it being more stain resistant? What about maintaining it's gloss. Does it also live up to LC claims of it being more resistant to abrasion and wear?
Le Creuset dilemma
I was told that Cobalt is discontinued in retail stores but not in the outlets.
All-Clad "Rondo" - Where to find or substitute?
Yes, but it's still available with a bit of searching. I love the low wide shape. I have the 3.5 qt. and the 6.75 wides.
All-Clad "Rondo" - Where to find or substitute?
It's 6.75 qts, instead of 12 qts but it's about 12" in diameter. I'm talking about the Le Creuset low wide oven. Same shape as the A-C. There's also a 6 qt. rondeau from A-C that comes with a domed lid and a flat round roasting rack. 12 qts is HUGE! Wouldn't the smaller size one be more useful on a day to day basis?
LC cast iron baking dish
With all the reports of the LC stoneware shattering both in and out of the oven, I don't know how comfortable I am about using it. I wouldn't want to prepare a dish for company and have it ruined because the dish shattered or make something using expensive ingredients that you wound up scraping off the oven floor. I think I prefer to use my enameled cast iron where possible.
nylon can scratch stainless steel?
I don't know how old you are but there's a pretty good chance you will still be still be stirring in the bowl in the hereafter before you wear through the bowl by stirring in it :-).
Vintage Enameled Cast Iron Cookware (Descoware, Cousances, Etc.)
I don't think the bottoms without the colored enamels are raw iron. I believe they are just the base coat enamel that's sprayed all over before the glossy, colored topcoat of enamel is applied to the rest of the pan
Chemical, I didn't mean to ask them if their older cookware was toxic. I agree that no company is going to admit liability. I meant to just ask them when they changed over to their newer enamel and if there was any way you can tell the newer pieces.
Le Creuset oval 43 stamped on bottom
Is this your roaster? Click image to enlarge. Here's some info at cooking.com. It's a discontinued item.
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=311408#axzz1qAWydOGr
Le Creuset oval 43 stamped on bottom
It is a roaster and it's complete as it is. It never came with a lid. It will develop a patina with use and become more nonstick the more you use it. The interior is their matte black, high heat enamel. Treat it, and clean it as you would the sand gloss interior. No harsh abrasives. Don't try and get it spotless as the patina is a brownish, polymerized film which makes it nonstick as it's built up. It mentions that on the LC website. Enjoy your new piece.
Le Creuset Braiser through mail - lids scratched
I don't blame you. I would want an unscratched one too, especially at full retail. All the LC pieces I have with lids have come with a piece of cardboard separating the lid from the base. It's usually a full piece of cardboard, the size on the box, with two flaps and a hole in the middle to accommodate the knob on the lid which comes upside down over the base.
Which LC piece should I add next?
I think WS might have had the Caribbean and Cassis online at one point. Not sure. You might call the WS outlet. The Coastal Blue is gorgeous and it was much cheaper on sale in the original style when they were clearing it out to make room for the signature line. Now it's way too high. I like the Marseille, but not in love with it for some reason. I liked their Azure blue better.
I haven't heard of any new colors besides the ones that are already out.
Le Crueset inner feels like sand paper-help!
Bleach I know can dull the finish if used in too strong of a concentration or too often, but oven cleaner was designed to be used on porcelain enamel which is the same thing the interior of LC is made of. Many people have used oven cleaner on LC without ruining the enamel. Doesn't make sense it would make the interior rough.
Which LC piece should I add next?
I would add the 3.5 qt. buffet casserole in Cassis with your colors. If you are cooking for 4 or less that size will work well. The Caribbean blue will also look nice with your other colors.
Lecreuset 3 piece set
You can get more for it than current colors as it's a rare color in good condition. Sell the multipan's two pieces in one auction and the fry pan in another. I would mention the other auction and put a link to the other piece in each auction. Not sure links are allowed though so do check. You should also mention the matching auction's # in each auction.
Do some research on completed similar items on Ebay so you can get an idea of the cost. After doing that, price them at whatever you are comfortable with and hopefully you will get a bidding war going as they are desirable pieces. Don't use buy it now as there are some collectors that will pay crazy prices for pieces they really want. Good luck!
Risks of vintage cookware
Le Creuset used cadmium in it's red, yellow and orange enamels. They had to reformulate their enamel when new guidelines were issued. They still use cadmium, but they say they are now using a new enamel that encapsulates the cadmium so it can't be released when heated. I don't know if any is released when there's a chip or when the enamel wears down. My old Flame pieces used to turn deep red when heated. Do the current Flame pieces still do that? Maybe you could tell that way.
I would be wary of earlier, vintage pieces in those colors for that reason.
How to cook in cast iron - especially enamled cast iron
If you read the Le Creuset reviews on Amazon you will come across several that say they have been making a recipe for years in their other cookware and when they made the exact same recipe in LC it tasted so much better. They said they didn't change a thing. It must be the way it retains heat or something as the lining is inert.
Fontignac: The enameled cast iron debate continues
I believe that Sabatier is out of business. I went to a knife skills class and asked the rep from Wusthof about my Sabatier knives and he said the company was no longer.
LC color Dune?
If you look at a display of Dune all the pots look different. I actually prefer less of a gradient. A pronounced gradient has a yellowish, dirty look to it. Less gradient is cleaner looking. It should also look better with your other colors than the yellowish beige of a more shaded Dune.
Can't Get Staub or Le Creuset Pans Clean? Am I Doing Something Wrong?
You can season black matte enamel to some extent, but not as well as you can season raw iron. The matte black enamel still has pores that can fill with the hardened polymerized oils. You can either use it without seasoning it and let it build up over time, or you can hurry it along by using the same methods you use for raw cast iron.
Can't Get Staub or Le Creuset Pans Clean? Am I Doing Something Wrong?
I've never seen that skillet after a lot of use. I would remove anything that looks like it could flake off. LC describes the good residue as a brown film. The film should be more like hardened (polymerized) oil that has baked in, not so much textured or food residue. You can scrub a bit till you get to that finish and then wipe the surface with oil and heat it until it stops smoking.
Can't Get Staub or Le Creuset Pans Clean? Am I Doing Something Wrong?
The matte black interiors are SUPPOSED to build up a layer of seasoning. It says so both on the LC and Staub sites. The matte black enamels because they are rough, can build up and hold polymerized oils that makes the pans more nonstick. This coating is desirable and should not be removed. The matte black coatings aren't meant to be pristine and both manufacturers tell you to leave this coating and let it build up over time. The more is builds the more nonstick the pan becomes.
