Skip to main content

Product Review: Utility and Beauty #lecreusetlove #sponsor

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Le Creuset. All opinions are my own.

About a month ago, I received an offer that made my little foodie heart flutter: "Make a wish list of some Le Creuset items* and I'll see what I can do." Ummmm...okay. 

I was given no guidelines and no limits. I perused the website. I clicked. And I drooled. Like many home cooks, I have long coveted anything and everything made by Le Creuset. I have a mini pumpkin cocotte and a trio of mini bean pots. See the operative word there - "mini." Though I love the look and feel of the Le Creuset product line, I am stymied by the price.

So, not wanting to seem greedy, I narrowed down my wish list to the top ten items I would really use; they ranged from the tagine pots all the way down to espresso cups. It really didn't matter what they sent, I knew I would be happy and put the items to good use.

The next day, I received a response that I could expect a the 3-quart Braiser in Cerise and the Mini Cocottes with Tray in Flame. I am pretty sure I squealed. Aloud. In my office.


The first day, they sat in the box and I admired them from afar. Then the boys began to nudge. "Mommy, what are we going to make in them? You can't just let them sit there...collecting dust."

The following day, I tried to decide what to make. Then, I just dove in.  


I have used the braiser to poach quince for my {Gluten-Free} Burnt Caramel Quince Gingerbread


I have simmered sauce for my Beef-Apple Meatballs in Bourbon Sauce.


I have sauteed mushrooms for my Truffled Beef Sliders.


And I have, as it was intended, braised in it, making Kadu Bouranee, a sweet and savory dish of braised pumpkin from Afghanistan. 


I also braised whole fish in it for my Truffles, Whole Fish, & Barolo post.

While the price on Le Creuset pieces is still daunting, I can honestly say that I have already used my braiser more in a few weeks than any of my other pots combined. Its depth is perfect for so many uses. The heavy lid traps steam and prevents food from drying out. It moves seamlessly from stovetop to oven to tabletop. 

So, it has utility and beauty. It's definitely cemented itself as one of my favorite things.


I haven't use the cocottes to their full potential yet; I have only used them as adorable serving dishes for my Pumpkin Laksa. I'll use them more soon. I promise. I'm thinking about French Onion Soup. Do you have any ideas for me? Comment below. I'm all ears.


You may find Le Creuset...
on the web
on Facebook
on Twitter
on Pinterest
on Instagram

*Disclosure: I received this product for free from the sponsor and/or its public relations team in exchange for an honest review. I have received no additional compensation for my post. My opinion is 100% my own and 100% accurate.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé #Winophiles

This month the French Winophiles group is looking at affordable wines from Burgundy.  Host Cindy of Grape Experiences wrote: "Burgundy, or Bourgogne, is known for its wines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir... as well as Aligote, Gamay, Sauvignon, César, Pinot Beurot, Sacy, Melon in lesser quantities. Many of the well-known wines are quite expensive, but there are plenty of values to be found." Read her invitation here. And there won't be a Twitter chat for this event, so you will have to dive into the articles themselves to read about our pairings and findings. Here's the line-up... Wendy Klik from A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoys Domaine Chevillon Chezeaux Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, 2018 Paired with a Maple Pecan Chicken . Camilla Mann from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares her love of Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé. Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClick! explains why we should Look t...

Homemade Lorna Doone Cookies #SundayFunday

Today the Sunday Funday group is celebrating childhood favorites. Thanks to Stacy of  Food Lust People Love , Sue of  Palatable Pastime , Rebekah of  Making Miracles , and Wendy of  A Day in the Life on the Farm  for coordinating this low-stress group. Today Stacy is hosting and she's given us the following prompt: "Childhood favorites. Did you have a favorite dish growing up? It could be something your family cooked or a restaurant dish, even a Chef Boyardee canned good or packaged ingredients like Rice-a Roni or mac and cheese. Recreate THAT dish from SCRATCH for this event."  Here's the #SundayFunday childhood favorites line-up... Chili Mac from A Day in the Life on the Farm Ham and Mushroom Breakfast Burritos from Making Miracles Homemade Lorna Doone Cookies from Culinary Adventures with Camilla Homemade Wonder Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories K-Mart Sub Sandwiches from Palatable Pastime Kempakki Dosa from Sizzling Tastebuds Meat Chilly Fry...

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce...