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61 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I thought I wanted All-Clad, June 16, 2004
By A Customer
Let me just say this: I thought my dream kitchen set was a basic 10-piece set from All-Clad, and one Le Creuset dutch oven.After 10 years of wanting my dream collection, I finally decided to plunk down for the Le Creuset portion of it. (If you can buy at an outlet store, all the better. I paid $125 for this 7.25 qt. in French Blue). So as I approach the register to pay for my purchase, I tell the ladies at the Le Creuset store about my dream collection ... and they just looked at me like I was a moron. Them: "Why would you need All-Clad?"
Me: "Because everyone needs a stainless steel frypan, right?"
Them: "I only cook in LeCreuset! I even bake my cakes in it!"
Me: "What? Bake a cake in a roasting pan?"
Them: "Why not? They cook beautifully!" So began my adventure. In a crazy, impusive moment, I got a small roasting pan ($90), a enamal coated stainless steel stock pot ($50), 2 small sauce pans (1 qt, 2 qt), and a grill ($50). Let me tell you: This is the dream set I never knew I wanted. Not only do I have a set of BEAUTIFUL pans, but I think I won't need to buy as many fancy serving dishes now that I can cook and serve in the same Le Creuset pot! It's true: the full cast iron allows for food to cook beautifully. Your pot roast, rice pilaf, casseroles, risottos never tasted more rich, flavorful and tender. Imagine how you'd make a roast: First, in a fry pan, you'd brown it. Then you'd transfer to a Pyrex dish and bake. And if you have company over, you'd transfer to a third serving dish. All those dishes! What a mess!! With Le Creuset -- you cook & serve all in one pan. And it cleans up super easy, and even in the dishwasher for those who are lazy. Instead of 3 dishes, you use one -- gotta love the efficiency! Plus -- with this cast iron, you cook on low heat, instead of high heat like you have to with stainless steel & aluminum. I never knew so much heat was lost into the atmosphere from my old stainless steel pans. The cast iron core of Le Creuset gets hot and stays hot -- Anyone can cook French cuisine like Julia Child, even on a hot plate! Le Creuset is going to save me from buying a ton of serving dishes. I think I will cut my "dream kitchen" dish needs down by 2/3 with these Le Creuset investments. I was really nervous the first week to make such a big commitment to a cookware set I didn't know much about. But as I try all my favorite recipes, and as I clean up the most stuck on mess at the bottom of the pans in seconds, I wonder now how I could have wanted anything else. Le Creuset was the best gamble I've ever made. Now, I tell all my friends to forget all the other cookware -- Le Creuset all the way!!
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