Oui oui, non?

If you know me, you know I'm rather fond of cooking. Hell, I even sell for Pampered Chef because I love their products so much. Truth be told, I think I own about 90% of their catalog.. and I'm only missing 10% since they recently came out with more new stuff..thanks for that.

I have almost all of the Executive Cookware pieces (except 3 things) from Pampered Chef. As much as I love.. I mean..LOVE.. their cookware, I've been eyeballing some Le Creuset stuff. Sure, I have the Deep Covered Baker and that could be considered a dutch oven, but it doesn't really hold much when it comes to making stews :

Sure, I could use my 12 qt Stockpot, but the base isn't really large enough for when I wanna cook meat (like a slow cooker). It holds tons of liquid though.... it's my "go to" guy whenever I make my loaded potato chowder (Eric says it's in our wedding vows in fine fine print that I'm required to make it in massive amounts for him).

Now... to the whole point of this blog :)

I've been on a mission to get some Le Creuset. I already own one piece of their stuff, which I absolutely love even though it's not a baking thing. It's a Mortar & Pestle:

 I had originally picked up a Mortar & Pestle in Germany several months ago. As much as I love it, the inside part where you grind stuff doesn't have enough "texture" to grip when I try to crush ingredients (it took FOREVER to crush some Coriander a few weeks ago). I finally broke down and started researching a bit considering my kitchen is a serious investment to me. I thoroughly enjoy cooking and if things can make it easier and faster for me to cook great stuff, then I'll get it. So, I finally came across a store here that had some Le Creuset goodies.. and had the Mortar & Pestle that I was looking for :) It's made of stoneware (fabulous!) and the interior has a nice grit to it. LOVE IT!

In our home, we watch A LOT of cooking shows. I guess I can blame my weight gain on that? Ha.. Not only that, but I really enjoy reading food blogs to give me some idea's on how I can switch some recipes up in the house. If Eric had his way, all we'd eat is chicken and white rice..no flavor. Bleh. Some of our favorite shows to watch are "Good Eats" and "Barefoot Contessa" , plus I normally get The Food Network and Clean Eating magazine. There's two blogs I really recommend for ideas: Closet Cooking and The Pioneer Woman. More than anything, I absolutely LOVE The Pioneer Woman because she comes up with things that are completely "do-able" for working moms or people who have busy life styles. Not to mention, her humor in her blogs are awesome and I love her photography :)

Throughout all of the cooking stuff I've watched and read , I constantly see them using a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. When I watched "Chef Academy", Chef Novelli constantly used one.. Barefoot Contessa uses one quite frequently and even Pioneer Woman has one on the cover of her cookbook. 

Here's some information about the product (I'm eye-balling a 7.25 quart Dutch Oven):

Ideal for cooking and re-heating risotto, soups, stew, chowders and for simmering or slow-cooking foods. This Round Dutch oven from Le Creuset comes with a secure lid that seals in all the moisture and flavor. It retains heat well and is beautiful enough to bring right to the table as you serve. Features sturdy, cast handles on sides so you can lift and carry with ease. Safe to use with metal utensils. Oven-safe to 450 degrees F.

About Le Creuset…
Since 1925, artisans have been crafting Le Creuset cookware in the French village of Fresnoy Le Grand. Each piece of Le Creuset cast iron cookware is handcast, polished, double enamel-coated and then fired, resulting in some of the finest quality cookware available. Cast iron is one of the best materials for distributing heat gently and thoroughly and is ideal for induction ranges. The strong enamel coating will not absorb odors or flavors, and is easy to clean. Heavy lids securely seal in moisture and flavor. Le Creuset cookware comes in a variety of sizes, colors and styles to match any kitchen and cooking preference. So lasting, you'll pass your Le Creuset on to the next generation of promising cooks.

Capacity : 7.25-qt.

Cleaning & Care : Dishwasher Safe, Hand wash Recommended

Diameter : 11-in.

Height : 5.5-in.

Material : Enameled Cast Iron

Origin : France

Special Features : Oven Safe to 450°F

Warranty : Limited Lifetime

I'm pretty much sold on buying one. It just comes down to when I'll make a trip over to France to check out their factory (how many people get to say that?!?). Word on the street is that they have an outlet there where you're able to score some pretty sweet deals on their stuff, but it's a hit and miss thing since it's a small shop. They may or may not have the color I'm looking for. Since I like having funky things, there's no real color scheme to my kitchen, lol. I mean, I have chilli pepper plates from Poland, random teapots from England and mugs from Bavaria. There's no theme and my colors are very eclectic. I'm torn between the Kiwi green or the Caribbean blue..both are really pretty and funky.

As long as I'm day dreaming.. anyone willing to buy this kitchen for me? Please? I gave you three different options, so I'm trying to be accommodating to your finances :)