a la mode

I'm bummed. I made spaghetti sauce in my LC oven tonight, and I scraped the bottom with a stainless steel spoon. I was tired and not thinking about the fact that stainless steel is not recommended. Now there are some marks on the enamel. I know it won't change how it cooks, but I'd still like to get rid of the marks. I thought maybe the magic eraser would work. Any suggestions?

1) Yes. Do not wash them, but take them out of the plastic clam shell. Line a wide, shallow bowl w paper towels to hold them covered loosely w a produce bag that "breathes". 2) Strawberries are always better when they're in season, though ripe, local berries don't glisten for many days, either. It's past their time in August. The type you'll find in supermarkets has been developed to endure shipping and longer periods of storage. You don't know how long yours were sitting around before you bought them. 3) Read Russ Parsons. Cf. The Daily Gullet for relevant excerpt of his book. ← Thank you for that! I haven't been here in awhile and didn't know you replied. I appreciate the help. I agree that the strawberries sit around way too long. Some of them even start to grow mold... yuck!

Is there a secret to keeping strawberries fresher longer in the fridge? I buy mine and store them in the fridge (in the original plastic case) and by day two they are beginning to look "wilted." Thank you.

That sounds good. I'm going to look for a 5 qt. oval. Thanks!

I have a question for those of you who have multiple LC pieces. I have the 7.25 round dutch oven, and I'm wondering what would be the next size to get? I can already see the 7.25 is great for large batches, but what if you want to make something smaller? Thanks for your help.

Look for sales on-line. Check e-bay. Others have found pieces at Marshall's or TJ Maxx. They are expensive, and worth it in my opinion, but if you're flexible on color you don't have to pay full price. ← If you live near a LC outlet store they have great deals. Here's a link which will show the monthly specials they are having. It also has a store locator. I got a 7.25 round first quality for $140. http://www.lcstores.com/

Oh, I know... I think you mentioned that you have all you'll ever need. I was just letting anyone know who is interested. I just got my first one a couple of months ago. I say... if you love that color there must be something you need!

That is a pretty color. I was at my local Costco a few days ago, and they had 8 quart oval Le Creuset ovens. I think the price was $160. They only had the cobalt blue and red available. If you're looking for one you might check your local Costco. This is the first time I have seen them there.

That's nice that your pot has been in the family for so many years. I'm sure a lot of love and wonderful meals have come out of it. I haven't had mine for long, but I've already used it quite a bit. I'm always looking for an opportunity to cook with it. I see it sitting on my stove top, and it just makes me happy! I can see how the longer you have it the more attached you get to it. It's like it becomes part of the family! Maybe you could contact the Le Creuset company, and ask them for advice. I know they have a website.

Interesting information..... Everything you ever wanted to know about salt, but were afraid to ask! Morton has a sea salt (coarse) from the Mediterranean Sea on Spain's Costa Blanca. It lists yellow prussiate of soda (anticaking agent) as an ingredient. Is this normal in most coarse sea salts?

All salt is sea salt. ← I guess I meant rock salt. When you buy table salt I don't think it's labeled sea salt? Morton's is labeled iodized salt. But when you see various rock salts they are labeled sea salt.

Is there a particular sea salt that is best for everyday cooking? I rarely add salt when cooking, so to be honest, I've never used sea salt.

Thanks for all of the great advice. The reduced stock seems like an inexpensive and simple way to go. I think I'll try that next. Eventually, I'll try some of the products mentioned above. This is a wonderful place to learn, and I appreciate your help.

Thanks for your input. I added 2 Tbs of tomato paste instead of buying the demi glace. The stew was absolutely delicious. I'd like to try it next time with the demi glace to taste the difference. If you like stew this is a good one to make! The consistancy was more like soup, so I thickened it with a little flour water when it had finished simmering. http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/reci...4424F667E01903B

I have a tendency to agree with you. I looked at quite a few, and they all seemed flawed in some way. The one I originally purchased was form Williams Sonoma, because I wanted the Dijon color, and it had a flaw on the top of the lid. I called a bunch of stores and they all had the same flaw! I thought I may as well go to the factory store and get a less expensive one in another color. I looked at a few there that also had flaws (first quality), but I thought the one I got was OK. I forgot to check the rim... Unfortunately, it's probably like most things these days; it seems that people don't do things as well as they once did. Also, they don't take as much pride in what they do. Supposedly, they are still done individually by artisans, but who knows for sure? Also, the lady at WS told me many of these marks are not considered flaws, because it's very difficult to paint cast iron. Maybe this is true? I just think at that price (and something that is supposed to last 100 years), it should be pretty close to perfect! I made a delicious stew to break in my pot. I have to say, I absolutely love the pot! It braises beautifully, and it was a joy to cook with. I've never been a serious cook (although I'm becoming one), and even I can see what a wonderful addition it is to the kitchen. I used the WS stew recipe, and it was SO good. I didn't have the veal demi glace, so I substituted 2 Tbs of tomato paste. If your interested here's the link: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/reci...4424F667E01903B