Kitchen Giants: Le Creuset
Le Creuset may not seem obscure to many people, in fact they are one of a handful of names that are more or less synonymous with kitchen products. However, do you know what a doufeu is? We didn’t either, until we got the chance to try one out, and then we tried out their reversible griddle just for good measure.
The doufeu we tried out is the 75th Anniversary edition of an amazing piece of cookware that was created in 1934 and is still relevant today. There is really very little difference between the Le Creuset Doufeu of then and now. This 7 quart pan is still made out of sand-cast iron, finished by hand, and sprayed with enamel and kiln fired twice. But, what is a doufeu? The term doufeu is french for “gentle heat”, and the concept is simple: create an environment that is cooler outside the pan than inside, which will create condensation inside the pan as it’s heated. That condensation will collect over the food that is being cooked, and will drip back onto the food throughout the cooking process. So, basically, you put ice in the lid, which also has bumps or knobs on the underside, and it stays cooler than the rest of the pan. This allows for food to be self-basting, eliminating the need to open the oven or remove the lid in order to baste food as it roasts. So simple, and so brilliant! This pan can be used in the oven or on the stovetop, with basically any kind of heat source, be it gas, electric or induction and is dishwasher safe. Really, you’d have to try very hard to ruin a Le Creuset pan- we did, without much success. (There are a few times we like to fail, this is definitely one of them.)
We also tried out the Giant Reversible Griddle, which is also fully enameled, but due to the black color and rough surface doesn’t appear to be. (We promise it is!) This griddle is large enough to fit over two standard burners at 18.8 × 10.2 × 1 inches, and can be used with both gas and electric stoves, though it doesn’t work on smooth ceramic top stoves. The newest version, which is what we have, has larger handles and a deeper groove around the outer edge than previous versions. The “grill” side has ridges that are fairly close together, which makes it ideal for almost any cut of meat or veggie you’d like to use, producing a very pretty grill mark even on small items. The deep groove that runs around the outer edge was enough to collect juices and fat that ran off of both our meat and veggies, keeping our stovetop nice and clean. Because it’s enameled there is no need to season this pan, it’s good to go right out of the box. The smooth side is perfect for breakfast foods: pancakes, french toast, eggs, bacon and the like. We were able to get six medium sized pancakes as well as a few eggs and enough bacon for a full meal, and without having to get out multiple pans to do so. Needless to say, we’re big fans of this. We also love the fact that the reversible griddle, like the doufeu, is dishwasher safe. There were no issues with rust on either pan, even when left sitting in water for a few days. We don’t recommend you do this with your pans, of course.
You can find both the doufeu and the giant reversible griddle directly from Le Creuset, or from online vendors like Amazon or Sur La Table. They are also widely available in most major department stores and high-end kitchen stores like Williams Sonoma. The Giant Reversible Griddle will run around $160 and the Doufeu will run around $300. Le Creuset isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for, which is wonderful cookware that will last you a lifetime- if it doesn’t the warranty will cover it.
