Soup's on

Or more accurately, stew is on, as that is what was simmering in the stockpot when this photo was taken. The smaller blue pan in the picture is a 1 1/4 quart saucepan (the handle is sticking out to the left and behind, difficult to see), while the pot to the left is the 2 quart french oven. The dishes in front are 9" and 5" square baking dishes in what they call "Caribbean". Whatever they call it, it makes me smile.

The stockpot and I are going to be great friends, I can already tell. While it's a bit difficult for a height-challenged person to see into the bottom of the pot (particularly when it's on the back burner), the higher sides kept the simmering stew from sending stray droplets onto various parts of the stove. The french oven is a bit smaller than I anticipated, but it was big enough for the leftover stew, and will become rice-or-pasta-pot-of-choice. And what fun to bake the tuna casserole in the same pot it's mixed in...

The enamel-on-cast-iron finish is a dream; even the brownings from the stew cleaned up easily with just the dishcloth. Using the pans is a bit of a workout - enamel on cast iron isn't exactly light, but that's what makes them cook so well. The heat is even, you can use a much lower cooking temperature, and, if you change the black handles to the optional stainless steel ones, it will go from refrigerator to stovetop or oven - at any temperature.

In short, I'm having fun cooking...you're invited for dinner anytime, as long as you're willing to have cook's choice. Just bring a loaf of bread or a dessert as an offering, and we'll be set.