Le Crueset - is it really worth forking out on???!

[misspollysdolly]

Seems a shed load of money - Is it worth paying that much or not?!

Pans in need of replacing so just considering the options really...

Expat alternatively just kill a cow and hang it up to dry for about 2 years. But I can seriously probably get some if she likes it?

Ask dd1 to ask her about it, then you can work out whether she likes it.

i have already gotten her a very nice bottle of Cairn O'Mohr wine from a winemaker from DD1's native area, as DD1 is a lowlander by birth, as this teacher is into Scottish history and culture, her husband being this enormous bagpiper who teaches at the local secondary school.

And a tye-dye bag made by a woman here in town who runs a business is such to fill with goodies from around here and some of our own strawberries.

My theme with the gifts this year is as ever: as local as possible.

But, being an immigrant myself, I know there are some things that when you see them, smell them, hear them or taste them, they tug at your heartstrings and remind me of who you are.

K, Kew, I'll say, biltong to her and see how she reacts.

EEwwwww! Is it smelly?

Not sure if anyone has said this but Ikea do a cast iron cruset like range at a fraction of the price. I have the large casserole dish and I practically use it every night. If you don't mind the make then I recommend it.

mull of kintyre cheddar is delicious (see my thread on this important subject) if thats anywhere near you. Otherwise I do think biltong is very evocative of SA.

bloody hell expat, is this the sort of effort I am going to have to put in when dd starts school?

you can get biltong in tesco now y'know.

failing that there's a SA shop in Twickers Kew.

M&S vouchers are local Paddle...

Message withdrawn

theres a palce in Roehampton which makes their own biltong. Don;t want to know where their venison blitong comes from (but they are very close to Richmond park )

my work collegue recommended biltong to me for baby teething - worked a wee treat. crunchy

my work collegue recommended biltong to me for baby teething - worked a wee treat. crunchy

"M&S vouchers are local Paddle..."
?????

lovely local school teacher presents... (get with it, Paddle)

doh! okay, gotchya!

Biltong is just too gross. I think folks are just having me on. They really use that stuff as pest control, they don't really try to eat it .

more for me then

no joshing my wean loves biltong

sorry, expat, were you talking to me?! I'm in scotland, but not south african and no idea what they'd like!

Big fan of cairn o'mohr wine though - sounds like a lovely end of term gift. I think I'm going for oxfam unlimited once again. Can't quite believe that next week is the end of term!

I have two, a huge casserole and a little one with a frying pan lid. I got them as wedding presents - I like to tell dh that I only married him to get a le creuset and a kitchen aid . I really love them, but I guess their value depends on what kind of cooking you like to do. If you like braising, they are almost essential. They are heavy - you have to keep them on the bottom shelf and I couldn't use my big one in the later stages of pregnancy.

I also love biltong - I have south african parents. Salty, chewy - what's not to like?

biltong is great you can get garlic ones an all sorts of flavours though too much of it starts to make me feel slightly lightheaded!

its great if your starving and trying not to eat crap as it takes ages to chew!

ive not got creuset ive got chausseur which are the same but not as expensive, from tk maxx, are ace, dont need to use much oil in them, are great for just dumping in the middle of the table and everyone helping themselves, less washing up and looks pretty too.

le Creuset are fab. I've got the pans and about 4 casseroles, different sizes and shapes. Love them. One of the casseroles is 30 years old. They are v heavy, it's true, and dropping one may well ruin your floor... I wouldn't recommend them for scrambled egg, seems very difficult to clean off, so I've got a small non stick pan for that, but perfect for everything else. If something burns on you can put bio washing powder in it to soak it off. I had no idea you could put them in the dishwasher!! Mine are all different colours, but I [heart] the new turquoise ones they have in John Lewis. Sometimes I go in there to give them a surreptitious stroke

i love mine. i have been collecting them when they were in the sales. macro often have sets on special. they are sometimes found at the local auctions and the car boot sales. i picked up a large frying pan for £1 from the car boot last year.
i even have the gas kettle. it has saved me a fortune in electric when the builders are here. it cost £25 from tkmax the winter before last (i have never had a kettle last longer than a year before)
i have found them ok to clean and i dont mind that they are heavier than the normal metal pans because i know they will last a long time. my step-mum has a set that are 35 years old.
i think the ones with the metal handles can go in the dishwasher but to be honest i handwash mine as they are so easy to clean. i do like that the metal handled ones can go into the oven as well and that i can use the casserole dishes on the hob and then in the oven. I do have alot of the pans and casseroles etc collected over the years and they are used constantly but i rarely use the griddles.

I think they look lovely. But they are far too heavy empty - so can only imagine what they're like when they're full.