Couple things - old-style phenolic knobs can't be heated above about 375°F, but the new style phenolics (with only the name "Le Creuset" and *without* the concentric "C" logo) and the metal knobs can go up to about 500°F (hot enough to bake bread like a steam oven). Also, as for cleaning very thickly patina'd enameled cast iron, an overnight soak with yellow cap Heavy Duty Easy Off oven cleaner (the kind with sodium hydroxide/lye) will work nothing short of miracles. Don some kitchen gloves, spray oven cleaner all over the pan, wrap it up in a garbage bag and close the top so the cleaner doesn't dry out as it sits. Come back to the next morning and re-don your gloves, then wipe it out with a couple paper towels and give it a good wash with dish soap. The lye in the cleaner will dissolve the baked-on oils, and you'll have a very close facsimile of a factory reset. For extra thick baked-on crud, maybe do two rounds. Just be sure to wear gloves because lye *is* caustic (as anyone who remembers the soapmaking scene in Fight Club can tell you), so you don't want to get it on your e skin, or inhale the fumes.

I've been hinting to my husband that I really needed the 7 1/4 french oven from Williams Sonoma, finally he got sick of hearing about it and told me to go get it already but when I did, they were not having any sale, I had no coupons and just could not do it. (I'm sure he was aware this would happen!) Thanks to this thread I searched for an outlet store and discovered a store not twenty minutes from me. I called and asked if they were having any kind of sale and they are having a 'scratch off' sale until March, my card was good for 30% off. I easily justified this purchase, lol, and got a beautiful red one for $160. The saleslady tried to sell me a bottle of special cleaner for $12. I have never heard anyone mention a special cleaner, should I go back and get it? My pot is so pretty, I've made chili, chicken soup, beef stew and next up is a Throwdown recipe for Arroz Con Pollo, which is sofrito, chicken and rice.

I've made the following recipe for Chicken and Dumplings a couple dozen times in my Le Creuset dutch oven and it turns out fabulous. Don't skip the sherry! Your family will adore you! Be careful of the salt if you don't use low sodium. I use Swanson's low sodium. Also, I never have to add the extra two teaspoons of oil in step one for the second batch of thighs because there is enough fat in the pan. Here is the video if you'd like to watch,...it's from Cook's Illustrated America's test kitchen: http://www.americastestkitchentv.com/cookstv/preview/default.asp?req=1&station=mainChannel&video=s6/chickenanddumplings Don't use low-fat or fat-free milk in this recipe. Start the dumpling dough only when you're ready to top the stew with the dumplings. INGREDIENTS Stew 5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick) 4 carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick 2 ribs celery , sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 large onion , minced 6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup dry sherry 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves 2 bay leaves 1 cup frozen green peas 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves Dumplings 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon table salt 1 cup whole milk 3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter) INSTRUCTIONS 1. For the Stew: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat. 2. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour. 3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew. 4. For the Dumplings: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth. 5. Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Following the photos below, drop golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve. TECHNIQUE Getting it Right: Adding the Dumplings 1. Gather a golf-ball-sized portion of the dumpling batter onto a soup spoon, then push the dumpling onto the stew using a second spoon. 2. Cover the stew with the dumplings, leaving about 1/4 inch between each. 3. When fully cooked, the dumplings will have doubled in size.

Well, it happens that this past year I acquired an older one (doesn't have the glazed interior). I read up all over the web and although I had doubts I plunged in and tried it. It was the most beautiful loaf of bread I've ever made. It has it's drawbacks, you have to soak it in water and put it in a cold oven, etc. but to me it was worth the trouble. I've added the recipe I used for a rye/wheat loaf. It came from my Southern Living cookbook. 2 pkgs. dry yeast ½ cup warm water 1/3 cup molasses 1 Tbs. salt 1 Tbs. caraway seeds ¼ cup oil (I used olive oil) 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water 1 ½ cups rye flour 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour 3 to 4 cups bread flour Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water in a large mixing bowl, stir and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in molasses, salt, caraway seeds, oil, 1 ¾ cups water, rye flour, and whole wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Gradually stir in enough of the bread flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto floured board and knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Place in a well greased bowl, turn to oil other side, cover for about 1 hour or until doubled. Submerge bottom of Romertopf in water for 15 minutes. Remove from water and pat dry. Put the top of the Romertopf in the water to soak for another 15 minutes. Punch down dough. Put dough into bottom of Romertopf which has been lined with parchment paper. Cover and proof for 20 minutes. When proofed, slash the top of the dough 3 or 4 times, cover with lid which has already soaked and patted dry. Put into a COLD oven and set temperature to 425 degrees. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove lid. (Make sure you put hot lid on a towel.) Bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven (again, place on towel). Remove bread from pot and cool on rack completely.