If you are worried about Le Creuset on induction, do a search on "Le Creuset + induction" here and you will find several dozen recent discussions of using LeCeuset with induction. Maybe you read something a few years ago about about the weird problem that some of the Viking induction hotplate units had with Le Creuset cookware? Well, you are not looking at hotplates, so do not worry about that. Or maybe, you just need personal reassurance that the magnet test works and that Le Crueset works with induction stoves? Okay. It does. Folks in Europe have been using Le Creuset on induction for half a century. Consider yourself reassured. As for hoods and venting, there are two basic rules of thumb on capacity. For commercial-style and high-btu/premium priced gas stoves --- note that I aid "gas" stoves --- , the generic rule is 1 CFM of venting capacity for every 100 BTU/hr. of burner output. This rule assumes you will often be running 4 or more burners at or close to max power, which may well happen in busy restaurant kitchens but isn't so likely in home kitchens. For everything else, the rule of thumb is 100 CFM per linear foot of cooktop. (So, in theory, that is a 250 cfm hood for an average stove.) Again, for reassurance, you can search on those terms and pull up dozens of discussions that will confirm this for you. That said, the minumum adequate hood capaccity may not be satisfactory and a a greater capacity is usually desireable if you do much cooking on the stove top. A good name for searches for discussions of hood is "kaseki." Tons of helpful posts Again, however, you need to check your local codes and building inspectors. If your local code enforcers say you need a 900 CFM hood or an 18000 CFM hood with a commercial fire-supression make-up-air system for your stove, it does not matter what any of us say. Finding yourself subject to the whims of an unreasonable enforcer is is possible, but it is highly unlikely (unless what you really want is a full blown commercial restaurant stove.) So, you are worried that 600 CFM might not be enough for you? Do you have specialized needs -- are you planning to run four woks, all on the highest heat setting all at once? Or, maybe you plan on running four large cast-iron skillets searing many steaks on the highest heat all at once? Are you are looking to carbonize rather than caramelize on all four burners? Then you have specialized needs and a 600 CFM hood will not be adequate. Otherwise, a 600 CFM venting solution will be fine for an induction stove. What will likely prove more important to you is how you run the ducting from the hood/vent unit to the outside. Fewer bends mean better venting. More bends will diminish the capacity. Also, efficiency will affect how annoying the venting noise will be in the adjoining great room that you mentioned. One advantage of the hoods with greater capacity is that the greater capacity can translate to more venting at lower operating speeds which, in turn, may translate to lower noise levels. Another thing that may affect your choice of hood is how tight your house is sealed and what your local codes/regulators require for make-up air. Installing a very powerful hood in a very tight house can cause backdrafting of CO from the vents for water heaters, furnaces and such. In the US, numbers of local governments have adopted building codes that require make-up air systems when you install vent-hoods with capacities greater than 400 CFM. Check your codes. Folks here often use the abbreviation MUA for "make-up-air." There are numbers of posts here where folks have discussed using lower capacity hoods --- such as 400 CFM over-the-range microwaves-hood combo units -- with powerful ranges. Luv2Putt recently discussed this in several threads (he has a Viking 30" induction range) as has Nunyabiz (who is using an OTR with an NXR open-burner gas stove). Finally, downdraft venting is like the OTR solution: not ideal, but can be workable and may be better than nothing. I recall several recent discussions of downdrafts being workable for induction cooktops on islands in high-ceilinged rooms. Again, more searching will take you to discussion of the ramifications and workability. Also, search on the kitchen forum as well as I believe that there were some helpful discussions there. Maybe you've already tried some searches and did not find much? Sometimes, it just takes a few specific terms or names to help the search along. If you have not already done so, sSearch on names and topics listed above and you will find some useful discussions of the pro-and cons and adequacy of these solutions. Again, lots of discussions of these topics here, so the search engine can be your friend as long as you've got some terms to search on.

Hi! I left a message for Blondelle about the new Staub grill pans (rectangular or square), but as a newbie I'm not sure whether she can answer me--I did not set my preferences to direct e-mail. So I'm asking the question again to all. Except for her answer about endorsing Staub over LC in general, I cannot find any reviews. I need a grill pan which will do nice searing marks and be easier to maintain than the Lodge. The Staub pans also have removable handles and can be put into the oven, and are cheaper than LC. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks! claire de lune

Thanks Kris! I came up with a scheme to make myself feel better and yet be a bit more judicious and proactive. I decided to pick a group of LC colors I want to end up with someday, so that I can add pieces flexibly within that range and yet end up with a somewhat harmonic color scheme in the end, since my goal is to keep the pieces for life then pass them on to the kids (hopefully!) I decided on cobalt/azure, kiwi, and flame for the pots (maybe also caribbean and dijon) and white, cobalt and kiwi (and maybe also caribbean) for the stoneware. I think this will help me not be all matchy matchy but still in a harmonious color group I think I will enjoy for life. I love red but I don't think it goes with what I am hoping to achieve, so I'll just have a single red pie dish later. So I'll return the red dish and the ramekins and keep the rest. Thanks soooo much for chiming in, I really needed someone who knows LC to help enable me, as hubby is out of state for a while and cannot truly understand my love for LC without using it first hand! :-)

I was so intrigued when I first learned about cooking with a tagine. I had to have one. In order to save water, people in Northern Africa came up with an ingenious cookware. Using a high, slopped lid to allow hot air rises to cooler top, forms condensation and returns to the food on the base. So cooking with a tagine only requires a few tablespoons of liquid. It makes sense since it would ensure fuller flavor without being diluted. I knew I should pick a true tagine made of clay with Moroccan pattern, but opted to one made by Le Creuset for its more durable cast iron base. Of course finding a royal blue color to match our existing collection helped too. I love cooking with Le Creuset Tagine. I brown, sauté the food in cast iron base first, add spices and liquid, close the lid and let it slow cook. While cooking, adding ice cubes in the small hole on top of the lid to promote condensation is fun. I started with Moroccan recipes, now I cook Indian, Italian, Chinese, African and American stew dishes with red, white meat or sea food. The dishes always turn out moisture, flavorful and tasty. add photo This post was edited by azmom on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 11:00