It began innocently enough. We got engaged. Then we got married. We invited lots of people to the wedding - most we liked, some were obligatory guests. One of the obligatory guests included my boss at the time - a self-important, snobbish woman well past retirement-age. Back then, I never would have guessed that her wedding gift would start me on a decades-long affair with all things Le Creuset.

A friend pointed out to me what an expensive gift my boss had given me. I thought the Dutch-oven was cute, but certainly overpriced. It was just a pot after all. Or was it?

As we unpacked boxes in our first little, rental house, the Dutch-oven looked too pretty to put in a cabinet. I kept it on top of the stove instead. I did not use it, but I liked to look at it. It cheered up our little kitchen. Sometimes I would put a bouquet of “artistically” arranged flowers in the Dutch-oven to make it even cheerier. (I was young and weird, sue me.)

Then, I quit my job - the boss, thing, remember? And, between jobs, I started cooking. A lot. I finally used the pretty little Dutch-oven to make Coq Au Vin. Our Dutch-oven matched the one in the recipe’s picture. How could I go wrong with wine, chicken and mushrooms in a cute little red pot? Ahem. Let’s just say my husband is a saint with the ability to digest anything.

Eventually, I got a new job. My cooking improved and the Dutch-oven and I were fast friends - chicken and dumplings, pot roast, better Coq Au Vin and lots of soup.

One afternoon on my lunch break, I spotted the cutest tea kettle in a thrift store. The shape and the weight of the thing seemed worth a $7 investment to me. When I got it home and scrubbed and shined it, I noticed the Le Creuset symbol on the bottom. I was getting fancy.

Then came the kids - in just a few years we were a family of six, not two. I asked for, and received, a new, larger Dutch-oven - a big blue Le Creuset. And they say there is no Santa Claus! Over the years, I have acquired an assortment of saucepans, baking dishes, stock pots, skillets and various-sized Dutch-ovens. I even have a pie-bird that “sings” when your pie is done.

When we bought a house, I went a little insane with paint to make up for years of rental whites and beiges. Eventually I found a style of my own. I can safely say we built our large kitchen/dining area around our colorful pots and pans. On days where I do not feel like making dinner, the colors surrounding me and the colors of my cookware never fail to lift my spirits and inspire me. We entertain large groups of people often and I love being able to set our colorful pots and pans right on the buffet for serving. They look festive and hold heat well.

When our kids got to the age where they needed to learn to cook, we found most of our beloved Le Creuset pots and pans were too heavy for them to use safely. I did not want my children to hurt themselves, but I also worried about the pots and pans themselves. A chip in the beautiful finish would be devastating! (I didn’t say I was proud of these feelings, did I?)

We picked up a set of lighter mid-to-high-priced pots and pans for them to use as they learned the fine art of cooking grilled cheese, pasta and hamburgers. Those pots and pans served us well in a utilitarian way but, they lacked the “joy factor.” The kids learned to cook and bake without us having to put them on a weight-training program.

As my husband and I grow older, I wonder if we will reach a point where our favorite cookware is too heavy for us. I hope not. How strange that my love for my cookware serves as motivation to work out.

After about eight years, the lighter pots and pans were dingy, their cooking surfaces were worn thin and several of the handles were falling off. The Le Creuset’s? Shiny and new looking! We sent our first child off to college with the not-so-great pots and pans. He was thrilled - they were free and familiar! The kids still at home noticed the difference when they cooked using the “good stuff.” They accused us holding out on them all of these years.

Just recently my husband and I celebrated our twenty-fourth anniversary. I made Coq Au Vin in the twenty-four-year-old Dutch-oven. We looked at our wedding album and laughed over memories and big hair and puffy sleeves. We talked about my old boss. She bought us that Dutch-oven as a status symbol for herself and maybe she impressed some of our wedding guests. I guess in the end she triumphed. I am the most impressed though not for the reasons she had hoped.

I would never in a million years have considered buying a Dutch-oven that cost nearly as much as our rent back then! Now, 24 years later, that pot would have cost us roughly $12 a year and is showing no signs of wearing out. The same holds true for our entire collection. These pots and pans will most likely get passed on to one of the kids. (I’m planning to be buried with the tea kettle because I love it and $7?)

Be warned, there are a some negatives. The first I’ve already mentioned. These are solid, heavy items. When you add food, they’re even heavier. This is especially important to consider if you are short. The lack of leverage might make maneuvering these pans difficult and dangerous. Secondly, Le Creuset cookware must be hand washed and then dried right away. It is not dishwasher-safe. It has never bothered me as we never have room in the dishwasher for pots and pans, but it can be a deal-breaker for some. Finally, to keep the cookware in good shape, you must use silicone or wood utensils when cooking and scrub only with soft scrubbers, never metal.

It’s been a long ride. One of the pluses of Le Creuset cookware is the fact that it hold its value. I find myself scanning estate sales, garage sales and thrift stores looking for unusual pieces. My old boss would not understand at all. Still, I owe her something. Without her wedding gift, I would have missed out on a bunch of everyday items that have made me smile  for a quarter century! Thanks, June.

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