Does anyone have a La Cloche?

[Lucinda]

I have a tiny tax refund coming, and I'll have a little bit left over after I pay a bill. I'm baking a LOT, and I really like the idea of the clay cooker.

I found a LA Cloche at breadtopia for $39.


It seems like the manufacturer has solved their previous packaging problems, so I'm really tempted.

Anyone use one?

[The empressof all]

1. I have something similar

Pampered Chef use to make a huge bowl made out of the same thing as Pizza Stone. I use that turned upside down on top of my Pizza stone. I don't bake ever anymore but when I did...I loved my little Pizza Stone Oven.

[Lucinda]

2. That sounds like a good solution!

I thought about an oven safe stainless steel mixing bowl and a pizza stone. And I've looked a romertopfs too. I really want clay.

I keep thinking i should be able to improvise something. :D But so far, no luck.

[The empressof all]

4. I have a Romertopt

The thing with these kinds of pots is that they recommend soaking and starting them in a cold oven as they have a tendency to crack. The Pizza Stone is meant to get blistering hot so they are tougher to break IMO. The Romertopt is great for stews, pot roasts and what I call potted chicken. (You won't get a crispy skin from these pots and the chicken comes out very soft---great for babies, sick people or people with bad teeth) I make my garlic chicken in my clay pot...but rarely use it for anything else. Then again, I'm just not cooking much anymore. I just can't bring myself to get rid of all my stuff. (I think I pretty much have almost everything one could want in the kitchen department--it might not be the fanciest or the newest but I'm pretty sure I got it or something like it)

[Lucinda]

7. Thanks for the info! I had a romertopf years ago but never tried with with breads.

I'm liking the idea of the pizza stone bowls more and more. Its not a huge outlay of cash to test clay vs iron.

[Lucinda]

3. Does your bowl look like this?

[The empressof all]

5. Yep...That's it

I looked for it on Pampered Chef a few months back because I was talking about it with someone here and wanted to get them a link. It looks like they stopped making it. I think they are sometimes available on E-Bay. The bowl is great. I cook dressing in it at Thanksgiving and then turn it out on a huge plate. Lots of crusty goodness to go around for everybody!

I can't tell how big that one is...Mine his huge!

[Lucinda]

6. Thanks! There are several on ebay.

I think that one is about 11 inches.

[The empressof all]

8. One of the things I loved to do with this bowl

Turn it upside down and weave bread dough on the outside to make a woven bowl of bread. It was one of my greatest hits whenever I needed to bring something wonderful somewhere. I made a tight weave and filled it with green salad. You can also just roll out dough and make a solid bowl just by baking it on the outside of the bowl. Lots of fun!

PS: I've also done it with cookie dough for a cookie bowl. It needs to be watched as it's easy to burn

[Lucinda]

9. What a great idea!

I never would have thought of doing that!

[Lucinda]

10. Post Script: I found one at ebay for 4.99 plus shipping on buy it now

Wish it a safe journey to my house?
I love the internet. :)

And I still want a bowl like The empressof all has. :)
One of these days.....

[hippywife]

11. Hope it arrives all in once piece for you

and it works as well as you want it to. I've never used one so I'm curious to hear how it turns out.

[Lucinda]

12. Thanks! I've been really happy with my enameled stock pot results, but

it's got some areas where the enamel is chipped and i'm really not comfortable cooking with exposed mystery metal. It's great though, because it's very lightweight, not too bulky, and I can do several sizes of boule in it.

It's one of those inexpensive enameled ones...you can see a little of it here:




But since I found the cloche at such a great price, and I have a tiny refund coming, I thought i'd try it. Hopefully it wont be broken.

[The empressof all]

13. EBay Link for the bowl like mine---ending soon!

This is just like my favorite bowl


http://cgi.ebay.com/Large-Pampered-Chef-Stoneware-Baking-Dish-Mixing-Bowl_W0QQitemZ180325702523QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCookware_Bakeware?hash=item180325702523&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Lucinda]

15. Thanks! I found several the other day and almost got one earlier...then I found the 4.99 La Cloche

I AM going to get one of these soon! One splurge at a time for me though.
When you mentioned cooking dressing in yours I realized I could probably find a lot of uses for one.

[troubleinwinter]

14. No,

but there are these:







I have been doing my 'Artisan in 5' on a large terra cotta saucer and found this to be a great alternative to the big bux.

Fun for cheap.

[Lucinda]

16. Yup. I did a little research on those and realized I couldn't guarantee they were food safe

So I moved on. I have such screwed up health problems that I didn't want to take the chance. And I got my La Cloche for 4.99 plus shipping, so i couldn't resist.

I really like do it yourself alternatives to big ticket items. I was just thinking about making my own proofing basket. Those suckers are expensive. LOL