Now in these times of economic hardship, how do I justify the purchase of a French Oven? Well for starters, Saveur has listed a Le Crueset French Oven as #9 on their list of 100 items for the home cook. They mention that you can use the oven for so many things, including baking bread! Wow, off to Google. My results: No knead bread...no kidding! Quickly, I borrow a pot from Jackie, and I'm off to make bread.
After mixing together the basic ingredients, you let it sit for 18 hours. I can certainly work that into my schedule. Once risen, you plop it in the cast iron pot and let it bake. The result is the crispiest crust imaginable with a chewy interior full of big holes.
Do I need any more convincing? Just in time, my new issue of Bon Appetit arrives. On the cover is a yummy looking shepherd's pie. I swear that's a french oven holding the stew. Enough for me!!!
Br...ring, Hello Cook.
