Russethouse Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 At last we are within a few weeks of '24 hours in France' trip.We are planning a trip to a supermarket and I think it might be a good time to buy a new frying pan, I have a ceramic hob and the middle of some the non stick pans I own, seems to be raised - which makes fried eggs a funny shape......Is it worth buying a Le Creuset ? Do they stick horribly ?Any comments gratefully received ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Frankly I find le creuset far more available in the UK than in France. The 'nice' shops with their liste de mariage sell them, as do places like Galeries Lafayette, but supermarkets, well not really, around here, at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 In St Hilaire market they sell frying pans (aluminium, useable for a year or two) by weight. For n Euros you get n kilos of pans. Does that happen anywhere else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Yes, I bought three tefal pans a couple of years ago by weight. And I have bought a pan once in Carrefour under the same system.I have also bought towels by weight here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 I have seen, shall we say a very near relative, to Le Creuset pans in Carrefour, slightly different name but very similar product.........We also have some good knives with an insect on the handle, (a fly ?) I would like a few more, but I'm not sure I would find them in a supermarket ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battypuss Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 [quote]I have seen, shall we say a very near relative, to Le Creuset pans in Carrefour, slightly different name but very similar product.........We also have some good knives with an insect on the handle, (a...[/quote]the kives are'Lagouille' and Lidl sells them at knock down prices fairly frequently. same beast, believe me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 Ours were a gift, but I like them because they cut well and stay sharp.I notice John Lewis stock them - at a price ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letrangere Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Gay, this is an interesting coincidence for last night when I was cooking I looked lovingly at my beautiful Le Creuset frying pan - 20 years old last November and still as gorgeous as ever - and thought, "nope, can't be bothered" and reached for my dirt cheap Ikea non-stick instead. My problem is that despite lifting weights in the gym, I can't lift the frying pan comfortably with one hand, the large size version weighs a ton (almost!). It's lightly Teflon coated so doesn't stick. But, word of warning, a friend who uses hers more regularly than I do says the non-stick stuff comes off with time.Yes, I've bought pans in France by weight, I think it's quite common in markets, isn't it? Best pan ever though - brilliant for fried eggs, crepes, etc. - was purchased from Monoprix in Paris 25+ years ago. Weighed nothing, cost next to nothing, it was very thin but gave loyal service for years until the handle fell off.Incidentally, Mrs Opas mentioned crepe pans earlier in the week. I also have a solid cast iron Le Creuset crepe pan, black and heavy with a very thin lip. Again, lovely to look at but it DOES stick, horribly, so I'm afraid it hangs on la batterie purely for decoration!M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teejay Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 [quote]At last we are within a few weeks of '24 hours in France' trip.We are planning a trip to a supermarket and I think it might be a good time to buy a new frying pan, I have a ceramic hob and the middle ...[/quote]There is a new range of non-stick frying pans that claim to be fork proof. They aren't cheap, over 50 euros, I think. Probably Tefal but as I was looking at something else I only gave them a glance. Think it was in Darty that I saw them.I bought a frying pan last year from Auchan. It's extremely robust and cost around 28 euros. It's brillant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Hello GayAbout a year or so ago we purchased some Laguiole spoons, knives and forks very cheaply in a newly opened "Hyper U" hypermarket somewhere close to Agde / Sete. The insect on the handle is meant to represent a cigale (cicada) and acts a trademark for items produced in the town of Laguiole. I guess that there are varying levels of quality as I also have a lovely pair of cheese knives (Xmas present) which were just as equally expensive and (as I have found out to my cost) extremely sharp. Not sure if there will be a Hyper U near your destination but might be worth checking their website for locations.RegardsBrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Found the web site, thanks Brian. I looked at the prices in $$$$ - even with the exchange rate I'm going to be treating my kives with a whole lot more respect !!! Any Hyper U in near Caen? Bayeux etc ?? PS I found I have a Le Creuset frying pan - at the back of the cupboard, I remember why I don't like it too - it is heavy but the handle is at an odd angle for me......sort of 45 degrees, makes it a bit unweildy somehow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 The Le Cruset non stick frypans do not last very long, you quickly end up eating black bits and they stick - like mad. I am on my third, the only one that almost works is the very small one but that needs a good wash between each use and then a good oil (it makes a single omelette). Might as well use a cheap cast iron one - which I am going buy as soon as I see one.I went into TMAX (think that is how you spell it) in the UK and got three fantastic cast iron enamelled dishes for £11 for all three (one large and two small). I thought that as they were a pretty shade of grey with cream inside they would look nice on the shelf - they are actually fantastic, I cook, freeze and reheat in them all the time and they take a lot of punishment. I have quite a lot of LC saucepans which are about 30 years old - again I don't use them as they are so heavy but they do look pretty. I find cheap stainless steel for everyday use is fine.As for the knives with the 'fly' on the handle, one of our friends won an item made by them at a raffle. He was so pleased as he knew how expensive they are but when they gave him the box and the 'outer box' found that it was made in China (and it was the correct item). He now thinks that this is where the cheaper versions of their ware comes from, or knowing the way things are going all their ware comes from . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 When I was a Saturday girl in a hardware shop in Uxbidge, we used to sell Cororcast non stick frying pans, we could send them back to Ireland for re coating.My mother still uses her Prestige copper bottomed sauce pans, they came with a lifetime guarantee.......she has had them about 40 years..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Gay - you say that you have a ceramic hob. We had one once and I seem to remember that they recommended using a certain type of pan, either very heavy or very light, can't remember which (sorry). If you have a manual it will give some ideas. I've also found that frying pans are things that need regular replacement. Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Actually I don't think Le creuset are recommended for use with ceramic hob, but they seem fine - I am very careful - my husband dropped one once and it broke clean in half ! (which was preferable to it breaking the ceramic tile floor !) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 [quote]the kives are'Lagouille' and Lidl sells them at knock down prices fairly frequently. same beast, believe me.[/quote]Sorry to be pedantic here, but I think the knives are Laguiole (I am sure I shall be corrected!). Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueV Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 HiI have been using a set of Le Creuset skillets and casseroles for nearly 25 years now (wedding present)! I think the secret to stopping them sticking is not to wash them too thoroughly! Just scrap off any gunge and wash in warm soapy water - don't scrub them and certainly don't put them in the dishwasher. They won't stay looking very pretty - the enamel on the outside won't be lovely and shiny - but they won't stick either!SueV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Spending a few minutes on the Hyper/Super U website seems to indicate that Hyper U's are pretty much non existent in Normandy/Brittany; more like to be found in the south. As the group is a co-op or franchise operation (like Leclerc?) it may be that not all outlets stock exactly the same range of goods (ie Laguiole cutlery).I now know that the trade mark for Laguiole is not a fly or cigale but is actually a bee! Like Gay I couldn't believe the prices on their US website. I seem to remember coming across their knives and forks many times in Logis de France restaurants.Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalpa Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I've bought several sets of Laguiole knives from the wondrous retail temple that is TKMAXX - at somewhere in the region of 60% off. But... someone was quite correct that the quality can vary. AFAIK, if the bee is embossed on forks, the place of manufacture is likely to be outside France (didn't know it was China) but if the bee is 'attached' to the side it's made in France. I've read this somewhere though can't now remember where. They're not dishwasher-proof... or at any rate, it's not recommended. Bummer!For good quality pans, I only buy at John Lewis... or, of course, TKMAXX. I think it's TJMaxx in the US... maybe they'll target France one day. TFMAXX? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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