Cooks as good as it looks.
Nothing cooks or bakes like a Dutch oven. They were the original slow cooker before slow cookers became a thing. They’ve gotten prettier over the years, but functionally they’re still the simple, cast iron vessel that chuck wagon cooks used long ago.I have other Dutch ovens, but I didn’t have an enameled one. This one caught my eye, because it’s so different. The graduated color shading and the inlay on top are the first things you notice, but there’s more to it. That inlay is silicone and it removes. It’s a substantial, heat-proof trivet that self-stores when not in use. Speaking of substantial, this Dutch oven weighs in at 13 lbs 9.5 oz. It maxed out my kitchen scale, so I had to weigh the bottom and lid separately.The knob on top is shaped like an old faucet knob. It stands up tall, so there’s plenty of room to get a good hold even with an oven mitt or potholder. On the underside, you notice odd little bumps. Those collect condensation and drip it back into the pot. They create a rain-like effect that continuously bastes the meat, and they really do work. The Dutch oven bottom is finished in a dusty pink color that quickly fades to a light ivory as it moves up the sides. The inside is a light ivory enamel.It’s a very pretty Dutch oven, but can it cook? Yes, it certainly can. I put chicken pieces in the Dutch oven to see how they’d brown. They mostly browned nicely, but admittedly, I overcrowded the pot. I needed enough chicken for the chicken tortilla soup I was making, and time wasn’t on my side to do multiple batches. It did a great job of simmering the soup with the lid on. There wasn’t a single boil over despite the pot being full to within 3/4 inch of the top. The soup just sat there simmering away gently. It was delicious.Prior to using the Dutch oven for the first time, I washed it with mild soap and water. Once it dried completely, I coated the inside of both the lid and the Dutch oven with a very light coat of canola oil, then put it in a 300F oven for about half an hour. When it was cool, I wiped out any excess oil, and it was ready to use. I believe this had a lot to do with how easily the Dutch oven cleaned up after cooking with it. It took only a couple of minutes with a non-scratch scrubber sponge and some mild dish soap to have it looking like new again.The Dutch oven comes with excellent instructions, and they’re well worth reading. Adhering to the do’s and don’ts will go a long way towards keeping the Dutch oven looking and cooking like new. It will see a lot of use in my house. With the temperature outside -4F, soups and stews will be on the daily menu.