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When I entered my 30s, I vowed to myself that I would begin getting my act together. This includes—but is not limited to—drinking less, working out more, being more responsible with my finances, and attempting to cook at home more regularly. My kitchen (which just so happens to be unusually large for a New York apartment) was a mysterious place that was rarely used: I went in there mostly to get a drink of water, or to raid my snack drawer. But that’s all changing now.
As I’ve been experimenting with more recipes this year and attempting to “chef it up,” I’ve found myself having to build up my array of kitchen tools from scratch—mainly because I’ve been using the same dull knives and pans since college. And recently, I’ve been obsessed with fulfilling a new life aspiration as a result: Owning a set of Le Creuset cookware. Yes, those gorgeous colorful ones.
Even as a non-cook, owning a set of Le Creuset cast iron pots and pans has always been a point of intrigue for me. For one, it’s a sentimental investment: Some of my best childhood memories revolve around seeing my parents use their Le Creuset items in the kitchen. (Theirs in classic black.) Today, I still love the delicious array of enameled colors that the Creuset items are made with—they come in virtually every shade of the rainbow. There are the brand’s best-sellers like Cerise Red, Flame Orange, or Azure Blue, or the more muted (but still chic) hues like white, Thyme Gray, or Rhone Brown. Owning any of these aesthetically pleasing colors, to me, symbolizes sophistication—a signifier of being a true adult. (Or at least looking the part.)
The only problem? As I’ve prepared myself for purchasing my first round Dutch oven, I’ve been overwhelmed by the plentiful array of color options. I simply can’t pull the trigger: Do I just buy my favorite color, and call it a day? Do I try to match a set to the colors of my kitchen? Do I go mix and match different shades? Help! I’m a total color commitment phobe! But I mean, can you blame me? Each Le Creuset item is a significant investment (they’re not cheap), so I want to make sure I won’t tire of the color a year from now. Besides, it’s taken me three years to decorate my whole apartment, so nailing down a Le Creuset color to build an entire set around seems even more daunting—as implausible as me flawlessly cooking a coq au vin in them.
Needing major help, I took to friends, family, and other devoted Le Creuset owners for their tips on choosing the right color. My first ask was to my sister, who has been slowly building her set over the years. “I like to mix and match,” she says. “We have so many different colors.” A few friends and colleagues had passionate thoughts about a more specific color. Classic red got many votes, while the neutral dark green color came a close second. “Nothing too bright that you’ll get sick of,” said my friend Mosha. Others take a more free-spirited approach when it comes to selecting a Le Creuset colorway. “You find one at a flea market for $100 and let the color pick you,” wrote the stylist Nadia Pizzimenti. The jury? It was totally out.
The fun of building a Le Creuset collection, then, appears to lie in the spontaneity. Perhaps the best approach is to simply go with your gut, or to buy some in several different colors to suit your mood, depending on the day. As someone who agonized over the color of my living room rug for months (only to eventually settle on… cream), I decided to take delight in the more fun, non-committal approach. In other words: Just pick one.
My first proud Le Creuset item, the classic round Dutch oven, is currently on its way in a classic Cerise Red—a color that evokes joy, and makes me want to cook a delicious tomato stew in it come the fall. And isn’t that the whole purpose of me buying cookware in the first place? I want to want to be in my kitchen, using my pretty things to make my delicious food. (Well, maybe just edible food.) Call me superficial, but my chic new red pot will help me do just that. The only question that remains: Which color will I go for with the next purchase that I’m currently eyeing, the signature cast iron skillet? I’m thinking either yellow or orange. My cooking style is chaotic and frenetic—so I might as well have the mismatched kitchen aesthetic to match.
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