Burgundy is justly famous for its distinctive wines. The wines benefit from an exceptional terroir including mineral-rich limestone soils. You may not know it, but that soil has multiple uses. Like ceramics.
Since 1850 the Emile Henri family has crafted ceramic cooking ware of distinctive, yes, exceptional quality. And colors. This red is Suzi’s personal favorite.
What makes the Henri cookware so important? The clay slowly and evenly diffuses heat, ensuring very even cooking. Off, the burner, the ware stays hot so you can remove the food and easily keep it warm for an extended period.
These cooking pieces are tough. They do not easily chip or crack and you can cut on the surface with a knife and do no damage. Food tends not to burn on the surface and well-done food will not stick to the surface. So, cleanup is easy. In fact, the products can go right into the dishwasher.
The piece you see in the picture is a stewpot and comes with recipes for Beef Bourguignon and Ratatouille. So, how does Suzi use hers? To bake bread, of course.
Suzi is using the bread baking method promoted by Tartine in San Francisco. You heat your oven very hot, 500° F. You place your cooking container, like a large cast iron pot or a casserole, into the oven and let it come to that high temperature. Then, quickly, you pull the container, plop in your raised bread dough, slash the top with a razor, and return the pot to the oven. The pot is covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered until the bread is finished, about another 20 minutes. The oven stays at 500° F for the entire time.
Suzi has used cast iron and there can be a little issue with the bread sticking. With this new Henri casserole pan, large enough for a major loaf of bread, there is no sticking at all. It’s a breeze to remove the bread and cleanup is a simple swipe. This Emile Henri Stewpot is the bread baker’s new best friend. Here’s a better look at how lovely the bread has become after an Henri-style baking:
