Le Creuset Botanique offer and Champagne suggestions

Le Creuset Botanique

I'll confess to being less than motivated today, so this week's email may be a bit on the short side. Whilst Em's away in our Banstead shop helping keep it open Tuesday to Friday and our understaffed website operation going (Eve sadly left us for pastures new three weeks ago), I've been bothering Paul Taylor (and Vicky and Jacky) in the Reigate shop, for ideas for my weekly emails.

This week he mentioned the Le Creuset's one off range called Botanique, which is all Autumn colours, but which they rather strangely introduced in the spring of this year.

Babette loved it and asked me to bring mugs, bowls and mini plates home for her, some of which you can see in this photo of her "playing" with her new "toys". A rather touching photo I think.

This week he mentioned the Le Creuset's one off range called Botanique, which is all Autumn colours, but which they rather strangely introduced in the spring of this year.

Babette loved it and asked me to bring mugs, bowls and mini plates home for her, some of which you can see in this photo of her "playing" with her new "toys". A rather touching photo I think.

Anyway we still have some stock left and I thought, as its now the right that time of year for talking about this very autumnal range. I'd remind you of its existence.

It comprises:

1. Mugs (in three sizes)
2. Bowls (in two sizes)
3. Spoons, (odd thing to do?)
4. Side Plates 17cm
5. Egg Cups,
6. Ramekins (mini)
7. Mini Casseroles

The mugs are the standard Le Creuset sizes of "Decent mug of tea" mug, a "Cappuccino size" and a little "Espresso" one.

The most useful bowls are the Cereal bowls I think. They do what they say, cereal, but also good for a lunch time soup or left overs of one kind or another. We had the first risotto since Babette died (she did Risottos a lot), cooked by Jeanne last night, and in true Babette style there was enough to feed a small army, so I shall probably have it for lunch today and a Le Creuset Cereal bowl will be put to good use for this.

The small side plates we sometimes use for breakfast or a slice of cake at elevenses time.

The egg cups and small ramekins we don't have so I'll leave you to imagine what you might do with these.

The mini casseroles we do have, but apart from looking pretty on the shelf where they sit, we don't honestly use them very much, although I do, on occasion, think a rich chocolate mousse might fit in there quite well?

They are mostly sold in sets of 4 pieces and for this weekend I'm doing an offer of 25% off any of these sets.

So, for example a set of four big mugs would come down from £55 to £41.50. Use code BOTANIC25 on the website or tell us who you are in the shops.

The other piece that Paul reminded me of is the newish Le Creuset Stoneware 24cm (9.5") Heritage Round dish. It's called Heritage because it takes its design from the old ranges Le Creuset did 40 or 50 years ago, which had the rather attractive ears (handles) that were so archetypally Le Creuset back then.

An obvious use would be a good crumble, with plenty of filling (they really are usefully deep, these dishes) or in Paul's opinion, an apple pie with pastry base as well as lid would be easily possible in one of these.

"Would you blind bake the base first?" I asked him.

He thought not.

"Soggy bottom?" I queried.

"Possibly" he said, "but it depends on how much liquid's involved".

Being stoneware they are tough, so will take a decently high heat. A lovely piece I think. £32 down to £27.50 for this weekend only. Use code HERITAGE on the website or if in Reigate or Cobham tell us who you are.

Global Champagne Day

It's Global Champagne day next Friday (22nd October), and I thought I'd remind you of three things to do with this king of wines. 

1.  Decant it....it makes a huge difference.  

2.  The cheese from Langres (a town in the Champagne region) goes incredibly well with Champagne. Try Langres on sourdough crackers or just sourdough or just crackers and wash it down with Champagne (that's been decanted for 20 minutes to half an hour) ....and then tell me if life can get any better... 

3.  Don't be a sheep and drink your Champagne out of a flute. They do that wine NO FAVOURS! 

I don't want to be accused of being predictable (but I am going to be).

You should be drinking your Champers out of the Riedel Vinum Champagne glass, which you will see below. Its slightly diamond shaped bowl allows the wine to develop very nicely and retains the aromas (unlike a flute).

It comes in two guises. One is the Riedel Vinum range at £49  to £38.95 Or the Veritas version at £44.00 per pair, or less for the Set of 4.

Either of  these glasses, combined with decanting your wine beforehand, will give you pleasure on a scale that you could not previously have imagined.

Am I exaggerating?....well I don't think so!

But why don't you try, and then tell me, or better leave a comment below.

As always if you disagree, we are always very happy to take back your used purchase and give you a refund.

That's it for this week, I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful weekend.

Kind regards,

Andrew

Andrew Bluett-Duncan
Director