Serious cooks understand how clay cookware transforms an ordinary dish. Onions or garlic which burn easily in a metal pan will confit slowly in a clay cazuela over low heat. Chicken or pork 
browns beautifully in clay and develops a succulent crust. And talk about versatile! Our clay cookware can be used on gas or electric stovetops, in the oven, microwave or dishwasher. Bring the finished dish straight from oven to table; the food looks sensational in the clay bakeware and it stays warm during the meal. There are loads of sizes, styles and colors.
Customers often ask which size we recommend starting with. It’s a bit like investing in a set of pots and pans; a few different sizes and shapes are needed. For hearty cassoulets, fabada asturianas or stews, a deep covered bean pot works best. For roasting meats or vegetables, a shallow cazuela is excellent; baked egg dishes or gratins are perfect when cooked in oval or rectangular baking dishes We direct import our clay cookware from Spain, so the prices are incredibly affordable. See recipe below for chicken broiled and baked in cazuela.
COOL WEATHER WINES
2015 Wm. Fevre Chablis Champs Royaux ($23.99) French vignerons and wine critics are hailing 2015 as one of the best French vintages in recent history. Judging by the 2015 wines we’ve tasted so far, we agree completely, and the 2015 Champs Royaux is a stellar example. The entry level Chablis from William Fevre, it offers up a stony richness characteristic of the Kimmeridgean soils of Chablis. This region was a seabed millions of years ago, and the subsoil of gray marl alternates with limestone and abundant sea fossils, which clearly transmits to the wines. Bright and crisp, this mineral-laden Chardonnay is fantastic with shellfish and cheese plates.
2004 R. Lopez Heredia Viña Tondonia Tinto Reserva ($37.00) SPECIAL PRICE, REGULARLY $40.00. Fans of R. Lopez Heredia wines know that this winery ages its wines for much longer than any other Rioja producer. Their 2004 Reserva was just released! Aged for six years in barrel and another six years in bottle, this wine could be sold as a Gran Reserva, which only requires two years aging in oak and three years in bottle. And, as 2004 was an excellent year in Spain and in Lopez Heredia’s vineyards, we recommend stocking up on this wine now if you are a fan of silky and nuanced reds. The 2004 Reserva offers up freshness and complexity, with notes of tobacco and spice. The Wine Advocate rated this wine 94 points, describing it as “a worthy follower to the 2001, the greatest of recent Viña Tondonias. Savory nose, developed with leathery notes, cherry, balsamic and spice.”
2009 Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva Rioja ($70.00) Muga has not produced a Gran Reserva since 2006, as harvests were not up to their standards. “…the phenomenal 2009 Prado Enea. It was produced with grapes from cooler vineyards that enjoyed 20 extra days of slow ripening compared with warmer zones, which provided them with perfect ripeness and deep flavors. This blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and the remaining 10% between Mazuelo and Graciano had an extended élevage, in this case no less than three years (alternating newer and older barrels). This is still a baby and I know Winemaker Jorge Muga would like to keep it in bottle for longer before selling it, but the commercial pressure is tremendous, as there has been no wine since 2006. The wine feels even younger on the palate, and it still needs to develop some further complexity and the silky texture for which this wine is famous. There is good balance here and all the elements are in place for a nice development in bottle. In fact, it feels like one of the great recent vintages of Prado Enea. At this quality level, the price seems like a real bargain. 90,000 bottles produced in 2009.” 96 points Wine Advocate
Edmond Fallot French Mustards
The independent Burgundian family business uses authentic raw materials and high quality ingredients to produce their outstanding line of mustards. A limestone region with dense woodlands, Burgundy has an ideal terrain for the cultivation of mustard. It’s no wonder mustard production became a tradition in Dijon, where manufacturing has been present since 1390! Today, Fallot combines verjus from Burgundy with brown mustard seeds and mills the mixture using millstones to create their renowned Dijon Mustard. Spice up your meals, and try all of Fallot’s delicious flavors!
Dijon Mustard
Seed Style Mustard
Walnut Dijon
Burgundy Mustard
Green Peppercorn Dijon
Tarragon Dijon
One thing we love about cazuelas is that they are so versatile! These exceptional clay cooking vessels are great for cooking chicken, like the one shown here being cooked on a barbecue. Use a cazuela to prepare the following recipe.
Deviled Chicken in Cazuela
Recipe adapted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child $39.95
Serves 8
2 butterflied Chickens
6 Tbsp tarragon Dijon mustard
3 ½ Tbsp finely minced shallot or scallion
4 drops hot pepper sauce
2 cups crumbs from fresh homemade type white bread
Mix together 4 tbsp butter and 2 tsp olive oil. Brush the chickens all over with some of the butter mixture. Arrange it skin side down in the cazuela, and set it so the surface of the skin is 5 inches from the hot broiler element. After 5 minutes brush the flesh with more butter and oil. Baste again in 5 minutes-use the juices in the pan when the butter mixture is gone. Broil another 5 minutes, then sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and optional herbs. Turn the chicken skin side up. Broil and baste 10 minutes or so.
Drain the fat and juices out of the broiling pan into a small bowl; skim off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the top of the juices. Blend the mustard in another bowl with the minced shallot or scallion and hot pepper sauce. Beat up the remaining juices; blend half of them into the mustard. Spread the mustard over the top (skin side) of the chickens, then pat on a coating of crumbs. Baste with the remaining juices.
Roast in the upper third level of the oven at 400F for 10 to 12 minutes. The chicken is done when the drumsticks are tender if pressed, and the crumbs should brown nicely.