Let's Get to Know the Original La Cloche®

Have you been a Sassafras customer long? If you said yes, then I’m sure you are familiar with our original La Cloche® which was designed and brought to market in 1982. Are you familiar though, with the inspiration for the La Cloche®? The history of it is one of my favorite parts of learning all about my favorite piece of bake ware. The La Cloche® is inspired by the Etruscans, an ancient nomadic people, who carried a stoneware bell with them for baking bread. The Etruscans would place their dough on rocks that had been baking in the sun and then cover the dough with the cooking bell. This is the earliest known stone baking oven, which is where today’s top pizzerias and bakeries have developed the knowledge over the years to create the fine breads that we all know and love today.

Once introduced, the La Cloche® became a hit among gourmet chefs, including the late, great James Beard, who once wrote about it in his syndicated column, wherein he stated “The bread I have been baking in it is nothing short of sensational.”

While there may be copycats out there, the Sassafras La Cloche® is the original and continues to be the best on the market. In order to allow our customers to experience the best bakers out there, we expanded the La Cloche product to include an oblong Covered Baker as well as the Bread Dome. To allow for more versatility, the Bread Dome is glazed on the interior bottom to allow for roasting meats, chicken and vegetables as well.

Here is a little bit of information on these items:

• La Cloche® - the late james beard wrote, "the bread i have been baking in it is nothing short of sensational." truly, this product is a bread-lovers dream as it duplicates a professional brick-lined oven, creating a light crumb and crusty exterior. no need to soak the la cloche™.
• superstone® bread dome - the "incredible" superstone® bread dome is an amazing product for baking breads and chicken, vegetable or meat dishes. the stoneware material replicates a professional brick-lined oven to create a dry, even heat and spectacular bread. the domed shape allows air to evenly-circulate around the baker for a uniformly browned crust on your bread while the unglazed lid helps create the perfect environment for baking crackly breads and juicy chickens and roasts.
• superstone® covered baker - the superstore covered baker produces a spectacular italian, or oblong, loaf of bread! it’s unglazed interior pulls moisture from the dough, replicating the effects of a brick-lined oven to give you a light crumb and crusty exterior loaf. try roasting potatoes in the baker for crispy skins and a fluffy interior. if you’re a bread baker and enjoy baking different types and shapes of bread, this baker is terrific!

There are some amazing recipes out there on the world wide web that, when created using the La Cloche®, will help you to prepare out of this world meals that your family and your guests will go on and on about for a long time. Are you ready to start preparing some of those meals?

Here are some of my favorite breads and meals to make using our La Cloche®:

Country Kitchen Loaf - When it comes to homemade bread, it really doesn’t get much better than this, my friends. It’s traditional country style is simple to make and delicious!

Spanish chicken pot roast recipe - I love chicken, don’t get me wrong, but I really love finding ways to dress it up and this Spanish chicken pot roast recipe does just that.

Basic French Bread - French bread makes an excellent addition to many different dishes and is a staple on many kitchen tables. Our basic french bread is uncomplicated, yet tastes like it would have taken a long time to prepare.

cracked wheat sourdough bread - Much has been said lately about the health benefits of sourdough bread and for good reason. Not only is it said to help your gut health, but it is also quite delicious! Every kitchen should have a sourdough bread recipe on hand, and this one is my favorite.

creamy peach deep dish pie - in case you didn’t know it, yes pie can be made in our stoneware! If you don’t try any other desserts this week, try this one, it is to die for!

Honestly, I could post recipe after recipe of breads, meals and desserts that I love to make in the La Cloche®, because let's be honest, I have yet to try a food made it in that I didn’t love. I’m not saying that it is the best way to cook, oh wait….yeah, I am. So how about it friends, are you ready to check out the original La Cloche® stoneware yet?