Le Creuset in Bangalore

French cookware brand Le Creuset has opened its first store in India in Bangalore. Founded in 1925 in the town of Fresnoy-le-Grand in northern France by two Belgian industrialists, the brand has been best known for its bright, enamelled cookware. Its range, popular in the West, includes cast-iron and ceramic cookware.

Cast-iron cookware is not new to Indian kitchens, though it’s made way for stainless steel over the past five decades.

We walked through their first outlet on Lavelle Road, opened in mid-January by Bangalore-based Sai Creations. Le Creuset plans to open 29 more stores across the country in the next three years, starting with Mumbai and New Delhi.

The good

The cast-iron and stoneware (ceramic) pots and pans come in a range of colours and sizes. So for those who like vibrant colours in their kitchen, this is it. On the shelves are various sizes of stoneware and cast-iron cookware and a small section of three-ply stainless steel skillets and pans as well. The benefit of cooking in cast-iron cookware is that it takes a long time to heat and also dissipates the heat slowly. Non-stick pans, stoneware patisserie and baking ranges, kitchen textiles and wine accessories are also available.

The store also has a fair variety for those who like to bake with stoneware flan dishes and loaf dishes, and even stocks silicone baking cups and pinch bowls.

The bad

Cast-iron cookware tends to be heavy. The thick pots and pans work for those who like to cook over slow heat. But for those who prefer their pots and pans to be light and handy, it is cumbersome. At the moment, only seven colours in cast-iron and 10 in stoneware are available, as opposed to the 35 cast-iron and 62 stoneware colours available across the world.

Talk plastic

The enamelled cast-iron cookware costs between Rs5,000 (for a 7-inch pan) and Rs27,000 (for a 20-inch Dutch oven). Stoneware ranges from Rs900-6,000.

pavitra.j@livemint.com