#le-creuset

#le-creuset

Yes, it's trendy, it's expensive, and it's not not about having a beautiful object in your kitchen that says "I know what I'm doing." But it would be a mistake to write them off. Dutch ovens are versatile workhorses that can be used to braise meats, simmer stew, make a soup, or even bake bread. Thanks to its hardy construction, it can go from stovetop to oven, and then, thanks to its often-lovely appearance, straight to the dining room table as a serving dish.

While most travelers may look for unique souvenirs to take home, for chef and food writer David Lebovitz scours, coming across old pots and pans is like stumbling upon a gold mine. That's especially true if the cookware bears the Le Creuset name. "I'm a random collector of Le Creuset," Lebovitz admitted in a blog post from 2015. Passed down for generations within French families, he also confessed that the famous Paris flea markets are the ideal place for him to find them.

"It is overwhelming the amount of stuff that's there," Horton says.