Cooking is like building a house. If you use superior materials, you're probably going to end up with a better end result. The tools that you use can also affect the outcome. In fact, the tools that you use while cooking are almost as important as the ingredients. The best tools are often from France and come from companies with names that are difficult to pronounce.
My first piece of French cooking equipment was a blue Creuset pot (Pronunciation: "crew-say." It's tempting to pronounce the T--and I did--until a woman at Williams-Sonoma corrected me). My dutch oven is a second and came from Marshall's, but it was (when I bought it) the most expensive piece of cooking equipment that I owned, and its lifetime warranty has guaranteed its heirloom status in our house. I feel like a better cook when I'm using my Creuset.
We've been eying another French acquisition--new flatware. We found a set that we like in the Laguiole style (Pronunciation: "lah-yoll." Again with the silent letters...). I thought that Laguiole was a brand, but it's actually a style--several companies in the south of France make knives and flatware in the Laguiole style. We found a set of flatware with blue handles, and we thought they'd match our china and daily dishes. We went to Sur La Table this evening to investigate. We liked it a lot, but the man working there told us that he didn't recommend putting the flatware in the dishwasher because it would be scratched and damaged. Flatware that requires handwashing is not welcome in our house, so we left the store empty handed.
I suppose we'll have to go a few more months with mismatching flatware.
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