Experience/observations?
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I've got a couple of unglazed casseroles and tajines. I like them, they clean up easily. -
Paula Wolfert started me on this rabbit hole several years ago. That led me to Clay Coyotes, and I got one of her glazed tagines. And my wife brought into our marriage of 40 years a glazed cassoulet bowl similar to what Clay Coyote sells, oven proof (she did not know what she had, used it for magazines). Recently I tripped across Miriam's Earthen Cookware and her water jug. Our naturalized Mexican friend often has a clay jug of drinking water on her counter. She says that her mother always had one, and now, out of nostalgia, she does it. She says they all like the water, it somehow tastes sweeter. Turns out, most treated tap water is acidic. Clay is alkaline, so makes it sweeter. And many of the chemicals in treated water leach into the clay and can be wiped off the exterior. Clay water jugs have been used for thousands of years.
Several years ago I picked up a thrift store Romertopf baking dish, completely unglazed, $7.99. So, tomorrow, scalloped potatoes. Don't want to spend
$200 on Miriam's water jug; but will be looking around in local Mexican markets for unglazed product.
Steve Sando's Rancho Gordo bean cult is also a proponent of clay. I have his bean pot, the smaller one, which is often out of stock, Love it.
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The water jug, or olla, was often hung up in the shade. The breeze would lightly evaporate the water that leached to the outer surface and cool the water in the olla, nice on a hot afternoon.
From wikipedia: "The olla is also useful for keeping water cool. When an unglazed olla is filled with water, the water permeates the clay walls of the vessel, causing the olla to “sweat”. The evaporation of the sweat cools the olla and its contents. In the early 20th century, many ranches in the American Southwest used the practice of hanging an olla from a rope on the verandah in a shady, breezy spot. Several hours after the olla was hung, it was cooled enough by evaporation to keep butter and milk safely cold.["Comment
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I have a couple unglazed, clay bread loaf pans. I love them over cast iron. A lot lighter and I prefer a loaf of bread vs a round for sandwiches and fitting in the toaster. They discolor but wipe out easily and work great.Comment
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yakima If I may assist in spending your money…..
https://www.mytoque.com/collections/chamba-cookware?_su_rec=MM8ew9qhaeI11vjxrlVFDz220wiAnu5oq Z1t17udo_njW5UIbrdSo68fqV5saPu4TxrCzA8uNu63oYaruwP PKfzxSmVkesZckJ6x2664ikPga9NhTBGcJu6Tx0MUQfam4c1Cg FpLHLD4z1dEY3e5ecG6rNQScRlDuLAlPUWmjU-dd3eAW_whoOcytRCO0H2f5Jl9gzBFQu6RvaoMXgBrUvSAWc9BQ fKf9E0cX2TdtT3wkuthB42wjh38bbJIGQeww4OhETxK21TtGXW 5LCgOUEG9fSy-H71y6prdePd9oeF4PklQjv1d39PuXM5_IgrVTfdAPXRMxVafsA JDs7dd8TZydK8Xb5twKxS8LJYwTHgJ4ucR9T66UmI8taCiyatF Ekids8dMoJ5JO43EQjKH-Zsr&_su_rec_id=b07f3399-0893-4f01-9102-797f0bdf0ac0-1793547956
also available on Amazon
I do not own one of these pieces, but have used several at my old job. They are wonderful. Plus they hit all right buttons for fair trade, etc.
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Clay pot cooking had a mini craze in the 80s. My sister bought me one and a cookbook. I remember the food was very tasty but I have no urge to go out and get one - mine had long since disappeared. I can accomplish just about everything in a Dutch oven. I remember having to soak the clay in water for a time which created moisture inside the vessel when loaded with ingredients. 🤷♂️Comment
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With my growing experience, still limited, it strikes me that a Dutch Oven and a tagine both do the same thing: recirculate moisture. It is hard for me to fathom how a teepee vs dome shaped lid makes much difference.The lid differences seem more cultural/historical and based upon availability of materials. It may be that clay versus cast iron vs enamel coated cast iron may impart somewhat different flavors, but that is hard to quantify.
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I have a very small one that is used for oven roasting a full head of garlic. I do have to soak the top in water before using it and works great.Comment
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