Thursday, February 21, 2008

I look around but it's you I can't replace

Oh man, what a day I had yesterday. I was stressed out of my mind, Zion was grumpy and acting out all day, and Robert had his night class. I honestly don't remember the last time I've felt so awful emotionally, and thank G-d I don't feel that way often. It was almost like watching another version of me live my life for a day.

Anyway...today things are more or less back to normal. Except for one thing: I burned my chili! Just a little bit...I had visions of myself serving it to my family and insisting that it was just "smoky tasting", but thankfully I caught it just as it started to burn and it's perfectly fine. I swear the burning is the pot's fault. A few years back my grandmother bought us an Emile Henry pot. It's pretty and fancy, and I've never had a pot that seems to conduct heat as terribly. Even soup sticks to the bottom of this pot, right over where the flame on the stove is, and no matter how low said flame may be. I wish I were kidding, cause the damn thing was expensive, and it irks me to no end that I cannot leave it unattended on the stove for more than 15 minutes unless I crave that smoky flavor in my dinner. Even my cheap stainless steel pot does better. To make matters worse, my precious (and most often used) Le Creuset pot (you know, the one I burned a full of pinto beans when we went on a walk one night a few weeks ago?) still smells awful. I've got baking soda in there, hoping it will absorb the smoky smell, cause I can't cook with it as is, it imparts that smoky flavor if I try. And unlike the Emile Henry one, I love and adore my Le Creuset pot (well, pots, technically, but this on is my special pet).

Anyone have tips for un-burninating your favorite enameled cast iron pot?

6 comments:

Cookie's Mommy said...

boo on the pot :(

every breath you take - the police :)

the main stitch upholstery said...

every breath you take the police baby cakes!!!

the main stitch upholstery said...

lime juice, let it sit and then scrub and let the lime juice take out the smell. works great. i throw out my cheap ones, but the le cruset i would save. eric got those in the divorce. sucks. i need more.

Wendy said...

Every Breath you take...police

Wendy said...

Ok first off I cant believe how much that Emile Henry pot costs, and the fact that it cooks so crappy would really tick me off.

I agree with the lime juice suggestion, and I think even lemon juice might work. Good luck as I know how it is to love a pot and have it get messed up.

Unknown said...

I hate to let you know, but I have not a clue how to get the burn smell out of an enameled pot. I hope I never have to figure out the solution, either.
Sucks, though, to know that you've got a FABULOUS pot that is unusable, Jovi.
Arg.