ON THE COVER WHY EVERY HOME SHOULD

WHY EVERY HOME SHOULD HAVE A

Each month, the HB team pick a design classic we think you’ll love forever. This time, our style and interiors editor James Cunningham cooks up a feast

The design icon: The Signature Cast Iron Round Casserole by Le Creuset. Who designed it: Armand Desaegher and Octave Aubecq, entrepreneur craftsmen who met at an industrial fair in Brussels. When & how: The Le Creuset foundry was opened in 1925 in Picardy, France, and production began that same year. Today’s products are still made in that foundry in Fresnoy-le-Grand, using the same meticulous manufacturing processes.

WHY WE LOVE IT

Made using molten iron poured into a sand mould before being shot-blasted, enamelled and finished by hand, the Le Creuset casserole dish, its composition and manufacturing technique share nearly 100 years of history.

As a staple for both home cooks and the kitchens of some of the world’ s top restaurants, it tends to inspire a chef-like confidence in its users. It can be used on induction hobs and placed under the grill, as well as offering the traditional gas stovetop-to-oven flexibility.

Perhaps the most important benefit of cooking with it is that the cast iron provides excellent heat retention. This makes the dish an ideal piece of kit for preparing stews and soups, but also for less obvious uses such as baking bread, deep frying and poaching. There ’ s a certain charm that comes from cooking with Le Creuset, and meals prepared in these casserole dishes really do feel like they ’ re made with love..

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT FOREVER

Put simply, a Le Creuset casserole dish brings joy to a kitchen. As well as its obvious culinary credentials, it adds a splash of mood-boosting colour to countertops – 15 shades are available, from the original orange classic Volcanic to spritely Bamboo (a bold green). So

Collector ’ s item

beloved is this casserole dish that many fans find it difficult to stop at just one, with some kitchens featuring a collection of different sizes and colours, displayed as decoration as well as being used for cooking.

It’ s clear, however, that it’ s not just looks that make this a smart buy: Le Creuset also places a premium on the strength and dependability of its products. Each cast iron casserole dish is sold with a lifetime guarantee, which makes the initial investment more than worth it. Browsethecollection,from£185, andshoponlineatlecreuset.co.uk

Signature cast iron Round Casserole in Cerise, £270

WHAT MAKES A DESIGN ICON?

For a piece to be truly iconic to the HB editors, it needs to: Be recognisable homeware that deserves the spotlight. Illustrate innovative design, whether from the high street or a showroom. Have longevity and really stand the test of time. Serve as an object of desire – beautiful, yes, but useful, too.