Claudia&Julia's Blog

"To cook with a stainless steel pan it is very important to control the temperature". I recognize that was almost the only thing I could say about stainless steel pans, since I didn't have much else to tell from first-hand experience until quite recently.

I can say I spent a lot of time addicted to the bread maker. I used it daily. Most people didn't understand it, because I was lucky enough to have one before they became fashionable. But that's how it was: it's a device so easy to use, that takes so little time and gives you so much! Having freshly baked bread with your own ingredients... it does have a price. The cost of the bread maker.

I've never been much of a follower of trends, and maybe that's why I've never made a fondant cake or cupcakes with coatings or frostings that taste like nothing, despite how popular they are. You won't have seen recipes, products, or supplies for them on the website. I admit it's an art to make them, but they simply aren't for me. But there is one trend I definitely embrace, and that's the trend of naked cakes.

I have seen and used Pallarès knives all my life. They have been used in my grandparents' and my mother's kitchen. I still remember going into a village shop holding my mother's hand to buy them. I'm accustomed to them and fond of them, and that is why it was a pleasure and a thrill, I must admit, to add them to the shop.

Many of you are wondering whether it's worth buying a Kitchen Aid stand mixer or not. Many of you would buy it without thinking, if it weren't for the high price. It's true, a stand mixer is a big investment. That's why I wanted to share my opinion, trying to be brief and give what, for me, are the key points when deciding. It's an opinion, I believe, sensible, and nothing more than that.

Making meatballs and burgers ourselves is an easy task. By preparing them at home we achieve a flavor truly superior to that of those usually available to buy, thanks to the spices and seasonings we add to our taste. If we also select and grind the meat ourselves, the results are absolutely top-notch.

I started using Kyocera knives some time ago because I was told that the edge retention of the ceramic blade was much higher than steel ones, and that ceramic didn’t oxidize food. With use I realized that they also have a very good grip. And today, with the opinion Virginia, author of Sweet & Sour, gives us about them, I’ve realized that, indeed, I like them and have gotten used to them for many other reasons.

One of the skillets we sell the most in the store is the Le Creuset skillet. As you know, at Claudia&Julia we specialize in cast iron cookware, and we want to answer the most common questions about one of Le Creuset’s most iconic pieces, the skillet, and explain why we’re big fans of this skillet, which is as versatile as it is beautiful and durable.

I knew that Noelia, La cucharina magina, was delighted with Nordic Ware molds. For that reason I couldn't resist and the last time I spoke with her I asked if she could prepare a post explaining the virtues of these molds and how to use them. If you're interested in these molds, don't miss it!

Patricia, del blog Sabores y Momentos, nos habla en esta ocasión de unos productos que conoce bien y a los que tiene mucho cariño. Patricia lleva mucho tiempo usando moldes y otros utensilios cerámicos Emilo Henry en sus recetas por lo que me ha parecido interesante que comparta su experiencia y consejos en nuestro blog.

A few days ago I was talking with Miriam, from the blog El Invitado de Invierno, about some of the products in the shop and she told me how happy she was with the crêpe pan since she uses it a lot. Hearing about the recipes she makes and how often she uses it, she conveyed such enthusiasm that I couldn't do anything but ask her to talk to us about crêpes and give us some good tips to make the most of the pan. I'll leave you with her post!

Today I want to talk about a material that is my greatest ally in the kitchen and makes me feel completely confident when preparing my dishes: cast iron, and especially to share all the secrets to learn how to cook with and get the most out of Le Creuset cocottes, skillets, and grill pans.