… and a giveaway!

No matter what your cooking style is, high-quality tools are essential. That doesn’t have to mean spending lots of money, though. Here’s your chance to get a really useful tool for free!

I will spend hard-earned dollars on good knives, and on the equipment to keep them sharp. I don’t have much use for gadgets, although I somehow seem to amass them by the dozens. They get used once or twice, then almost always are discarded. In nearly 40 years of writing about food, I’ve acquired a tremendous amount of kitchen equipment, including rarely used specialized cookware like my cherished couscoussier. But only the good stuff survives an annual New Year’s Day winnowing.

I’m a big fan of Lodge cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens because of their durability, high performance, and minimalist good looks. I also like them because they’re made in the United States. This little 2-quart Dutch oven from Lodge Manufacturing in Pittsburg, Tennessee, is the cooking vessel I reach for most often. I use mine so often that it made sense to get a second one.

If you’re cooking for just one or two people, or for four when you don’t want leftovers, this Dutch oven is exactly the right size. I use mine to make soups, stews, and chili. It’s just right for chicken or beef pot pies, whether topped with biscuits or pastry. It’s also the perfect size to make a boule of sourdough or Jim Lahey’s no-knead bread. I plop my shaped loaf onto a sheet of baker’s parchment and put both parchment and dough into the preheated Dutch oven.

I think this little Dutch oven is so versatile that I’ve set up an Amazon giveaway for two lucky entrants. You can share this link with friends and family. In fact, you should, because a prize will only be awarded for every 800 entrants. No purchase is necessary, but I have asked that entrants follow my Amazon’s author page — I want you to do this so you’ll know when The Feast of the Dove is published.

Good luck!