These are pots that have a specific use in mind when they are designed...generally to prepare a specific dish in a traditional manner like cassoulets, tagines, daube's, vinegar brewing, steaming couscous, cazuelas, etc. Not that they will complain if you use them for something else. The cassole makes a spectacular salad or punch bowl. A daubiere (flameware casserole) can be used to make any crock-pot type recipe on the stove top, and the spanish cazuela is basically a baking dish but our new flameware version works both on the stovetop and in the oven. About 70% of the recipes in Paula Wolfert's new book "Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking" can best be done in a cazuela.
For Kathi Gori's Polenta, please check out the Clay Coyote Cazuela, or the bottom of the tagine can also be used.
