My love affair with Emile Henry Flame Cookware began several years ago when Pete bought me these two tagines as a gift…
We’ve added a few more pieces since then, particularly in the past year as our old bones and sore arms have necessitated a move away from cast iron.
The Flame range ticks every box for us. Here’s what we particularly love:
- It can be used on a gas, electric or halogen hob, as well as in the oven and microwave. (Note: we’ve never had a problem with the pots on our gas burners, but my mum had one crack after a couple of years – she has an electric hotplate). Cooking in clay over direct heat is something I derive enormous pleasure from.
- It washes up brilliantly in the dishwasher – an important consideration for us, as it was becoming logistically difficult to manoeuvre heavy cast iron pots and pans in the sink. The range isn’t non-stick, but any residual burnt bits have always cleaned away easily with minimal scrubbing.
- The lead-free Burgundian clay gives the cookware a high thermal mass, resulting in even cooking and improved heat retention. My curries will often continue boiling for several minutes after the heat is turned off, and still be hot enough to eat more than half an hour later. Additionally, its extreme thermal shock resistance means the cookware can go from the freezer to the oven without cracking.
- The stew pots are 30% lighter than comparable cast iron. And as our pots are stored on a high shelf above my head, I’m now at far less risk of a concussion.
- Finally, the entire range is absolutely gorgeous! It transitions easily from the stove to the table, and is attractive enough for even the fanciest dinner party.
I have a round 24cm general purpose stew pot in fig…
…as well as a 31cm oval pot, also in fig, especially for curries and poaching large cuts of meat…
…and a 30cm black brasier, which I use for Indian keema and shallow-frying.
These pieces are very expensive, but we view them as an investment. They’re of superb quality, highly functional, and in use almost every day.
Additionally, all of them have been purchased at massively reduced prices – if you’re in Australia, check out the Peters of Kensington website, which offers a wide range of Emile Henry, discounted by as much as 75%. Remember that only the Flame range can be used on the stove-top.
Edit 06/14: When I first wrote this post, the Flame range was widely available in Australia, but it’s become much harder to find in recent times. Everten Online still sell some pieces, as do Peters of Kensington, but both have a greatly reduced range (mostly tagines).
One thing to note – the cookware needs to be seasoned before use. There are detailed instructions with the pots, but it’s an easy process – pour an inch or so of milk into the bottom of the pot or pan and simmer it for five minutes, then turn it off immediately and allow it to cool, before washing. Alternatively, simmer a litre of water with half a cup of rice for five minutes instead of the milk (I’ve actually found the rice works better, as I tend to scorch the milk).
This isn’t a paid or sponsored piece – if you read our blog regularly, you’ll know that I never do those. I’m simply quite infatuated with this 160 year old company and her products.
Here is a clip of Jacques Henry, the fifth family member to run Emile Henry, describing how the Flame Cookware is made. I was impressed to see them using the clay roaster on a barbeque!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
What a brilliant “review” Celia. I am sold purely on what you said.
:-) Mandy
Thanks Mandy! I hope the products become available in SA one day – Cindy was saying below that they’re not there yet. They’re really very earthy and comforting to cook in!
They are very beautiful. We don’t have the products available in our country, instead I am collecting Le Creuset pieces. Also very pricey.
Cin, part of the motivation to switch to EH was that we were struggling with the weight of our Le Creuset pots. I was pleased to find the clay alternative, as slow cooking in stainless steel just wasn’t the same…
You do have a point about the weight issue, I was thinking just yesterday that I probably won’t be able to use them when I am old one day ….
I really want all of them. They look fantastic!
Tes, they now make a ceramic wok which would probably be perfect for that gorgeous nasi goreng you’ve just posted on your blog! :)
Oh they are gorgeous…particularly those red tagines, and that black brazier…ooh and that fig…
Hmm…
Do they cook similar to the romertopf? I don’t love my romertopf as much as you do, but I do like the idea of cooking in a claypot so I am seriously tempted.
No more cookware, I don’t need any more, I have no more room in my kitchen… (keep repeating to myself).
SG, I think you’d feel the same as I do re the clay – it’s a very comforting medium to work with.
It’s completely different to the Romertopf (which we still love and use about once a fortnight). The EH would be used much as you would use your big cast iron stew pot – over the gas hob, in the oven etc – only difference being it can go into the dishwasher. You need to season the cookware by boiling milk in it before the first use, but other than that, there’s no need to pre-soak or anything else before using.
I have a couple of Emile pots but not in this range. It’s great to hear that they are so good and I will bear it in mind for the future as heavy pots are a nightmare, especially when they are hot and fully loaded. It’s the same with frying pans, I tend to go for cheaper ones because they are lighter, do you have a particular favourite Celia? I don’t think the tagines would fit in my oven though, which is a shame because they look so stunning!
I want to know what a sand pot is now – I’ve never heard of one :)
Jo, the tagines don’t have to go into the oven – traditionally they’re used over charcoal. They’re beautiful pieces, but probably the ones I use the least. They’re now selling a slightly deeper tagine with a steam insert – not available here yet, and besides, I think Pete would shoot me if I bought another tagine. :)
The weight thing is such a big issue for us – but I feel like such an old nanna about it all! Honestly, in my 30s, I just wanted a kitchen full of gleaming enameled cast iron pots, but in my late 40s, it’s no longer a workable option. And the problem wasn’t just when they were full and hot, but also the washing up – they were a bugger to manoeuvre in the sink.
Sand pots are the traditional clay pots my mother cooked herbal soups and stews in as I was growing up. They were quite tricky to use – constantly cracking, and from memory they needed soaking for quite a while before each use.
My ambition is to own a few pieces of Flame ware – especially a tagine! I bought a quite expensive cast iron tagine (not Le Creuset) last year and already the non-stick coating is flaking off – a complete waste of money. Should have gone for better quality right from the start!
Suelle, the tagines are very pretty, although they take up quite a lot of room. We babushka ours, one inside the other. Whenever I use ours, I always pop a little toothpick in the side to let a tiny bit of air escape, otherwise it tends to spit. I’m sorry to hear your cast iron one didn’t work out – that’s a right pain, especially since it was expensive!!
This cookware looks wonderful. We bought a really good (and expensive but on sale 50%off) set of stainless steel pots with the money from our wedding gifts 7 years ago and haven’t bought anything since. I would like to get some nice cookware like these to use in the oven instead of the mismatched whiteware we have.
Cat, this is very nice ovenware, but I do think the main reason to pay a premium for it is to use it on the hob, which is what makes it unique in terms of clay/ceramic cookware! We love our stainless steel pots, but the clay provides quite a different stove-top cooking experience!
I love the look of these pots, but I have an induction cooktop – which I love – so I can’t use these. I could always get them in Italy where I have gas.
Deb, you can use them, but you need to buy their induction disc, which sits between your hob and their cookware. Not sure how well it works. I was reading about it here:
http://www.everten.com.au/product/Emile-Henry-Induction-Disk.html
I never realised that they were made of clay before Celia! I hate non stick coatings on metal pans which is why I go for castiron, but I will certainly put one of these on my wish list. I loooove that fig colour too. I’ve always wanted a tagine, but I know it would be more of a decoration than anything else and I always just cook them in my pots. Pete has good taste though, and yours look lovely.
Becca, we only use non-stick in the Woll range, and have been really happy with it to date. Our non-stick frypans have now lasted three years of almost daily use over high heat! The fig is a gorgeous aubergine colour – I was so happy the colour in the photos came out true this time!
Oh, and never make excuses investing in top notch equipment. It’s false economy to buy cheaper ones as they need replacing more often and don’t usually work as well either. (and they make you feel special! Or is it just me?)
Thanks darling, I’m going to try that line on my husband.. :)
Those are some very beautiful pieces there Celia. We have EH cookware here, but I’m not sure about that specific line. I have always admired their cookware, but its just a little more than I can afford right now. They have such beautiful, rich colors. I know what you mean about the weight of cast iron. I got a pretty blue 5 or 6 qt cast iron enameled dutch oven two years ago as a present and I’m surprised at how heavy it is!! It is very awkward to wash.
Mel, for some reason they’re greatly reduced here in Australia at the moment. Perhaps it’s something to do with our strong exchange rate, but I’m really not sure.
I recently bought an amazing book about cooking in clay but was wondering where to get the necessary. I love my cast iron but must admit its a bit like extreme weight lifting (with boiling hot weights) taking my enormous Staub out of the oven. You’ve tempted me…
Sally, you could probably pick up some at a reasonable price while you’re still in the UK.. :)
I love all your pieces. God help me see cookware as an investment too….please. I’ve been twifing over getting a sturdy Le Creuset to accompany me on my long journey home to Nigeria but haven’t decided. Inspiration.
Oz, we spend so much time in the kitchen that it makes sense to have good quality pieces! :)
I love cast iron cookware but it is very heavy and as we don’t have a dishwasher they can be very hard to wash in the sink. I would love one of those tagines though…
Susan, the tagines are a lovely dinner party talking piece, but there’s probably not a lot you could cook in there that wouldn’t work as well in a regular pot.. :)
It’s nice to know there is a good alternative to the heavy, enameled cast iron cookware. I’m still very happy with mine, but it does pose some health and safety issues. I dropped a large roaster on my foot some years ago and limped around for days with a badly bruised and swollen ankle!
Oh dear, that does sound painful! I nearly pulled a large cast iron pot on my head last year, and it did play havoc when I had tennis elbow!
Great review Celia! My Le Creusset died after 20 years of use a few months ago and I’ve been longing to replace it but it’s just so expensive…I’ll look into Emile. What do you cook in your tagines? When do you use the tagine on the hob and when in the oven? I’m fascinated by these gorgeous vessels but wold have no idea how to use them best…
Mrs Bok, did you grow up with a mother cooking in sand pots too? :)
I almost always use the tagines on the hob, but they can go in the oven as well.
Great post- I’m struggling with my cast iron pans and pots weight but am not ready to call it quits, yet. :)
Thanks Heidi! It’s nice that there’s an alternative when you’re ready! :)
hehe your addiction is very cute :)
I’ll let Pete know you’re amused. He’s less amused by having to find storage for me. :)
Ooh looks like a good thing to add to my wedding list. I love cast iron but the weight is just crazy. I love the idea of it going in the microwave and the dishwasher and being pretty enough for the table. Off to Peters of Kensington now.
Claire, you’ve got the perfect excuse to stock up on all sorts of things now! :)
your pieces are beautiful and I agree, buy good quality which will last forever! I use scanpan and Le Creuset at home :)
Tandy, it’s a lesson I wish I’d learnt twenty years ago! Hold out for something good, then use it forever.. :)
Hi Celia,
Long time lurker – first time commenter! Really interested in this post as I was about to buy some cast iron cookware. Does the EH cook the same as cast iron? I have a lovely new free standing oven/cooktop and was concerned that lifting up a full cast iron casserole dish would be a physical challenge especially as I am getting older too! If the EH is as effective as cast iron, I’ll be visiting Peters ASAP. I’m currently coooking lamb shanks in corning ware and it just doesn’t cut it!
Hi Bronwyn! Thanks for stopping in to say hi.. :)
For what it’s worth, we have substituted the EH for our Le Creuset cast iron, and use it as we did the cast iron. The Le Creuset is definitely more sturdy (being metal), but the EH is durable, cooks in a similar way, works on the hob, holds the heat well and is just so much lighter. And as we get older, it becomes more important to us that we can put things in the dishwasher. The problem with free standing ovens (we have one too) is that you have to bend to take things out it, which can be hard on your back if the pot is really heavy.
I think the EH would be perfect for lamb shanks, although you’ve gotta love the old Corningware.. :)
PS. Victoria’s Basement has some pieces at very reasonable prices too!
Celia, we bought my Dad one of the EH tagines a couple of years ago as a gift, and he loves his too, particularly the way it keeps the food hot for so long. It means that for dinner parties, he can bring it out and sit it on the table, and not worry about the food getting cold if everyone takes a little bit of time to get to the table and serve up. (and it always looks fabulous, too!)
I’m thinking the regular pots would make fantastic wedding gifts! (Our Chasseur cast iron pot was one of the best wedding gifts we received)
Abbington, thanks for that, it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who’s enjoying their EH! The tagines are probably the pieces I use the least, but they’re so pretty – I must make more of an effort to cook proper tagines in them!
Someone gave me a handmade clay tagine but I have no. idea if I can use it on the gas flame. It was made in South West rocks. Its unglazed outside but glazed inside. I cannot understand what the big lid does that an ordinary lid does not, apart from ,maybe holding more hot air when put on a table. Is it actually that the weight of the lid makes them kind of like a pressure cooker?
Frances, my understanding is that the shape of the lid causes the steam produced to condense in the top and then return back into the dish, keeping the dish beautifully moist, rather than everything drying out during the long cooking time.
Personally, I’d be hesitant to place over a gas burner unless it came with instructions saying that you could – it would be a shame to have a lovely handmade item crack! Instead, I would use it in the oven (if your oven is big enough to accommodate it!
Frances, I agree with Abbington, I’d be reluctant to put one over a flame unless you were sure it could be used in that way. I think a lot of the traditional ones had to be soaked before each use as well..
I’ve never cooked with a tagine, but this post makes me want to get one. They are beautiful!
Ruth, thank you! They really are beautiful! :)
Hi Celia,
Thks for ur very timely and delightful review of the emile henry cookware! I was going to purchase a cast iron pot but after admiring ur beautiful pics of the emile henry braiser and stew pots, i’m sold.
Ive just ordered via online the EH red braiser and 28cm stew pot! :)) I simply love the fig color of ur stew pot but unfortunately could find only red or black for the 28cm stew pots!
Oh dear! I really must exercise more caution and better self restraint whenever i drop by ur blog….i remember last time – i couldnt help purchasing a few more nordic ware and wilton cake pans after reading the wonderful review of ur cake pan collection!!
Susanna, Perth
Susanna, I hope you love them as much as I do. I really have been so happy with them, particularly the braiser. And best of all, this morning I pulled the pot we used last night out of the dishwasher, clean as a whistle.. :)
PS. Don’t forget to season it as per the instructions (by bringing milk to boil in it before the first use, then turning it off straight away and allowing it to cool before washing).
You’ve convinced me – I’d love to have a piece or two of these, especially those handsome red tagines. My problem is I have nowhere to put anything – so frustrating!
Choc, storage is a right bugger with the tagines. We keep ours babushka’d inside each other, but they still take up a huge amount of room. Having said that, they’d be gorgeous as display pieces – our sideboard is so covered in books and homework though that there isn’t room for decorative pieces! :)