Exceptional Terra Cotta Cazuelas from Breda

These classic rustic refractory clay cazuelas are only made in Spain by one potter, Ceramicas Torrent. The secret to their exceptional quality of these remarkable cooking products is first, the clay coveted by potters since Roman times.  It comes from the village of Breda, in the Pyrenean foothills. Second, the Torrent potters follow the Roman custom by adding very fine pebbles to this traditional clay thereby producing “refractory clay”.

Torrent potters fire the dishes and cookware at a temperature that is higher than is normal for terra cotta production.  The antique design cazuelas feature hand made handles which the potters manually attach to each cazuelas before firing -- in contrast to the mechanically produced cazuelas with cast handles.

After the initial firing, the artisans remove the items from the oven and leave them out to cool completely (about 24 hours, more or less). Finally, the potters hand dip each item in a lead free glaze and re-fire them. The finished product is an authentic rustic traditional cazuela.

Two items in our Breda Collection (the 6.5” and 8” bowls) are known as Cazuelas Valencianas. They are exact replicas of the classical Roman bowls – a design that has been used for two millennia. The ollas (items ca-20, ca-21, ca-22), are magnificent pieces for use by the gourmet cook for baking and stovetop preparation of cocidos and stews.

A health note: This producer is the only manufacturer in Spain, which for quality control, uses photo-atomic analysis to assure that the products are cadmium-free and lead-free. The FDA requirement for a product being “lead-free” is one part per million (PPM). Our cazuelas have less than three hundredths (03) parts per million (PPM).