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COMMENTS

"Is a flame tamer needed with an electric stove?"
July 2012

"I don't think so. The idea of the flame tamer is to distribute the heat more uniformly. But I think that is what electricity does by design. Just be careful you do not have extreme temperature changes -- gradual ones are safest."

"I love my cazuelas but wow, that is a lot of work to do before using them. Oh well, I'll try it and hope it works."
August 2012

"Dear Gloria, I think you like the cazuelas a lot. As you may have read the clay comes from a clay pit near Girona used since Roman times; and they add some gravel to the clay mix before firing it so that heat will be especially retained and it will be more resistant to cracking. You will enjoy cooking with it -- or just using it as a serving dish."

"Can you cure the cazuela on a gas stove without a flame tamer, so its taking a direct flame, if you gradually increase the heat? Can these handle a direct flame?"
April 2014

"Yes, you can use a cazuela without a flame tamer - but be sure that you have first soaked it in water for a while. And when you use it over a direct flame, be sure to increase the heat gradually. It is the extremes you want to avoid - you need to allow for expansion and contraction of the clay. "

"Can I just do the garlic and soak method and then oven - and not flame thingy? "
July 2014

"Dear Eileen, Sure you can cure it that way. The important thing is to reintroduce some moisture into the baked clay of the cazuela so it will be less likely to crack at an extreme high temperature. And what is better than garlic and olive oil?"

"Right much work! What happens if I don't cure? I just use mine for warm dips and melted cheese plates."
October 2014

"It really isn't a lot of work. The main thing to remember, if you're going to cook with them because, well, you need to soak it in water for a while to moisten the clay, so that it won't crack if it is exposed to high heat. Otherwise the way you're using it is just fine, that is often the way I use them."

"Hi - can they withstand a pizza oven - 500 to 600 degrees F?"
December 2015

"Hi If the cazuela is properly cured it should be able to handle those temps if gradually heated. The issue is drastic changes in temperature. If a room temp cazuela is put directly into a 500 degree oven it may crack. I would recommend that you do some experimentation with one piece before buying a large quantity."

"Will this method also work for clay pots that are going to be used for drinking water? "
June 2016

"Yes, this will work for clay pots used for water. In reality, you probably only need to soak the pot until it is fully saturated, and it should hold the water fine."

"Yes, the process is convoluted, but it's worth it. We have several cazuelas that serve us faithfully. Our newest one, alas, cracked during the curing process. I am assuming that something very small was wrong very deep on the inside. It happens. I'm crushed, but I will live. It is still beautiful and will serve other purposes. The others are intact and work beautifully. "
July 2016

"Can I use garlic infused olive oil on the base of my Canzuela rather than fresh garlic?"
December 2016

"Thankyou for the great instructions! Although I have done the curing method but haven’t used my dishes for a while, I’ve noticed some mold on one, how can I prevent it?"
December 2017

"Can I leave the bottom of my cazuela alone, soaking it for 2-3 hours and cook on the burner with water until boiling? I don’t like the garlic darkening the bottom nor the burnt oil color there."
April 2018

"You may skip rubbing the bottom with garlic. It adds some protection to the cazuela but it is not required."