Ironclad Excuse

He looks a little like a pheasant when viewed from above, but he's really a cocky little rooster. The decorative (and surprisingly functional), handle on the lid of my new Dutch oven.

I had been lusting after one of these for a long time, visiting them in the kitchen store, stroking their smooth enameled sides and murmuring about the beeeyoootifoool music we could make together but I needed a good excuse for spending that much money on a single pot. Ouch!

Also, which size? Did I want more than one small one, or one large enough to feed an army? The small ones are undeniably cute and we are only two here most of the time. The large ones weigh a ton and take up more storage space, but the lure of cooking once and having several yummy meals was irresistible.

The change in the weather back to winter was all the excuse I needed. My Beloved and I whisked out to the cooking store - on a day in which it rained, shone, hailed and sleeted all in the same few hours - to ponder colors and shapes briefly before choosing this lovely six-quart behemoth in silvery gray. It is oval in shape, so I'm imagining whole chickens in there or oblong loaves of bread or the perfect positioning those awkward lamb shanks. I'm also thinking that the oval shape will be easier to store in my already-cramped kitchen.

My head is full of enticing recipes and ideas, now that I've had my excuse. How does brown-braised lamb shanks with beans and alliums sound to you?