On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:48:30 -0700, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

>On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:39:26 -0800, wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:43:24 -0800, David Harmon >
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Watching Rick Bayless just now, he is going to cook some pork in a slow
>>>cooker. But first, he takes the (apparently) ceramic crock out of the
>>>cooker and puts in on top of the gas stove. When it is good and hot, he
>>>uses it to brown the pork in some oil, before putting it back to cook.
>>>
>>>Is that safe? I would be afraid that heating the crock on top of the
>>>stove would be uneven and risk having it crack in two right down the
>>>middle. I don't remember anything in the skimpy instructions from my
>>>Hamilton Beach cooker that would suggest that procedure.
>>>
>>>Does anybody here do that?
>>
>>I saw that crock pot in a catalog, can't remember if it's a William
>>Sonoma or Sur la Table. The insert can be used on top of the stove for
>>browning etc...It runs about $295.00
>>
>>I can't remember if it's a Cuisinart or a Calphalon, one of the two.
>>
>>koko
>
>It's a Cuisinart. I saw Ming Tsai using it too, and was intrigued.
>Maybe some day I will spring for one like that..
>
>Christine

A $300 slow cooker... have you lost your mind?!?!?
See, that's why I gave up watching foodtv, it's all about selling
pretentious useless kitchenware.