kitchen workarounds?

[greenbirds]

I don't know if anyone has a solution to this problem, but I figured here would be the place to ask.

I'm a pretty avid cook (there was a time in my life when I was debating between chef school and an academic career), and I am absolutely in love with enameled cast-iron cookware like those awesome Le Crueset dutch ovens (which I've used in other people's kitchens when I've had some help to handle the doggone things), but for one thing: I have arthritis in my hands and wrists which makes it really difficult for me to hold anything that heavy -- something that's required if I'm to say, put a full dutch oven in my oven to bake and then take it out again.

Enameled cast iron's pretty spendy, so I'm reluctant to plunk down a ton of money on something I may end up not being able to use. I'm wondering if anyone here has found useful workarounds for moving heavy cookware around the kitchen? I would be forever grateful!

TIA! :)

Comments

[msilverstar]

for what it's worth, I've done a lot of Dutch-oven-type cooking in Revereware stainless steel pots. It's probably not as fabulous as enamelware cooking, but about 1/10 the weight.

[colorwheel]

nice icon.

[msilverstar]

thanks! It's my favorite of the LOTR movie designs, just the way I saw it in my head when I was 11.