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

[somewhatbent]

it need not be crazy spendy... I've gotten two pieces (a 6" 'egg' pan and a ~5qt casserole) at my local secondhand store. Goodwill is one of my usual, and IME St Vincent de Paul stores have a population of 'high-upper-middle' donors. I've found a number of high end small appliances and some exceedingly good furniture there. (in three states and Victoria BC)

As far as handling... hubby gets the really heave stuff, the egg pan is heavy enough to do eggs 'exactly right' but light enough to handle. The saving grace in my kitchen is *all* the undercounter shelves slide out. http://www.shelvesthatslide.com/ does amazingly good work for very reasonable price -- about a third of what the local cabinet shop quoted. Even my contractor was impressed and said he'd be using them in future jobs.

ETA: they also have a screaming awesome lift for my KitchenAid mixer -- which I would be unable to use otherwise.