July 26, 2022

Summer Hosting Essentials: Beat the Heat

Written By: Le Creuset Canada July 26, 2022

With summer very much upon us, it is time to experiment with new recipes and make the most of the fresh ingredients available, including lavender, mint, and basil. Whether you are hosting a family BBQ, heading out to an intimate picnic for two, or throwing a pool party, Le Creuset has all the summertime hosting essentials to ensure you stay cool all summer long.

From the iconic Dutch Oven to our convenient mortar and pestle , equip your kitchen for success before your next get-together. Our versatile serveware also simplifies hosting, helping you serve up delicious treats and refreshing beverages in style.

Keep reading to learn more about Le Creuset’s summer cookware and serveware essentials, ensuring you can beat the heat and host memorable get-togethers well into the summer.

Cookware & Prep Essentials

Our list of cookware and prep essentials has been carefully curated to reflect the needs of summertime hosting, providing home cooks and chefs alike the flexibility they need in the kitchen.

Stockpot

While traditionally associated with slowly-simmered soups and stews, our versatile Stockpot can be used to prepare your favourite drinks this summer. Featuring a high-profile design and a tight-fitting lid, this multi-purpose pot is perfectly suited for mixing punches, sangrias, and lemonades.

The Stockpot can be used to store your cooled beverages in the fridge and can even be filled up with ice as an impromptu cooler for a picnic. Its triple-welded side handles ensure it can easily be moved around, offering a confident and comfortable grip as you serve your guests.

Once summer comes to an end, the Stockpot makes for a great addition to your kitchen, helping you simmer soups, chilis, and pasta sauces to perfection.

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Revolution® Ladle

When hosting a summertime get-together, a ladle is a must. From mixing sangria, to serving fresh punch, this convenient kitchen accessory simplifies hosting. Le Creuset’s Ladle complements the Stockpot and Dutch Oven to perfection, helping you mix and serve refreshing beverages in comfort.

Featuring a ½-cup capacity and drip-free precision pour rim, our Ladle is also great for portioning. This kitchen accessory comes equipped with an elliptical-shaped handle, providing home cooks and chefs alike an optimal grip.

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Mortar & Pestle

Summertime meal preparation is all about using the freshest ingredients, spices and herbs that are otherwise unavailable throughout the rest of the year. Our Mortar and Pestle is the best way to incorporate new layers of flavour into your everyday meal preparation.

The friction of the mortar’s rough ceramic interior against the grinding action of the pestle releases the full flavour of your favourite herbs and spices, all-while adding some much-needed texture to your dishes.

Whether you’re grinding fresh basil for your salad, or simply want a dash of rosemary atop your steak, our Mortar and Pestle accommodates with ease, ensuring your meals are not lacking in flavour.

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Dutch Oven

Much like the Stockpot, the Dutch Oven serves well more than its intended purpose, particularly in the summer. Rather than storing your Dutch Oven away until the winter, why not make the most of this iconic piece of cookware all-year round?

In recent times, the Dutch Oven has established itself as a kitchen workhorse for more than simply preparing meals – and with good reason. This multi-purpose pot can be used as a pitcher to serve beverages, a cooler and ice bucket for a picnic, or even a one-of-a-kind flower vase.

And when temperatures begin to drop again, your Dutch Oven is the ideal piece of cookware for preparing hearty soups, stews, and anything else you might want to experiment with.

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Serveware Essentials

Elevate your hosting game this summer with Le Creuset’s serveware essentials and host your friends and family in style.

Pitcher

Le Creuset’s Minimalist Pitcher and Classic Pitcher are a must-have summertime hosting essential. Our Classic Pitcher features Le Creuset’s iconic triple-ring design, while its Minimalist counterpart is designed with modern elegance in mind.

Our Stoneware Pitchers ensure liquids retain their temperature for longer, whether it is a sizzling coffee, a refreshing cocktail, or an iced tea. Its loop handle simplifies serving, helping you serve your guests in style for years to come.

Our Classic and Minimalist Pitchers blend seamlessly on any table setting, making for a great addition to your summertime serveware essentials. Each pitcher has a capacity of 1.5 L, offering you a generous capacity for all your favorite beverages.

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Serving Platter

Looking for an elegant centerpiece for your table setting this summer? Look no further than our Classic Serving Platter. This iconic piece of cookware offers home cooks and chefs alike a blank canvas, ensuring all your recipes take center stage.

From cheese platters to hors d’oeuvres, and delicious entrées, our Classic Serving Platter can help you serve your guests in style. Its classic design brings an element of timeless elegance to any dinner table, complementing your kitchen setup to perfection.

This versatile platter is also oven- and microwave-safe, helping you heat up leftovers with ease when your guests leave!

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Set of 4 Mugs

No kitchen setup is complete without a set of reliable mugs. Le Creuset’s Set of 4 Minimalist Mugs and Set of 4 Classic Mugs make for the perfect addition to your hosting essentials, helping you serve guests all your favourite beverages with ease.

Crafted with durable stoneware, Le Creuset’s mugs ensure warm and cold beverages stay hot and cold for longer. Whether you are serving freshly-brewed coffee after a meal, or even an individual serving of ice cream, our Classic and Minimalist Mugs have you covered.

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French Coasters

Step up your hosting game with our Set of 4 Silicone French Coasters! Inspired by the architecture and wrought iron structures of the Belle Epoque, these convenient coasters are sure to add a bold splash of colour to any dinner table.

Our Set of 4 Silicone French Coasters are primarily designed to protect delicate surfaces from hot and cold beverages, all-while serving as a stylish addition to your table setting. Crafted with durable silicone, these coasters are built to last, ensuring your delicate kitchen surfaces, and countertops are protected for years to come.

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Summertime Recipes

Our fresh summer recipes offer a refreshing treat as temperatures begin to rise, including a Lemon Balm and Peach Iced Tea and Pineapple Lemonade that is sure to quench your thirst.

Pineapple Lemonade

Our Pineapple Lemonade Recipe features four simple ingredients and can be put together in no time ahead of your next get-together. For this recipe, you’ll need one cup of sugar, one cup of lemon juice, four cups of pineapple juice, and four cups of water.

Begin by stirring the sugar and water together in a pitcher until it is completely dissolved. Next, add the lemon juice and pineapple juice. Once in the pitcher, chill the beverage before serving. Serve over ice and garnish with a pineapple wedge for a finishing touch!

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No-Churn Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

Our No-Churn Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream is the ideal recipe for your next summertime event. This recipe is extremely easy to put together and can be done directly from our Heritage Roaster.

Simply begin by whisking all the ingredients together and pour them directly into our 3.8 L Oval Casserole. Make sure all the ingredients are spread evenly before covering the casserole with its tight-fitting lid and refrigerating for six hours.

This recipe takes over three hours to make, but is well worth the effort, accommodating up to 12 servings at a time. After all, who’s going to say no to fresh ice cream on a hot summer’s day?

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Lemon Balm and Peach Iced Tea

Quench your thirst this summer with our Lemon Balm and Peach Iced Tea! This refreshing drink combines fresh lemon balm with honey, vanilla, and your selection of peaches and nectarines.

Start by bringing one cup (250 ml) of water to a boil with half of the peach slices, honey, and vanilla bean, and let simmer until the peaches are tender. The next step is puréeing the peach mixture and pouring it into our Minimalist Pitcher along with two cups of ice cubes.

Finish by adding the lemon balm and remaining peach slices and refrigerate for one hour to let the flavours infuse. Our Lemon Balm and Peach Iced Tea serves between eight people, taking just over two hours to prepare.

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Extend the Summer with Le Creuset’s Essentials

Make the most of the wonderful weather this summer and host your friends and family over some delicious treats and refreshing drinks. Le Creuset’s cookware and serveware essentials ensure your kitchen is equipped for success, helping you host memorable summertime events.

From the versatile Dutch Oven and Classic Serving Platter to the convenient Ladle and Mortar and Pestle, our list of summertime essentials are designed to simplify meal preparation and hosting.

These were just eight of our favourite cookware and serveware essentials but visit our complete catalogue or blog for more inspiration and tips. Or simply let us know what you have planned this summer to beat the heat!