Traditional Centuries Old Alsatian (France) Clay Bakeware Finally Available in the USA..

While the benefits of the Mediterranean diet versus low-fat diet are no breaking news anymore, it is less known that the North-East French region Alsace has been producing high quality hand decorated clay bakeware for over a thousand years in a small village called Soufflenheim, just a few miles from the German border.

Considered among the best lead-free or lead-safe glazed clay bakeware made in France, they have been used for traditional Alsatian food such as chouroute garni and baeckeoffe but also in the famous southern cassoulet dish, made of duck, pork, sausages and beans cooked for several hours in tomatoes sauce. Healthy Mediterranean diet meals often cooked in clay bakers are a perfect fit for these easy to clean clay bakers, which also resist microwave ovens, dishwashers, and do not require water soaking before use like the Romertopf bakers for example.

Before households were all equipped with electric ovens, the women would bring their clay bakers to the local bakery and use the remaining heat of the wood oven to cook their meal while doing the laundry at the nearby river. To resist the harsh conditions of the baker's oven, the clay bakers had to be manufactured with high quality standards and made very durable; a quality that has been maintained for Soufflenheim potteries produced and sold today.

For the first time ever in the United States, ClayBourg International LLC, a Chicago area based company will present these wonderful clay bakers at the Great American Cooking Expo (booth #101), located at Harper College in Palatine Illinois, West of Chicago. For more information about the event which is expecting about 10,000 visitors and will take place from October 23rd to October 25th 2009, please visit the following website: www.TheCookingExpo.com.

For more information about ClayBourg potteries, you can visit their online store at www.ClayBourg.com or their online showroom at www.clay-cookware.net.