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As holiday thanks readers, through the generosity of Le Creuset, I’m giving away a six piece set of classic French cookware in cherry red. This colorful set goes from oven to table effortlessly and includes a large 5 1/2-quart round covered French oven, a 2 1/4-quart covered saucier, a 10-inch square skillet grill, and an 8- x 11-inch rectangular roasting dish.

This time of year traditionally food bloggers get together to raise money for charity.

So I’d like to offer these charities up as places where you can give this holiday season. No donation is required to enter for a chance to get this fantastic set of cookware. But just the other day, I was watching television on the devastation in many parts of the world, and was sitting in my heated apartment with a refrigerator full of food, and realized how fortunate I am.

It’s easy to forget or to click away to something more entertaining when we see a natural disaster or a face filled with misery. But instead I sat down at my desk and sent a donation to Doctors Without Borders, an international aid organization. It took just a few minutes and no matter how much you can contribute, any amount would be greatly appreciated.


Five charities that I would like to point out that could use help this year:

Doctors Without Borders: This organization provides urgent medical care to people in areas struck by emergencies.

Share Our Strength: Carol at Alinea at Home is starting her annual campaign for Share Our Strength to help feel hungry kids.

101 Cookbooks Kiva Group: This organization helps distribute loans to small businesses in underdeveloped countries and you can loan money to help a specific individual begin a new life.

Stoves for Darfur: This is an amazing initiative started by a young American teenager to provide low-cost stoves for women who normally gather wood, walking at great lengths and often getting assaulted (or worse), just trying to feed themselves and their families.

The Smile Train: The Smile Train provides free surgical procedures to children to fix cleft palates, which gives kids around the world a reason to smile.

Although a donation isn’t required for a chance to win this fantastic set of Le Creuset cookware for your kitchen, please do consider helping out one of these charities if you possibly can this holiday season.


NOTE: The give-away has ended (see #1, below) and comments have been closed. The winner will be notified by e-mail on Christmas Day. Thanks to everyone who participated and hope you all have a terrific holiday! -dl

To Enter

1. Simply leave a comment below. When you leave a comment, please include your correct e-mail address in the field that asks for it. It will not be visible to the public there, so do not leave it in the actual comment area.

I will close comments promptly on December 24, 2010 at noon Paris time, and the person who will receive this set of cookware will be chosen by a random number generator, then contacted by e-mail on Christmas Day. Winner must respond by December 31, 2010 noon Paris time, or forfeit the cookware. No exceptions.

2. Le Creuset can only ship this set to a winner in the United States due to customs and other restrictions. (If you want to gripe about things available in the states that aren’t available elsewhere, the line begins here…) Shipping is included to all 50 states although winner is responsible for any local taxes or charges levied, if applicable.

If you live abroad and you wish to bid, you can do so only if you: 1) Have a mailing address in the US that accepts parcels, or 2) Use a mail and parcel forwarding service. If you choose to use one, you will be responsible for any and all fees, including customs, duties, and taxes that may be levied. I have no experience using one but you can find one by searching Google, using the search words “International Forward Shipping.”

3. Only one entry per person. Multiple entries will all be disqualified and you will get a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking. (Or worse.) When you enter, you agree to the delivery terms listed above. No purchase required.

4. Bonne chance! (Good luck!)


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6,697 comments

    • lars

    I’m in :)

    • Jacqueline

    Oh, my, this would be such a wonderful gift!

    • Kim S.

    What a great Christmas gift! those are some fantastic charities listed!

    • amy cooke

    happy holidays

    • Laine

    Having a Le Creuset set would be a dream come true! Although it isn’t my profession, cooking is my true passion and I thoroughly research and consider every purchase, even with a limited budget. Not only are these the finest quality, they would look quite nice next to my red KitchenAid mixer and food processor.

    • kate

    happy holidays to all :)

    • Heather

    it would be near impossible to pick just one organization to donate to, but i love what smile train stands for and the joy that it brings!

    • mary

    Thanks for reminding us about these worthy charities David!

    • Sarah

    Well said, David. I wish more Parisians had this same sense of giving Рespecially during the cold days of winter when there are so many cold, hungry and homeless people in this city. Thanks for spreading the word for charity and tr̬s bonnes f̻tes!

    • jen

    Wow. Good stuff all around!

    • Laurie

    Love love love Le Creuset and David!!! Happy Holidays to all!

    • Linda

    thanks for the reminder – msf is a perennial favorite organization for me.

    • mkg

    Thanks David!

    • Josh

    Merry Christmas. I love the blog.

    • Monica

    Thank you!

    • aar

    this is quite something. happy holidays!

    • Michael Scott

    Great thought & a great incentive. Happiest of holidays.

    • Marie M

    It’s always nice to give to people in need, especially in these tough times. :) Oh, and thanks for thinking of us too!

    • Jacob

    SStoves for Darfur is a most excellent idea.

    • Jim

    Le Creuset is excellent : – )

    • Sandra

    What an impressive way to do something really great by doing something for someone less fortunate. All these charities are good, but the one that seems to go hand in hand with winning a set of LeCreuset is the Stoves for Darfur. If we can cook so easily, why not make it easier for women in this very troubled region!!
    Thanks for this!!

    • Rona Yuthasastrakosol

    What a great idea! I noticed Pim’s annual “lottery” wasn’t happening this year, so thanks for carrying on the tradition of encouraging people to give!

    • Ally

    Happy Holidays and best wishes for a wonderful 2011 to all.

    • Jade

    I think it is very important to remember how very lucky we are (even if we don’t win a lovely new set of cookware). Even the very worst day I’ve had is nothing compared to so much of the population that is hungry, incurably sick, or politically/socially repressed. It’s definitely something I need to work on remembering when I feel the complaints bubble up inside. Putting it all in perspective …

    • Grover Ferrell

    Le Creuset are some of the finest cookware available. Thanks for giving us a chance to win one.

    • Bianca

    Merry Christmas, David and everybody else visiting this site!! :-)

    • Ana

    Oh my, winning this would be a Christmas miracle come true!!!
    I truly enjoy reading your blog, Happy Holidays David!!
    Ana

    • Paula Rodriguez

    oh my! what a fantastic set! i could get rid of my rusty pans and crusty pots! oh, i don’t think that anyone could want this set more than me.

    • Katie

    This would make a Christmas very Merry!

    • shannon

    thank you so much for posting something like this (suggestions for charities).

    • Lee Wilmeth

    I do love a chance to win something.

    • Becky

    What a wonderful give away, and a great way to get us all thinking about charity!

    • edk

    Thank you David! Happy Holidays!

    • Theresa

    Thanks for the great reminder about remembering those less fortunate. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway. Merry Christmas!

    • Anna N

    Thanks for the giveaway, and the reminder! Off to donate to Partners in Health.

    • Sylvia Sheets

    Wonderful charities you’ve highlighted. Merry Christmas and happy new year!

    • Val

    Great idea. Merry merry.

    • Penny

    Thank you for the giveaway and the charity info!

    • Ranchodeluxe

    Merry Christmas and thank you , the world is a better place that you are in it.

    • Amy

    Love le creuset!

    • Ben

    “Yep. These are my readers” – BS

    • Trish

    Me, PLEASE!

    • Michael MaLoon

    As a new father I feel the joy every time my daughter smiles. Cookware or no cookware I’m happy to help The Smile Train do some more good. Thanks for bringing some perspective to our lives of plenty.

    • Jenny

    So glad how everyone has been getting behind both Heidi’s and Carol’s fundraising this holiday season–thank you!

    • Colin Blake

    Been lusting after a set for a long time!

    • Meghan

    Thanks for highlighting some great charities, and for the opportunity to win!

    • Suzanne

    Just being able to walk into my heated home and smell something wonderful simmering on the stove is enough to remind me of how fortunate I am in life and serve as a reminder that so many must struggle daily to exist.

    • Julie

    Le Creuset is excellent and so are the charities you provided. Happy holidays!

    • LH

    Loverly. Merry Christmas!

    • Gin

    Happy holidays!

    • Morgan Barr

    I have been dreaming of owning some Le Creuset cookware since I was a little girl! (I still dont own anything). This would be great to win!

    http://lachapstickfanatique.blogspot.com

    • sarah marie

    what a beautiful set! Oh, the wonderful things I could make with it…

    • Anne

    This is something that I’ve wanted for a long time, but can’t afford. It would be wonderful to win!
    Happy holidays!

    • judith

    We support Kiva every year – wtih a gift to all the children to share with them. And I love Le Cresuet…..so it’s a perfect pairing. Thank you.

    • V

    Happy hols!

    • Tom

    Red is my favorite color, too! I have never worked with an enameled cast iron piece, that would be a lot of fun.

    • Laura

    Excellent idea! Happy holidays! :)

    • Scott

    Great post David, glad you are encouraging generosity

    • Jess

    As much as I love donating to charities, my favorite thing to do around Christmas is to pick a random homeless person in NYC and buy them dinner. Maybe its selfish, but I love seeing the results firsthand of my giving.

    • Richard Francis

    Happy Christmas.
    Medecins sans frontieres is a great organisation.

    • Meredith Kelly

    Crossing my fingers! Merry holidays!

    • Kelly

    Okay, I’m in.

    I’ve been an avid reader for some time now and am plotting a Spring move to Paris. Forewarned is forearmed.

    • Jenn

    How terrific! . . . and thank you for mentioning Doctors Without Borders, which is a life-preserving organization!

    • Judy

    Thank you for the opportunity to win! I also support Doctors without Borders!
    Happy Holidays!

    • Cheri H.

    Très bien! What a lovely Christmas gift this would be! Stoves for Darfur is amazing, thank you for bringing these wonderful charities to our attention!

    • Josh R

    Looks like an amazing giveaway!

    • Django

    I have a brand new red kitchen and this set would be so at home there. Thans!

    • Cooking in Mexico

    While so many blogs are giving away gifts to their readers, you are encouraging donations to needy organizations as well as giving a gift. Good for you! Our fortunate station in life often closes our eyes to the plights of others. They need gift, too.

    My home town in Mexico has its share of needs, and we give locally, work locally, support locally. Giving is often better than receiving.

    Feliz Navidad and prospero año nuevo, David!

    Kathleen

    • Rachel

    Cherry red! Yes please!

    • Danna

    Great post, I’m in! Partners in Health are doing amazing work in Haiti, for anyone looking for a cause

    • Ed

    Many thanks for this very timely reminder during this Holiday Season!

    • Carole

    What a great giveaway! I would love to have a new cookset for the coming season! I love your blog………keep the great recipes coming!

    • Sabrina

    I would love to win this. I’ve wanted these Le Creuset pans for so long, but just couldn’t afford them.

    Thanks!!!

    • Lexie Robinson Martin

    We are incredibly blessed in our warm homes with food to eat, and it is a perfect time to be thinking about and reaching out to those less fortunate.

    • Marek

    David, first of all – thanks for your blog! I enjoy it very much :)
    Also, it would be nice to win, so here’s my attempt :)

    • Rebecca

    keeping my fingers crossed that the random number generator will be kind!

    • Yoshie

    Would love to win! I have dreams about using Le Creuset. Thanks for having this giveaway.

    • Megan

    Happy Holidays!

    • Dawn

    You’re right, we are the fortunate ones. Can I shill another charity? Heifer International…http://www.heifer.org.

    Thank you.

    • georgine

    Thank you David and Le Creuset for this chance to win! Happy Holiday!

    • Lindsay

    Crossing my fingers for a Merry Christmas to me!

    • Chin

    Happy holidays.

    • Tara Tubb

    Happy Holidays!

    • Kepa

    This is a great time to think about a donation to the Food bank in the US (they have food bins everywhere) or the Resto du coeur in France.

    • LeeYong

    Awesome giveaway – Happy holidays to you and as always love your blog!

    Health and happiness to you and all your love ones!

    • Anna

    This would be such a great Christmas present!!

    • Kristina Curro

    As a speech pathologist, I’m thrilled to see Smile Train on your list of charities! Thanks so much for bringing attention to the plight of children with cleft palates who may not have access to the medical care they need.

    I’m also a very amateur cook, and have been lusting after Le Creuset cookware for years, but haven’t had the means to pick up a piece or two just yet. Thanks for the chance to win!

    • a neal

    please count me in! and thanks for calling out those great charities.

    • Dan

    Awesome give away, I’ll try to give as much as I can!

    • Lucy

    Happiest of Holidays to you and your readers. Thanks for the reminder of the needs in the world and the good & important work that these charities (and others) do all year round.

    • Vicki

    My donation goes to Partners in Health for their work in Haiti. Happy Holidays to all!

    • Erin

    What an amazing selection of charities! I love finding new and exciting opportunities to donate – thank you!

    • Aly

    Kiva is such a great program, and thank you for the kindness of giving away Le Creuset. Truly in the holiday spirit!

    • Annie

    Such an amazing giveaway! Thanks for such a great blog.

    • Carolyn Cherry

    Thanks David for the opportunity! Merry Christmas to you!

    • Becky

    Thank you for such a great post and for a year of wonderful posts! Always enjoy your blog!

    • Erika Ellingson

    Oh my gosh, I have been drooling over my moms dutch oven for so long! I agree, doctors with out borders is a great program, and what better time to give?

    • Adam O

    Doctors Without Borders do such great work… someday I want to join them.

    • Tomas Custer

    bon chance and happy holidays to all of us

    • Amy

    Some good links to check out. Thank you.

    • Shawna

    I have already received a donation in my name as a gift this year. I think that’s a wonderful way to celebrate the season.

    • Remil Mangali

    These are fantastic charities and are deserving of our support. May this holiday season inspire all of us to be generous to others in need.

    • Erica

    It seems too good to be true!

    I’ve donated to Stoves for Darfur before and I will do so again! Thank you for the reminder—-with the gift-focus of this season it’s easy to think about what we don’t have when really we should think about what we do.

    • Christine Wein

    A reason to be inspired to cook! :)

    • Aren T

    Thanks for your great blog!

    • Raluca

    Hi David
    Happy Holidays! Thank you for offering this gift and for raising money for charities!

    • Katie Rose

    This time of year should always help us to appreciate what we have and be grateful that we are able to give to others, and to then do so.

    • Ruslan Ivanov

    Exellent recipes. Thank you!

    • Hilary

    Omg! Talk about generous…and that cherry color is GORGEOUS!

    • Susie

    I appreciate how each year you direct our attention to those who need our help. The last few years you’ve been so creative and proactive I can tell this is important to you.

    This year my family asked what I would like for Christmas, and I can’t imagine anything better than sitting together as a family and deciding which organizations we would like to support this year. Thanks for the further suggestions, and Merry Christmas!

    • Bg Porter

    Wow — hope that this effort raises serious $$$.

    Your ice cream book is one of my favorite cookbooks.

    • asia alder

    Merry Christmas and thanks for the inspiration throughout the year :) Greetings from the UK.

    • Chana

    I love Kiva, it’s such a brilliant idea. I’d also love to win this set!

    • Gloria

    Great contest, David! BTW I so loved your Ready for Dessert! Such a terrific book, I want to cook every last recipe.

    • lara

    what a neat idea! thanks!

    • Kalurah

    WOW!!! I’ve had my eye on this set. Dreaming up all kinds of dishes I could make with it. :)

    • Mary OConnor

    Thanks for the contest, but mostly for encouraging giving to some worthy organizations.

    • Alain Roy

    Thanks for the generous giveway!

    • susan g

    thanks for giving all of us a great gift all year long: your wonderful blog.

    • Splendid Market

    I love Le Cruset! I have been thinking about buying that skillet! All of these charities are so worthy, thank you for the reminder.

    • Dennis R

    What a great set! Thanks for hosting David! Good luck to all!!

    • Jonathan

    Thank you David, Happy Holidays!

    • Susanne Gardner

    Thanks for the opportunity to win LeCreuset. Always enjoy your articles-have visited Paris twice and love your insight. Merry Christmas

    • Emily

    I think Kiva is a great organization and I’m giving my family members Kiva gift certificates this year!

    • Gary In Massena

    A Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year to all!

    Gary in Massena.

    • Leigh

    Wow! That’s a beautiful set — thank you for the giveaway, David!

    • Lynn Lamorte

    Stoves for Darfur is an amazing idea…implemented by a teenager – very impressive! I have a grassroots charity with 2 friends and will definitely be supporting Spencer and his wonderful work.

    I made the French apple cake several times since you posted it, and it has been completely devoured each and every time.

    Thank you thank you thank you, David!

    • dana828

    Merry Christmas David! Boy would this set make a fabulous gift!

    • Virginia

    Oh my gosh, that is a gorgeous cookware set! Love the blog and the cookbooks!

    • Annie Fantasia

    I am going through a tough time myself right now. However, everyday I am reminded by something that I read or see, of two very important things—- that there are multitudes of people that are also going through tough and tougher times….and that I have so much to be thankful for, grateful for and to be humbled by.

    • Leilah Mooney

    This was a great idea for the holiday season – you clearly have the spirit of the holiday. Thanks David!

    • AlisonK

    Thanks for publishing the list of worthy causes to make our charitable giving painless! Happy holidays to all.

    • Sarah

    I could think of many people I’d love to give the present of Le Creuset to!!!!

    • Kimberly Mayone

    Excellent timing on the reminder for charity. Wonderful give-away! Hope that you are enjoying the snow.

    • heather_kaye

    Well said, sir. I hadn’t heard of the Stoves for Darfur drive – what positive change that must be for those women in such an awful situation.

    • Lisa T

    Thanks for this opportunity. I refer to your ice cream book as my Ice Cream Bible.

    Also, I’m sending Kiva’s information to my husband. He needs to donate!

    • Lisa Woods

    I love La Creuset! Thanks for the opportunity to win! You’re the best, David!!

    • amy

    I love this! We give to MSF regularly. As a trauma nurse, I’ve seen firsthand the phenomenal work they do. Happy Holidays David!

    • Hannah

    Nothingbutnets.org is also a great charity – buying mosquito nets for families in Africa to protect them from malaria. Happy holidays to everyone! And thanks especially to you, David, for that salted caramel ice cream recipe. WOW.

    • Jill

    What a terrific giveaway! You’re going to make someone real happy. :)

    • Sheila Crye

    I have been using my Le Creuset set for years. In fact, the enamel is chipping on two Dutch ovens and a saucepan, but I’m still using them. Would be lovely to replace them with prettier ones!

    • dcdori

    Big fan David, happy holidays!

    • James Snider

    Kiva Lending – great idea.

    • Catherine

    Whee! What an awesome contest.

    • Lisa Scheller

    David, Your heart is truly bigger than your stomach! ;-) Doctor’s Without Borders is one of our very favorite charities. Thank you for posting such terrific links to 5 very worthy organizations. (and the cookware isn’t bad, either!) Enjoy the holiday season immensely! Cheers!

    • Colleen

    Thank you for the list of charities, it is a perfect time of year to make a donation!

    • Karen Graham

    Lovely set. I adore the heft of the La Cruiset pieces.
    I donate regularly to Doctors without Borders and also to Mercy Corps which helps around the world and is always one of the first when a crisis hits.

    • mahrya

    Happy Holidays and thanks for the great giveaway! I do volunteer work at the local hospital as much as possible.

    • Jarvis

    Happy holidays, David. Thanks for those charity links — there are some fine organizations there. And thanks for the Le Creuset giveaway.

    • Shira

    sending out some random generator good karma!!!! I only have one piece of Le Creuset – and it’s red, it would be lovely to have a matching set!

    happy holidays David. From freezing cold, but not yet snowy, Connecticut.

A

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