Breaking in the Le Creuset with Julia

I've got a few lifelong dreams I'm hoping to fulfill one day:

1)  Be a published, full-time writer.

2)  Run a farm with the Sous Chef where we have a huge garden and kitchen and teach tour groups about growing, harvesting, and cooking their own food.

3)  Travel to Italy, England, and Ireland.

Up until about a week ago, I had another dream.  A dream I've had since I first laid eyes on a certain cast iron/enamel miracle tool:

4)  Own a Le Creuset Dutch oven.

My friends, I have finally realized that dream.  I got an email from Williams-Sonoma advertising their new line of aubergine- (fancy word for dark purple) colored Le Creuset cookware.  I forwarded it to the Sous Chef, with a simple message:

"It's on sale!  We should go get one tonight!"

His quick reply of "Sure!" reminded me once again why I married him.

A few hours later, that hallowed piece of cookware royalty was in my hands.  My cats got the first look at it (nosy little fluffballs), but I didn't mind, because I already had the perfect christening dish in mind:  Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon (the recipe for which can be found here, at the publisher's website).  What other classic dish could be more appropriate?

Tender beef, onions, and carrot braised for hours in robust red wine and beef stock, surrounded by butter-browned pearl onions and mushrooms and just a touch of bacon.

We had planned to make a side dish.  We scratched that idea and decided it would be best to simply fall headfirst into the boeufy bliss.

Three hours later...

Bon appétit.

Eat well.