They are fricken WUNNNDERFUL for bread and rolls. But where they really shine (as much as a clay pot can) is for a whole chicken. Or pork knuckles. Or whole fishies. Just bung everything in the soaked pot on a bed of vegies, no need for extra liquid. Put pot in cold oven, turn on the heat and leave for a couple of hours. Drain off the juices if there’s too much. Serve from the pot. Cooking gets no easier.

They were the fashionable thing of the late 70s to mid-80s, and really only available secondhand now. They break if you put them in a hot oven, or put a hot one down on a cold surface, so lots got ruined because people didn’t know how to handle them. Clean up is the only tricky bit as they are not dishwasher friendly.