The One
Why This Dutch Oven Is an Anomaly in the World of Pots
Combekk’s cast-iron essential is heavy, almost indestructible, and a source of national pride.
The Combekk Dutch oven.
Photographer: Eric Helgas for Bloomberg Businessweek
THE CHARACTERISTICS
Combekk is an anomaly: a Dutch company that makes all of its ovens in the Netherlands. While the original method of sand-casting iron to make heavyweight pots originated in 17th century Holland, there hadn’t been a Dutch manufacturer of these tight-lidded cooking vessels since the 1970s. Then Combekk, based in Breda near the Belgian border, began making ovens entirely out of recycled metal 3 years ago. Its models are 6.5 millimeters thick (¼ inch), almost double the usual heft and a key to retaining heat and distributing it evenly.