Cookware

[jcrow]

rfath, thanks for the feedback and suggestions!

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 5/3/2006 3:14:04 PM
Author: rfath

Just like you went out and tested the Le Creuset pots to find that they''re too heavy for your taste, you really should test-drive some knives and make sure that you''re comfortable with their feel in your hands.

Good luck!

Yes, I''m not as fond of my Cutco knives because they are more erganomically designed. I have a strange grip and the non formed knives are better in my hands. And, I''m a classic european type cook - that works for me. Henkles has several levels. I had the lower level paring knife & it came apart.

A continuous blade is usually the sign of a good knife - no matter what brand. You may want to talk to a good knife sharpener - they usually know the good blades that hold up.

 

[jcrow]

has anyone heard of it being a bad thing to register for knives? or am i just imagining it?

 

[strmrdr]

The best kitchen knives available anywhere:
http://www.coldsteel.com/kitclas.html

 

[rainbowtrout]

those scare me...tactical field knife, anyone???

 

[jcrow]

and they''re well-priced!

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 5/3/2006 1:11:43 PM
Author: fire&ice
Oh and one other snooty thing, a friend of mine, who truley is a gourment cook (does it all), says anyone who considers themself''s a good chef is just a ''poser'' if they don''t have a well seasoned iron skillet.

Edited to add - MZ - she uses her skillet to cook her Southern Fried Chicken.

like i said, the best fried chicken i''ve ever had was done in a cast iron skillet!

and i agree with the ''poser'' statement: i really do believe in buying for the use and having not a set but a collection that works.

movie zombie

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 5/3/2006 3:14:04 PM
Author: rfath
The first GOOD set of knives that my husband and I purchased were the Wüsthof Classic. They''re great knives... but you should keep in mind that everyone has a slightly different preference in knife feel - balance, weight, and blade type. Other common *good* brands are Henckels and Global. They''re all great at what they do, but they differ in weight and style. The Wüsthof knives are a classic Western/European design. We''ve gradually gotten away from these knives, switching to a set made by Kai (their Shun ''damascus'' line). Slightly more Asian in blade type and composition, but we''re also planning on incorporating true Japanese knives into the set eventually - from Kikuichi, Hattori, and Misuno. All of these makers have fabulous blades in the style that we prefer. Some artisanal knife makers out there are also quite lovely: Berti, handmade in Italy, and the William Henry knives (if I ever win the lottery).

Just like you went out and tested the Le Creuset pots to find that they''re too heavy for your taste, you really should test-drive some knives and make sure that you''re comfortable with their feel in your hands.

Good luck!

very very good advice! not all hands are created equal.....

movie zombie

 

[strmrdr]

for those that think ya need expensive pots for cooking not that there is anything wrong with it but,,,
Iv been cooking for 30 years using tin and stainless and cast iron pots with no problems.
My most used kettle is tin and older then me.
My second most used is a heavy cast aluminum pot I use for everything from getti sauce to frying up 5lbs of burger at once.
I picked it up at a garage sale 25 years ago for $.50

 

[strmrdr]

here it is :}
I use this for everything and it was made in the 1950s

 

[jcrow]

i swear my grandma has that same pot

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 5/4/2006 6:59:36 AM
Author: jcrow
i swear my grandma has that same pot

They were sold door to door from the late 1920s to the 1950s.
In the 40s and 50s they were sold at cooking parties where the sales person would come over and cook dinner and you invited all your friends and family over for a demo of the pots and dinner.
They are guardian ware
They sold millions

Mine has the latter years makers mark placing it in the 50s.

 

[curlygirl]

Date: 5/3/2006 4:53:33 PM
Author: jcrow
has anyone heard of it being a bad thing to register for knives? or am i just imagining it?

Yes, I always thought it was bad luck to give someone knives as a gift but I registered for and got the set I wanted and I''m not complaining!!

I got the awesome Shun knives from Williams Sonoma. They are Japanese and they''re just gorgeous! I never thought I would get emotional over knives but I just love them. They are beautiful to look at, cut extremely well and don''t need to be sharpened very often. The set also came with amazing scissors. You should check them out!

 

[rfath]

I really enjoy the Shun knives and bought a set as a wedding present for some friends. Beware, though, that they chip more easily than the Wustof that we had - we're terribly cautious with our knives as a rule and never had issues, but our friends' knives have some small chips and knicks from careless handling.

If you like the looks of those, take a look at the Hattori handmades: Hattori Damascus

One other thing I didn't mention: many of the really good knives really shouldn't be put in the dishwasher. I know you *can*, but you run the risk of chipping and damage if they shift around during the cycle. Also, if you end up with a wooden handle, they won't last as long if they've been exposed to soaking cycles.

 

[jcrow]

i am loving the different styles shun offers!

thanks for all of the suggestions everyone!

 

[orange_horse_fiance]

I am very intrigued by this thread...It is right up my alley. I think there has been a lot of great advice and opinions given. i will just add my own. I received a large set of Calaphalon nonstick 10 years ago. I used maybe 2 pieces in the set and still do. I have added several more pieces "open stock" of the regular calaphlon professional, more non stick. I have most recently aquired two pieces of Le Crueset and 1 piece of all-clad. I have to say I have loved each piece and found them all to be great for specific things. I have a calaphalon everday pan I will cook ric in, another stock pot with insert to cook pasta, etc. etc. They all have a place in my kitchen and would never make the mistake of buying alarge set. I also atthe time did not realize and undersatand what I would be cooking and really need.

As I mature and enjoy the art of cooking more I have found the pices I love and can''t live without. I will add my most used and favorite thingto cook in is probably my seasoned iron skillet. It is the most multi-tasked piece I own nand the cheapest!!! Also I do not dishawah ANY of my cookware so I can''t comment on that angle. I treat them like would my fine china

As for my knives I can again only reply with what I know. I would probably suffer through bad pots before I cut with crummy knives. I have a set of cutcos that I love and use constantly. I have used generic knives and have had too much frustration and almost accidents with them. I would again advise against buying the whole set...you will find you use 3-4 knives and the rest stay in the block or drawer. Good luck making your decsion. I don''t think you can really go wrong since you will only learn in time what you truly like and need after you have done it a while.

 

[fire&ice]

Storm - my mom still cooks in that pot. Corn beef & cabbage - stew - boiled potatoes - I don''t think you could kill that pot. In fact, I think it could be a very effective helmut!

thanks for the memories!

 

[rfath]

Another thing to mention for those looking for cookware, but not as part of a registry.. we finished out our wants at Cookware ''n More. They carry all-clad and Swiss Diamond. We got a lot of the pieces we were looking for as imperfects (some scratches, imperfect exterior, etc.) for 50% retail. Great customer service - one of the pans we ordered was out of stock, so they *called* us on a weekend day to ask what we wanted to do about the order - they had a few alternatives available to suggest as well.

Also, Le Creuset has a few factory outlet stores that have great sales - you can sign up to be on their mailing list to find out when they''re happening. Terrific discounts that way as well.

 

[jcrow]

orange_horse_fianc
would you mind sharing which type stock pot with insert you have?

 

[jcrow]

thanks for the site rfath!

 

[tawn]

Date: 5/4/2006 12:05:44 AM
Author: strmrdr
here it is :}
I use this for everything and it was made in the 1950s

I bought a casserole one like that at a garage sale, and it made the coolest dogfood dish!

Oh, the waste of a good pan!

 

[JCJD]

We registered for the All-Clad Emerilware Stainless 10 piece set and a Farberware pasta pot. We also got 2 Calphalon Tri-ply Stainless skillets, one 8 inch, one 12 inch. All are fantastic, and I will never use non-stick again. All of my pans are good and heavy with thick bases (for better heat distribution), they''re dishwasher safe, they heat up quickly (gas range) and evenly, and they brown food so much better than non-stick ever will.

One of the dangers with non-stick coatings, not just Teflon, is that if you scratch the non-stick surface, you need to stop using the piece or you''ll be exposing yourself to the chemicals in your foods. These warnings can be found in the paperwork included with the cookware and I don''t think this kind of wear and tear is covered in the warranties. If I were you, I''d buy one or two non-stick skillets myself (a cheaper brand to defray replacement costs) and register for a good set of not-non-stick cookware. Unfortunately, the heavier pans are generally the best because they cook more evenly. Look at it this way - you can get in your strength-training while cooking dinner!

Cleaning cooked-on food off of not-non-stick pans is way easier than off of non-stick, IMO. With the stainless pans, you can actually use some elbow grease and not risk damaging a coating. You have to REALLY baby a non-stick pan to stay safe. Also, you can just put soapy water in a skillet, bring to a boil, and let it soak for a couple hours or overnight and then just rinse the mess off. Clearly I''m biased, but there''s my $0.02!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 5/4/2006 12:06:42 PM
Author: fire&ice
Storm - my mom still cooks in that pot. Corn beef & cabbage - stew - boiled potatoes - I don''t think you could kill that pot. In fact, I think it could be a very effective helmut!

thanks for the memories!

welcome.
Iv been trolling ebay looking at more of em.
Id like the next size up and the sauce pan.
They made a kicken griddle too that my aunt had.
almost as good as cast iron and can throw it in the dishwasher.

 

[ladykemma]

bump----- interesting thread

 

[ladykemma]

move this to the right thread

my most used piece is the flat shallow straight side caphalon anodized (regular surface) 5 qt sauteuse with lid. i use it daily for everything. makes great fond without burning, in both a roasting and cooktop situation
i use non stick only for eggs, french toast, and fried potatoes. I have a cheap revereware flat griddle and I have two all clad masterchef non stick 3 qt saute pans with lid.
the problem people are having with the all clad handles is they are not grasping the handle in the right place. with a pot holder, grasp them near the pot, find the center of gravity. the back of the handle is supposed to cantilever aginst the back of your forearm. watch "great chefs" in tv to see this. they are beautifully balanced.

wusthof knives. I find them at TJ maxx. i cook huge feasts and tend to need multiple knives at events. so i pick up wusthof chef''s knives whenever i see them at TJ Maxx.

I have a 20 qt cheap thin stainless stockpot for boiling stocks and spaghetti.

I have the caphalon anodized (regular surface) turkey roaster. best turkey roaster i ever had. great fond.

i have a variety of shallow and deep saucepans, the little fry pans, larger saucepans, all a mix of revereware, all clad, calphalon anodized, and farber millenium. nothing matches. in multiples of the ones i use the most.

I am very picky about how my pans and knives "feel" and their balance.

i have never used the calphalon butter warmer and wonder why i bought it.

edited to add:
use a lot revereware straight side 4.5 and 6 quart stock pot with the lids.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Can All-Clad be used on a flat surface electric stove top?

 

[ladykemma]

i think so , yes

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/5/2006 11:16:07 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Can All-Clad be used on a flat surface electric stove top?

i was wondering the same thing about the le creuset pots?

 

[jcrow]

i wanted to update on our knife decision. i ordered one of these Wusthof Culinar Japanese Chef''s Knife. 6.5" (and it was on sale!)
wee LOVED it!!! it''s fab. so from there i decided to put other knifes from the same collection on our registery.

 

[gailrmv]

I have not read the whole thread, but wanted to mention that we have the Simply Calphalon line of pots/pans and love them. We have used them for about 4 years and they are still like new - and they are a nice medium price point. we have the Wusthof Classic knives, and have used them for 5 years, and they are also like new (and a wonderful product.) We have one Le Crueset dutch oven which I use a lot when I cook for a lot of people b/c it is my biggest cooking vessel, and it is ideal for soups and stews, but I don''t use it as often as I thought I would. It has also held up very well for 5 years and is almost like new also!