On Mon, 5 Mar 2007 21:48:38 -0800, "Kent" > wrote:

>> Hmmm, what's the difference between weight and heft? IMO any difference in
>> weight is negligible or negative, since all-stainless side walls are
>> probably heavier than clad sidewalls.
>
>All Clad is hefty; my Cuisinart, copper cladded by stainless steel on the
>bottom isn't. They both heat; one doesn't heat better than the other.

I disagree. I'd contend that the All Clad MC2 heats a given quantity of liquid
faster than that Cuisinart line.

>> True copper cookware, lined with either tin or stainless, is required to
>> see any real-world benefit over stainless-clad, thick aluminum.
>
>This is kind of a moot point, since NO home cook, or professional cook use
>tin lined copper cookware anymore. You can't find anyone to re-tin.

Your statement completely ignores stainless-lined copper (see where I said
"either tin or stainless"?), which is used by many people.

It's also not true. I have only one such pan, a dedicated two-piece for Pommes
Anna, but I can easily have it re-tinned at a place just one mile from my house
which still sells a good bit of tin-lined copper. (La Cuisine, Alexandria, VA,
www.lacuisineus.com). They provide re-tinning service via mail as well. There
must be others across the US, and I know there are many in Europe.

>My whole point about all of this is that the old Cuisinart saucepan,
>produced just after Cuisinart's separation from Robot Coupe, copper cladded
>on the bottom only with stainless , with a delicate pouring lip works better
>than anything that has come forth since. Sad, because it's not there
>anymore.

If you mean the line with the oak wood handles and knobs, yes, they were good --
I had a full set (as a wedding gift from 1970 or so), which I have since given
away. They were a bit thin overall, and tended to have hot spots. And because of
the handles, they were limited to 350 deg F or so in the oven, and the handles
deteriorated over time.

I do not believe they performed as well as some recent clad aluminum and
certainly not nearly as well as stainless-lined 2.5 mm copper (Mauviel, Falk,
etc.). If they really matter to you, with the Falk, albeit at a very steep
price, you can have the lips as well.

-- Larry