Sheryl Rosen wrote:

> in article , Peter Lampione
> at wrote on 10/6/03 6:14 PM:
>
>>This is becoming a bit complicated just to make pasta! :-)
>
> buy a big cheap enameled pot at the local hardware store. black with white
> specks. usually the label has a photo of corn on the cob or lobsters. that's
> all you need for cooking pasta.

This begins to feel like angels dancing on the head of a pin.

Restaurants use aluminum pots because the balance of cost measured
against performance will almost always tip it that way. I've tried
everything from the old Club Aluminum pots and pans through Farber and
Wearever and T-Fal and Kitchen-Aid, Cuisinart and All-Clad and lots of
forgotten ones plus imported others including iron and enamels and
ceramics. The differences between them wasn't worth dealing with.
Except the heavy iron ones weren't very good.

The stock pots I use at home are commercial-weight aluminum. I have
one largish pot (16 quarts) that's an old cheapie stainless pot I use
for cooking corn and the odd lobster. The reason I keep it around for
those rare moments is because it's what my mother used and it has
sentimental value - all the way from the 50's. My kids call it
"grandma's corn pot."

Sheryl, that speckled pot will work as well as any of the others. Mine
is blue with white specks. As you imply, it's all too easy to get
caught up in the crayon rather than the drawing.

Pastorio

<snippage>

> The stock pots I use at home are commercial-weight aluminum. I have
> one largish pot (16 quarts) that's an old cheapie stainless pot I use
> for cooking corn and the odd lobster. The reason I keep it around for
> those rare moments is because it's what my mother used and it has
> sentimental value - all the way from the 50's. My kids call it
> "grandma's corn pot."

Bob,

I know what you mean... I have an 8 quart Regal Dutch oven which I use
about once a year and am planning to replace it. However, I had to make
sure it would go to a good home as it was a gift for my late mother who
wanted it very much and we bought it for her.

My son wants it both for cooking and especially sentimental value.

Chris in Pearland, TX