Hi
Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
the various materials use in cooking utensels?
e.g aluminium, stainless, cast iron (nice), stone etc.
Sure it's a big subject but any help appreciated.
Cheers BB

B Bear wrote:
> Hi
> Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
> the various materials use in cooking utensels?
> e.g aluminium, stainless, cast iron (nice), stone etc.
> Sure it's a big subject but any help appreciated.
> Cheers BB

Brief???

On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 17:13:08 -0000, "B Bear"
> wrote:

>Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
>the various materials use in cooking utensels?

This link will provide info.

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00007.asp

On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 12:29:11 -0500, Ward Abbott >
wrote:

>On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 17:13:08 -0000, "B Bear"
> wrote:
>
>>Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
>>the various materials use in cooking utensels?
>
>This link will provide info.
>
>http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00007.asp

Wow. What a great site! I was just looking at some of the recipes
and practically swooning. Thank you, Ward!

TammyM

In article >,
"B Bear" > wrote:

> Hi
> Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
> the various materials use in cooking utensels?
> e.g aluminium, stainless, cast iron (nice), stone etc.
> Sure it's a big subject but any help appreciated.
> Cheers BB

Brief? Copper conducts heat very well. Stainless steel all alone
develops hot spots. Aluminum is a good heat conductor, too. Get
sojmething with a layered bottom. Most of my pans have a 3/16 - 1/4"
disk on the bottom for good heat conduction.

Some will swear by nothing but cast iron; I don't have that much
experience with it except for a round griddle and a smallish fry pan.
I have two non-stick pans - a 5-1/2 quart dutch oven that is
indispensable for making fruit butter, and a cheap ($15-20) skillet.

I have two Farberware saucepans, a 4-quart and a 1-quart, both with the
aforementioned disk. The 4-quart is great for cooking modest quantities
of pasta, soup, whatever; the 1-quart for when I need a small saucepan.
My workhorse is a Bigass� Demeyere kettle with both a bail handle and a
helper handle. I make jam in it, large quantities of soup, and it's
where I cook most pastas. I would not be without my 2-quart Pyrex glass
mixing pitcher -- pancakes; vegetables, rice in the microwave. Easy to
clean; things don't stick from the nuker like they do on a stovetop. My
other workhorse is the 3-quart All-Clad sauté pan * 12" diameter and
about 2-1/2 inches deep, it's where I brown most meat * it can do four
chops without crowding. It also cleans beautifully. Mine is the
brushed aluminum outside core and stainless interior * not sure what the
third layer in the middle is. The handle is about 2" long to suit my
preference, but I got a deal on the pan and I haven't yet determined to
whom it will go when I croak.

I also have a couple big kettles (8-quart, likely) for soups; I haven't
used either of them in years. But I can't bear to part with them.

I wouldn't trade Mom's cast aluminum deep roaster for anything.

Next question.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
"Maligning an individual says more about you than the one you malign."
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller; blahblahblog
http://jamlady.eboard.com

Ward Abbott wrote:
>
> On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 17:13:08 -0000, "B Bear"
> > wrote:
>
> >Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
> >the various materials use in cooking utensels?
>
> This link will provide info.
>
> http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00007.asp

That's a good article, but it ignores a few things.
A lightweight, thin aluminum pot is excellent for
roasting seeds over the stove top. A heavy cast iron
pot or pan can be used to coarsely crush black pepper
on a flat surface. Heavy cast iron can also be used
as a murder weapon, which may be worth consideration
in some households (and depending on whether you're
likely to be the murderer or the murderee).

On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 12:24:13 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

> Heavy cast iron can also be used
>as a murder weapon,

When considering pots and pans,...that dear, never entered my mind.
But....knives are the weapon of choice, IMHO. <vbg> cleavers,
daggers, swords are so much more efficient.

And don't overlook a good ice pick. It's a miracle what that small
instrument can do in a heartbeat.

On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 18:13:17 GMT, (TammyM) wrote:

>Wow. What a great site! I was just looking at some of the recipes
>and practically swooning.

Try their magazine, Fine Cooking.....you will cancel every other one
you subscribe to.

Ward Abbott wrote:
>
> On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 12:24:13 -0800, Mark Thorson >
> wrote:
>
> > Heavy cast iron can also be used
> >as a murder weapon,
>
> When considering pots and pans,...that dear, never entered my mind.

Gotta keep yer eye on the big picture.

> But....knives are the weapon of choice, IMHO. <vbg> cleavers,
> daggers, swords are so much more efficient.
>
> And don't overlook a good ice pick. It's a miracle what that small
> instrument can do in a heartbeat.

Yup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abe_Reles#Early_years

Ward Abbott wrote:

> And don't overlook a good ice pick. It's a miracle what that small
> instrument can do in a heartbeat.


Didn't you mean "It's a miracle what that small instrument can do TO a
heartbeat"?


--Lia

B Bear > wrote:

> Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
> the various materials use in cooking utensels?
> e.g aluminium, stainless, cast iron (nice), stone etc.

See Oliver Sharp's old but still very useful Cookware FAQ at
<http://www.thepurplehouse.net/wedding/cookware.txt>.

Victor

On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:00:49 -0500, Ward Abbott >
wrote:

>On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 18:13:17 GMT, (TammyM) wrote:
>
>>Wow. What a great site! I was just looking at some of the recipes
>>and practically swooning.
>
>Try their magazine, Fine Cooking.....you will cancel every other one
>you subscribe to.

Oh I've bought issues of it before, just didn't realize they had a
non-subscription site. I've let my cooking mag subscriptions lapse
for the moment. Can't keep up.

TammyM

I tend to avoid pots and pans that have their handle(s) riveted on.
Give me a good welded-on or cast-in handle any day. Plastic handles
attached to welded/cast bases are OK, but they lose points in my
ratings.

Unfortunately, this tendency elimiates perhaps 60-75% (maybe more?) of
the pots and pans on the market today. But hey, if you've got oddball
tendencies, you're either willing to pay the requisite dues, or you're
not.

Bob
=============================
In article >,
am says...
> Hi
> Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages of
> the various materials use in cooking utensels?
> e.g aluminium, stainless, cast iron (nice), stone etc.
> Sure it's a big subject but any help appreciated.
> Cheers BB
>

Thanks for the replies. Scrolling through the web pages now.
Cheers me dears;
BB
"yetanotherBob" > wrote in message
...
>I tend to avoid pots and pans that have their handle(s) riveted on.
> Give me a good welded-on or cast-in handle any day. Plastic handles
> attached to welded/cast bases are OK, but they lose points in my
> ratings.
>
> Unfortunately, this tendency elimiates perhaps 60-75% (maybe more?) of
> the pots and pans on the market today. But hey, if you've got oddball
> tendencies, you're either willing to pay the requisite dues, or you're
> not.
>
> Bob
> =============================
> In article >,
> am says...
>> Hi
>> Could someone give me a brief guide to the advantages and disadvantages
>> of
>> the various materials use in cooking utensels?
>> e.g aluminium, stainless, cast iron (nice), stone etc.
>> Sure it's a big subject but any help appreciated.
>> Cheers BB
>>