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Cookware
Cookware is a term used for the various pots and pans used for cooking. It is made of materials which will not easily melt.
535 Questions
What is the blue and white speckled pots and pans called?
Stansport enamel cookware. Wrong!!! Stansport did not invent the process, which has been around since 1799 and in common use in the States since the 1880's, and has no exclusive right to have it's name associated with speckled enamel cookware. The proper names for this type of cookware are: Granite ware, enamel ware, speckle ware, etc.
Is the Teflon that gets into food from scratches in non-sticking cookware a health risk?
I've always heard that Teflon pots and pans should be thrown away when the coating starts to come off. It's a well known fact that the coatings can also put off toxic fumes when overheated which can kill small pets. It's possible that Teflon is safer today than yesterday but to be sure, I would call the company that makes your cookware and ask.
Which cookware brands are best for glass top stove?
The best type of cookware to use on a gas top range would be a hard-anodized cookware set. The hard anodized cookware is better for heat distribution and doesnÍt show burn marking from the gas range.
mortar and pestle
wooden spoon
oil can
straight rolling pin
honey dipper
pastry/basting brush
spice grater/grater
:)
What is the best cookware and knives to buy?
For home cooking, three basic knives will cover 99% of the cutting.
1) Chef's knife or its Japanese cousin Gyuto, come in various length 6-12". Length preference depends on the user.
2) 3-4" long paring knife, for small delicate items, peeling and paring.
3) 8-12" long serrated bread knife. Obviously it works well for bread, but also works for other types of cuts, but will not work well for thin, fine cuts due to the serrated edge.
If one needs to work with bony meat, poultry, etc, then a boning knife will be a good addition the the list above. If bread is not on the menu, then a bread knife can be substituted with a long slicer. For instance a 10" slicer is best for thinly slicing hams, top rounds, and smoked salmon.
For vegetarians, it makes perfect sense to add dedicated vegetable knife such as Nakiri or Chinese Cleaver a.k.a. Chukabocho. For the record, Santoku, contrary to knife marketing claims, was never a dedicated vegetable knife, but a general purpose knife. More on the Japanese knife types in the links section.
As for the particular brands, there are two main schools or types of kitchen cutlery, western and Japanese. Main difference being that the western kitchen knives are typically made out of softer(52-56HRC), lower quality steel(most popular being X50CrMoV15 for German knives and 440A class steel for US made kitchen knives), also being thicker and heavier. The edges on the western kitchen knives are also thick, ~40 degree included angle, or more.
Japanese knives use higher quality steel(VG-10, Aogami 1, 2, Super, Shirogami 1,2), are harder (58-67HRC) depends on the make, and quality. They are also thinner and with more acute edges, typically 30 degree included angle edge and lower, all the way to 8-10 degree angle.
Given the above, Japanese kitchen knives are much better in terms of pure cutting performance, in other words they cut better and thanks to harder steel they retain initial sharpness much better. Lighter knives also induce less fatigue during prolonged use.
The main advantage of the western knives is their ability to withstand abusive use. Whacking coconuts and lobsters with a chef's knife is an abuse, since the chef's knife is not designed for those tasks, however western knives can perform the task without breaking or chipped edges, although they dull severely, thin, hard blades of the Japanese knives can be broken, or chipped badly while performing the same task,which shouldn't be attempted at first place.
What are the health benefits of using copper pots and pans?
Copper is known to decrease inflammation associated with arthritis and similar diseases. It is also known to inactivate harmful microbes including L. pneumophila, the principal agent of Legionnaire' disease, methicillin-resistant Staphyloccous aureus, and E. Coli.
Where is monalisa cookware made?
Germany. See related links for more.
Highly unlikely that it is Germany. The quality of some components is very poor and atypical for German-made products. For a company that is so secretive about their actual address, one can assume it is likely China. Note, the bottom of the pots say "Germany", not "Made in Germany". Another clue, the manual that comes with it is written in both German and very poor English - again a sign that it is not German quality.
BTW, I think they'd like you to believe that it is German made since the price they ask for the set is outrageous. I think it is a scam. We purchased a set for Cdn$150 and have been dismayed by the quality.
Where can Calphalon contemporary stainless glass be bought?
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless pots and pans are made of stainless steel. They are widely available at Amazon, as well as their own website. They are also available in offline stores, like Bed Bath and Beyond.
What are the benefits of cast iron over stainless steel cookware?
Cast iron cookware has many advantages. Cast Iron, if properly "seasoned" offers the best in non-stick cooking. This type of cookware also cooks more evenly and thoroughly. Additionally, Cast iron cookware lasts longer than most other cookware.
Explain why glass which is made mainly of SiO2 is often used to make cookware?
In your kitchen you probably use some kind of glass to cook with. Pyrex measuring cups are used to measure out ingredients. A casserole might be baked in a Corningware dish. A stove top could be made of glass. The glass commonly used in cookware is called borosilicate. Borosilicate is made by the addition of the element boron. This treatment gives the glass a highly valuable quality, resistance to temperature fluctuation. Without the addition of boron the glass might destabilize if it was exposed to the heat of an oven then a splash of cold water. The German scientist, Otto Schott is recognized as the inventor of borosilicate (dyer, 2002); however, the rail road industry is responsible for bring it in to our kitchens. Rail road workers used to use lanterns as a beacon to alert on coming trains to avoid collisions. If the glass in the lantern broke lives could be at stake. The Corning Company hired, Ph.D. Chemist, Eugene Sullivan. In 1909 they began sale of Nonex, a lead borosilicate glass, for use in lantern globes. It worked so well that in the following years people bought 68 percent fewer lantern globes. After crashing the rail road market they were forced to expand in to other markets (Davila, 2007). Nonex was reformulated, removing the lead, so that it could be used for cookware and given the familiar name Pyrex.
quartz glass (nearly pure SiO) has higher resistance to temperature fluctuation, but also a higher price. if you use quartz cookware that is neat, but it is probably Pyrex.
How do you properly season cast iron cookware?
When the pan has cooled after use, wipe it clean with paper towels. Wash the pan in hot water quickly without soaking or soap, then rinse. Dry thoroughly and apply a thin coating of fat or oil.
Stubborn cooked-on or burned-on food is best removed by soaking in hot water. Use a plastic scouring pad if necessary. If that doesn't get it clean, soak the pan in a solution of 3 tablespoons of baking soda per 1 quart of water to remove burned-on food or grease. Do not scour off the seasoned finish built up on cast iron over long use. This necessitates reseasoning of the pan.
Rust may be scoured with fine steel wool or scouring powder but reseasoning of the utensil will be necessary.
More advice from Wiki s Contributors:
- Exfoliate your iron pans. This is good for getting the little burnt bits off the bottom of the pan. You will need kosher salt, paper towels, and vegetable oil. Set the pan on the stove on low heat. Add only enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Heat pan until warm to the touch but not hot, then add a generous amount of kosher salt. "Scour" the pan with the paper towels and kosher salt until the burnt bits are removed. Wipe away excess oil and salt with a clean paper towel and rinse with water only. Dry immediately.
- If the pots have a lot of buildup from age, get a good fire going in the fireplace or outside, remove any wooden handles, and throw in the pot. Carefully remove after about 30 minutes, cool, wash with hot water, dry, rub with unsalted oil, and bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 hours to reseason it.
- If you find rust on the pan even though it is dried thoroughly after use, try this additional drying method: Put the pan on the stove and let it heat until any water left in the pan has evaporated.
- Soap or other cleaning agents should not be used on cast iron. After it's properly seasoned, all you need to clean it is hot water and a little oil. If you need more than that, then it's not properly seasoned.
- To clean rust from an abused, garage-sale cast iron skillet, try soaking the it for 24 hours in a bath of 1 part molasses and 3 parts water. Clean with a bit of steel wool. Season the pan when finished.
- The best way to really clean an iron pan is with a rotary wire brush. You can buy a stiff wire brush to mount on a power drill, preferably one that plugs in. You can remove the entire carbon coating and any rust with ease before reseasoning.
In addition to the fine information presented by previous contributors, I would like to share a couple of little known secrets to cleaning & caring for cast iron.
First, any challenging, cooked-on mess on a piece of cast iron can be done simply with white vinegar--or other kinds, I suspect, in a pinch--and paper towels or (and yes, I realize this is grave sacrilege) a metal scrubbie. In fact, straight vinegar is unmatched in its ability to easily clean food where water is not available. I learned this from a kind woman when I was a food demonstrator and I had to cook sausages all day in a skillet with little (or unfriendly) access to water. Amazing. And the vinegar & paper towels trick works on any cooking surface that I have tried.
As for the complete prohibition of soap & water: nonsense. A very well-seasoned pan can tolerate gentle cleaning in the sink, if that is your preference. Just place your thoroughly cleaned & rinsed piece immediately on a hot stove, wipe lightly with oil, turn off the stove & you're done. So now there's no need to kill or curse well-intentioned friends or family members who try to help out by washing your skillets. And my cast iron pans are unmatched for their non-stick surfaces. So there. :>)
Second, don't make the mistake of using too much oil when you season your pan (like I had numerous times over the years). Now I start with a clean, dry, hot pan, and just wipe it with a cooking oil, carefully wiping out any excess that appears as it heats & cools. And any time I use my oven, I will put any cast-iron-seasoning-in-progress items in as well, to take advantage of the heat; again, making sure that the surface of my piece stays very lightly & evenly oiled.
Finally--and I am loathe to share this, as I fear it will leave a significant dearth in the availability of cast iron pieces at garage sales & flea markets
Another method. Experienced cast iron collectors/restorers will often use a lye bath to clean old cruddy pieces. Of course, there are safety issues involved here. I recommend reading the WAGS article;
http://www.wag-society.org/Electrolysis/lye.php
No one is credited with inventing the stock pot. Stock pot is just a generic term for a cooking pot, and cooking pots have been in use for thousands of years. Cooking pots found in Neolithic dwellings in Germany and Denmark are said to be over 6,000 years old.
Why is titanium cookware good to use?
Hi there, thanks for your question. Based on our research, there are five main advantages for using titanium: you use less oil, it's much easier to clean,it's more durable than conventional cookware, heats quicker and reduces cooking time and, it's much easier to clean as well!
How is stainless steel cookware beneficial for chefs?
Stainless steel cookware offers many advantages over other types of cookware for chefs and home cooks alike. Stainless steel cookware is beautiful, durable and easy to maintain. It is not coated with nonstick coatings, which can leach chemicals into foods.
Which retail stores sell Circulon cookware?
Calphalon cookware can be purchased through dedicated Calphalon stores and in many Macy's stores. Furthermore, Calphalon cookware can be purchased online, either through their own store or through retailers such as Amazon.
Where can you find cheap kitchen craft cookware online?
Cooking supplies are available at grocery stores, department stores, and stores that specialize in cooking like Sur le Table, Bed Bath and Beyond, and many others. There are also a host of website for online shopping.
Can stainless pots and pans go into the dishwasher?
A stainless steel vessel can be put in the oven only if its handle won't be damaged by the heat. If the handle is wood or synthetic material, the wise person would't use it in the oven. There isn't a problem with the steel part of the pot or pan. And if a lid is being used, is that lid handle wood or synthetic? If it is, prudence would dictate that it would be better not to stick it in the oven. Bon appétit!
Where can one purchase All Clad copper pots and pans?
Calphalon cookware can be purchased from many physical locations, such as Macy's, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bloomingdale's, Dillard's, Target, and Kohls. Calling the store before visiting is advised by Calphalon to inquire if the item desired is in stock at that business.
Where can I buy various cookware sets?
Major market retailers like Target, K-Mart, and Wal-Mart all offer affordable cookware sets. Additionally discount stores such as Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Big Lots and Burlington Coat Factory will sometimes feature cookware sets depending on their inventory.
Is calphalon cookware non reactive?
Cast iron will react to acids in foods. Normally this won't be a problem if the cookware is properly seasoned and oiled. That applies to when you are actually cooking. But never store food -- especially with any acid content at all long-term in cast iron as the food will absorb the seasoned layer, and if highly acidic with then taste metallic.
Why is glass which is mainly used of sio2 used to make cookware?
Heat resistant glass (usually borosilicate glass, with brand names such as Pyrex) is a very versatile cooking material. You are probably most familiar with it as casseroles. It is good for food because it is inert; that is, it doesn't react with anything in food. It's also very hard so it will take quite a bit of abrasion when you need to clean it. It's also cheaper than metal.
