| Remember the joy and sheer glee you felt as a | | | | go from freezer to stove to table. Because the |
| toddler when Mom allowed you access to the | | | | French oven is made of enameled cast iron, it can |
| cupboard with all those lovely, shiny and | | | | be washed without harm in the dishwasher. |
| oh-so-noisy pots and pans? They gave you such | | | | A SAUTÉING PAN is much the same as a |
| a sense of freedom, from banging the pots, | | | | frying pan or skillet. It has straight, short sides. It |
| making uproarious sounds that were music to | | | | needs to be made from a heat-resistive material |
| your ears to imitating Mom cooking, stirring and | | | | such as lined copper or stainless steel with an |
| pouring your make-believe food from one | | | | aluminum or copper core. It can be used |
| container to another. You simply could not decide | | | | interchangeably for sautéing or frying. This |
| if you wanted to be a heavy metal musician or a | | | | type of pan comes equipped with a long handle |
| chef from the Cordon Bleu. Such memories... | | | | on one side but larger models may have a loop |
| Thirty years later you have decided that cooking | | | | handle on the other side to balance out the |
| leaves much less of a headache than does a rock | | | | weight of the pan when removing it from its heat |
| band. You have grown up to covet those | | | | source. Usually there is a lid. The sauté pan |
| magnificent pots and pans you see online or in a | | | | comes in diameters of 6 to 16 inches. |
| gourmet shop. Your time has come. Bring on the | | | | The SAUTEUSE is a round and lidded pan with a |
| pots and pans! | | | | looped handle on either side and short to medium |
| One of the first things to consider when building | | | | outward sloping sides. Popular in households all |
| your pot and pan collection is to determine how | | | | over Europe, the sauteuse pan is perfect for |
| extensive a collection you want. Do you want the | | | | cooking casseroles, pasta dishes, and stews. It is |
| bare minimum or do you wish to create your | | | | also used for meat and poultry entrées. |
| own culinary Christmas, with pots and pans on | | | | Sizes range from a relatively small 2.5 quarts to a |
| every conceivable surface of your kitchen? How | | | | hefty 7 quarts. |
| much time you spend in the kitchen and the ease | | | | The STOCKPOT is to the Dutch oven as the |
| with which you would like to turn out your | | | | Dutch oven is to a regular saucepan, each pot |
| creations will also play a part in your | | | | getting larger than the previous one. It is deeper |
| considerations. Oh, yes - if you are not a Lottery | | | | than it is wide, with straight sides. Like the Dutch |
| winner you will need to carefully plan your budget. | | | | oven, the stockpot has loop handles on either |
| Sometimes it is better to spend more for fewer | | | | side, large enough to accommodate oven mitts or |
| high-quality pieces rather than grabbing every | | | | pot holders. The stockpot is interchangeable with |
| piece of cookware in sight on the bargain table. | | | | a SOUP POT, STEW POT, or STEW PAN, for |
| What will you need to start? Everyone, from | | | | they all function in the same manner. One of the |
| novice to master chef, needs the basics. The | | | | larger pieces of kitchenware, a stockpot is ideal |
| basics include ROASTERS, SAUCE PANS, and | | | | for producing all sorts of food for larger families |
| SKILLETS. | | | | and group gatherings. It is able to simmer large |
| Roasters include the ROASTING PAN and the | | | | quantities of liquid; you might find a chef |
| ROASTING PAN with HIGH COVER. A standing | | | | simmering stocks, thick soups, and stews as well |
| roasting pan is rectangularly shaped with low sides. | | | | as hearty chili, and boiling pasta. A stockpot does |
| With the low sides, the heat from the oven | | | | not need to be made of heat-resistive material. |
| envelops the meat, giving it full coverage. A very | | | | However, to prevent burning and scorching, it |
| important accessory to the roaster is a rack | | | | needs a heavy bottom. These pots range in size |
| which allows the meat to be suspended above its | | | | from a moderate 6-quart capacity to a |
| own juices and fatty drippings. Several different | | | | mammoth 20 quarts. That's a lot of chili! |
| materials can be incorporated in the manufacture | | | | It is a good idea to have a PASTA INSERT for |
| of the roaster: stainless steel, nonstick-surfaced | | | | your stockpot. Usually made of stainless steel, it |
| aluminum, anodized aluminum, and granite. | | | | acts as a convenient colander. Unfortunately, one |
| What sets off a roasting pan with a high cover is | | | | of these inserts can cost nearly as much as the |
| its familiar oval shape with deep sides and a | | | | stockpot itself. Choices, choices! Some brands of |
| domed lid. Again, a rack is very useful. This type | | | | stockpots come with drainage holes drilled into the |
| of roaster can be made from any of the above | | | | lid. |
| materials. Speaking of granite, do you remember | | | | The STIR-FRY PAN is a round and deep piece of |
| the black or dark blue roasting pan, speckled with | | | | cookware fashioned in one of two styles. The |
| "freckles," that your mother used every | | | | most common option has a round base sloping |
| Thanksgiving to give that roasted turkey a golden | | | | out and upward, much in the style of a Windsor |
| glow? I can still remember the turkey aroma | | | | pan while the other choice has straight sides |
| wafting itself throughout the house, teasing my | | | | joined to a slightly curved base. The design of the |
| nose! | | | | stir-fry pan lets heat distribute itself evenly. The |
| SAUCEPANS, and SAUCE POTS, are round pots | | | | sloping sides give easier access to the food which |
| which branch out into many varieties. Key | | | | needs to be tossed and turned, as in Asian cuisine. |
| identifying points of this category are high, | | | | Stir-fry pans are very efficient when quickly |
| straight sides and a flat bottom. Saucepans have | | | | searing a mélange of meats, vegetables, |
| many uses, from heating a can of soup to making | | | | and sauces. Aesthetically, the stir-fry pan allows |
| a sauce, with an infinite number of foods in | | | | for the preservation of colors and textures. |
| between. A WINDSOR saucepan starts out as an | | | | The WOK is very much like a stir-fry pan except |
| ordinary piece of cookware but has sloped sides. | | | | it is designed to rapidly cook bite-sized pieces of |
| A SAUCIER has rounded ones. Both provide | | | | food over exceptionally higher temperatures than |
| increased exposure; sauces are reduced more | | | | an everyday pot or pan would require. Designed |
| quickly and it is easier to whisk food away from a | | | | with either a flat or a rounded bottom, either |
| round surface. Heat-responsive materials such as | | | | style can be used over a flamed heat source. |
| lined copper or stainless steel with a copper core | | | | Woks with a flat bottom are primarily used on an |
| are commonly used in the fabrication of | | | | electric burner, as well as the gas flame. Materials |
| saucepans. Saucepans come in a variety of sizes | | | | such as stainless steel, cast iron, or metal coated |
| and most come from the factory with a tightly | | | | with a nonstick surface are used in the |
| fitting lid. Sauce pots are similar in appearance to | | | | construction of a wok. Like a cast iron skillet, you |
| Dutch ovens and have one long handle for the | | | | must remember to oil a cast iron wok before its |
| smaller pots; the larger-capacity saucepots have a | | | | initial use. Several arrangements of multiple handles |
| long handle on one side plus a loop handle on the | | | | are used: one long handle; two short handles, or |
| other to help balance it when lifting off the stove. | | | | one long handle in conjunction with a loop handle |
| A SKILLET is the same as a FRYING PAN. They | | | | on the opposing side. Available in diameters from |
| both have a flat bottom and short flared or | | | | 12 to 20 inches, the wok is to be admired for its |
| sloped sides, allowing for ease in tossing and | | | | myriad functions. As well as the traditional |
| turning food. A frying pan should be made of | | | | stir-frying , it can also be used to sauté, |
| heat-responsive, heavyweight material. such as | | | | steam, or deep fry. |
| cast iron (which must be oiled and seasoned prior | | | | An OMELET PAN is pretty much the same as a |
| to its initial use). Frying pans that have been | | | | frying pan. Omelettes can be made in one of |
| coated with a nonstick substance such as Teflon | | | | several types of pans. Traditionally, an omelette |
| can be used for frying foods or for | | | | pan has low curved edges. The bottom has a |
| sautéing. As with saucepans and roasters, | | | | wide diameter to assure the omelette will be able |
| skillets (or frying pans) come in an array of sizes | | | | to be flipped over easily; a nonstick surface eases |
| and usually with a lid. | | | | the actual act of folding the omelette over. If the |
| A plethora of styles of saucepans is available to | | | | pan has a metal handle it can be used in the |
| enhance your cooking experience. Besides the | | | | broiler, as well. There is another version of the |
| saucepans discussed above, a chef will want to | | | | pan that consists of two half rounds, hinged in the |
| acquire several other types of pots and pans, | | | | middle. Each portion of the pan is filled with the |
| including the following: CHEF'S PAN, DOUBLE | | | | omelette mixture and then the various fillings - |
| BOILER, DUTCH OVEN, OMELET PAN, | | | | cheese, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, sausage, |
| SAUTÉING PAN, SAUTÉUSE PAN, | | | | olives, etc. - are gently dropped onto one or both |
| STOCKPOT, and WOK. | | | | sides. When the omelette is cooked, fold one half |
| A CHEF'S PAN is a saucepan of medium depth | | | | of the pan over so that the two halves join |
| and has sides that can be flared, rounded, or | | | | together and ta da! your omelette is ready to be |
| even straight. The wide mouth, combined with a | | | | admired and eaten. |
| flat bottom, enables the accelerated evaporation | | | | A BRAISER PAN does just that - braise! The pan |
| of liquids. A long handle and tightly fitting lid are | | | | is round or oval with safe-to-the-touch handles on |
| generally standard features of chef's pans. Made | | | | either side. It uses a heavy domed lid that make |
| of metal, a chef's pan has a thick ground base | | | | the tight seal necessary in preventing liquid from |
| allowing for rapid temperature changes. The high | | | | evaporating. In order to be braised, the food |
| sides make room for ease of frying, | | | | should be quickly seared and allowed to bathe in |
| sautéing, or steaming of foods without food | | | | its natural juices. Braiser pans come in diameters |
| accidentally spilling out all over the stove top. | | | | of 10 to 14 inches and are able to hold 2 to 4 |
| Chef's pans and sauciers can be used | | | | quarts. A braiser pan is interchangeable with a |
| interchangeably. | | | | casserole pan. |
| A DOUBLE BOILER is basically two saucepans, | | | | A CASSEROLE PAN is round or oval. It has steep |
| with the slightly smaller top pan nesting inside the | | | | sides and has a capacity as few as 2 quarts all |
| lower pan. The construction is deceptively naive | | | | the way up to 12 quarts, while the most common |
| and simple, but once you have had a chance to | | | | capacities are from 5 to 8 quarts. It can be made |
| cook with a double boiler, you will wonder why | | | | from materials such as saucepan metals or glass, |
| you had not already been an ardent fan of one. | | | | ceramic, or clay. It has a lid which is normally not |
| Hot water is placed in the bottom pan, providing | | | | used while food is cooking in the casserole pan(so |
| the heat source for the ingredients in the top, | | | | the food can brown). Generally used in the oven, |
| anything from melting chocolate to delicate | | | | it has a base and sides that are of equal |
| sauces. Double boilers can be made from many | | | | thickness, allowing even distribution of heat. A |
| materials, including stainless steel, enameled steel, | | | | CASSEROLE POT is basically the same thing as a |
| aluminum, or glass which allows you a close and | | | | CASSEROLE DISH, a BUFFET CASSEROLE, and a |
| personal view of the contents on top as they | | | | CASSOULET. All of the above can be used for |
| swirl and move about. | | | | cooking and/or serving a one-pot dish on the |
| DUTCH OVENS tend to be rather heavy in | | | | table. Cassoulets seem to be made of hard |
| weight. They are round or oval and have a | | | | anodized aluminum, stainless steel, or copper core. |
| domed lid much like that on a covered roaster, | | | | The cassoulet is particularly efficient in retaining |
| and steep sides. They range in size from 2 to | | | | heat for the food sitting on the table, waiting to |
| almost 5 inches high and have a capacity ranging | | | | insure your second and third helpings are still |
| from 2 to 6 quarts. In essence, a Dutch oven is | | | | warm. |
| an overgrown saucepot, good for preparing a | | | | And finally, there is the EVERYDAY PAN hanging |
| wide assortment of foods, including roasting a | | | | in your kitchen for you to start your next |
| rump roast, stewing, braising, making homemade | | | | delicious meal. As the name implies, it can be used |
| soup with myriad ingredients, or boiling all sorts of | | | | to cook almost anything, such as casserole baking |
| pasta. As well as being made from the usual | | | | and braised meat and vegetables, just to name a |
| materials as previously listed, Dutch ovens made | | | | few. Some everyday pans even have a flared lip |
| of cast iron are popular at a campfire or fire pit. | | | | on either side for drip-free pouring. It is great for |
| A FRENCH OVEN is very similar to a Dutch oven | | | | dishing up soups and other liquids threatening to |
| but the sides are lower. Both types of ovens can | | | | make a mess. I need all the help I can get... |