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