Cooking and Blogging » Cookware

Choosing The Right Brand Of Cookware

Lisa — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:20:30 +0000

Choosing the right cookware can be difficult. Do you go for the high end brand with the equally high price tag, or do you choose a more affordable set, taking a potential risk on quality?

On the high end of the range, you’ll find brands like Le Creuset . Le Creuset has been making high end cookware for close to ninety years and is known for its great craftsmanship. They have a line of forged hard-anodized frying pans that are extremely durable and non-stick. They are dishwasher safe and come with a 10 year warranty. You can expect to pay anywhere from $49.95 – $150 per pan.

On the other hand there are less expensive brands like Emerilware . Emerilware is the line from chef Emeril Lagasse , and is sold at stores like Cooking.com . You can get a hard-anodized frying pan from the Emerilware line for as little as $19.99. These pans are scratch resistant and have ergnomic handles, and are also are non-stick. However, they are not dish washer safe. They do however come with a lifetime warranty, which Le Creuset does not.

From doing research online, there is not as much anecdotal information to support the quality of the Emerilware line, but it’s also much newer to the market then Le Creuset so not as well known. Other than the difference in the machine wash vs. hand wash and the info I found on heat threshold (Le Creuset is oven safe to 500 degrees, Emerilware to 450) I’d say that it would be worth taking a shot on the lower priced line if you are looking to save money. Sure, with Le Creuset you know you are getting something high quality, but that doesn’t mean that with less pricy lines you aren’t, and you can sure afford a lot more ingredients when you buy the cheaper pan!

Tips for Selecting New Cookware

Top Chef — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 04:49:23 +0000

A well-designed set of pots and pans will last most cooks nearly a lifetime. When selecting cookware, think of it as an investment in the quality of food you will serve your family and friends for many years. Here are a few tips for choosing new cookware.

Conductivity: This term simply refers to how well the cookware conducts heat to create an evenly heated cooking surface. Copper-bottom pots and pans provides excellent conductivity, but can be rather expensive. Another option for optimum conductivity is stainless steel pots and pans. Some stainless cookware sets have an inner aluminum core on the bottom for conducting heat.

Handles: I cannot say enough here. When selecting cookware, pay close attention to the quality of handle. Avoid plastic. Look for sturdy, metal handles that are riveted or welded to the pan.

Avoid Trends: As I mentioned above, cookware is something you’ll have for awhile. So, that lime green cookware set that looks so shiny and cool right now might not give you the same thrill in 6 or 7 years. Choose carefully!

The 12-piece Farberware cookware set above includes 2 sauce pans, 2 skillets, a stockpot, lids, and utensils. I like the riveted stainless steel handles on this set. The Farberware Millennium Soft Touch cookware set is available at Zappos for $160.

Rachael Ray cookware

Top Chef — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:00:53 +0000

Rachael Ray was this year’s surprise winner over Ellen DeGeneres and veterans at The View in the talk-show category at the 35^th annual Daytime Emmy ceremony. Apparently this was a surprise not only to viewers but to Rachael herself.

“My life has been a total accident—a very happy, wonderful accident that I didn’t and couldn’t have planned,” Rachael says on her website.

At age forty, Rachael not only has a popular TV show but also a cookware line and is celebrated as a “cookbook queen”. All this from her philosophy that shows how “you do not have to be wealthy to live a rich life.”

I’m hoping I have surprise, accident life like that waiting for me!