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Sunday, July 23, 2000 Stories by Kathleen Ganster
Pots and pans come in various metals at differing prices. Knowing how each metal works can help you choose the type and brand that is right for you.
With a little research and the help of Teri Helfer, owner of the Versatile Gourmet cooking store and school at 610 Pittsburgh Road, just south of Butler, we were able to compare the various metals.
Aluminum is a great heat conductor. However, aluminum is a difficult surface to cook on and will react with certain foods, such as tomatoes. It also scratches easily and warps on high heat. Most pots and pans that are sold in discounts stores are aluminum and far less costly than other metals. They will not last nearly as long as other metals for cooking purposes and usually have limited warranties.
Because of its shortcomings, aluminum is often combined with other materials such as stainless steel. It is usually coated inside with a finish so that it doesn't react with foods. A process called hard amodization helps to prevent food reactions, helps the metal last longer and makes it easier to clean.
Stainless steel is a great surface to cook on, easy to clean and lightweight, but it is a poor heat conductor. Like aluminum, it is often combined with other metals to make for a better cooking utensil. All-Clad cookware is a stainless steel-aluminum combination. According to the All-Clad company, there is a three-ply bonding construction with the inside being stainless, an aluminum core that helps food cook evenly and stainless on the outside for durability and maintenance.
For comparison purposes, according to Helfer, in the All-Clad cookware line, an 8-inch skillet with stainless interior (as opposed to nonstick) retails for $70. "Often, All-Clad and other brands will run 'Kicker' specials, which feature a certain pot or pan at a lower price so that customers can try them without investing in a whole set," said Helfer.
Currently, this particular skillet is at a kicker price of $40 in Helfer's shop.
Copper is a beautiful metal that needs a lot of work to stay looking good. Many professional chefs like copper because it is an outstanding heat conductor. But it needs polishing, and it is heavy and expensive. Copper also should be lined with another metal because it reacts with food. All-Clad has a copper line that is sold through some specialty catalogs.
Remember grandma cooking with that cast-iron skillet? Cast iron retains heat well, so it's good for long, slow cooking. Rubbing with oil and baking for an hour in a medium oven prior to its first use should season it. Cast iron is heavy and rusts easily. Although seasoning should help the pan have a natural nonstick finish, it still may be difficult to clean. A friend recently bought a set of three cast-iron skillets at a local retail store for $10 on sale.
The Le Creuset line is a cast-iron construction that has a porcelain enamel interior and exterior, said Helfer. "The advantage of the finish is that your skillets will not rust, and since it may take years to season a cast-iron skillet properly, this provides a nonreactive finish," she said.
The Le Creuset 8-inch omelet pan retails for $35 and has a lifetime guarantee.
Helfer also carries the Berndes line. "This is a cast-aluminum pan and is guaranteed not to warp. This isn't as good on high heat, but this is a good, dependable line," she said. Berndes also has a nonstick finish from DuPont. The 8-inch skillet retails for $50 and has a lifetime guarantee.
A nonstick finish is offered by many cooking lines. "Some cooks may feel that you don't need a nonstick finish, but it is really easy to cook with," said Helfer.
All-Clad offers nonstick finishes on some of their pieces, while other lines may offer all pieces with a nonstick finish. "We had a cook demonstrate a dish in a nonstick Berndes pan, and everyone walked out of here with one," she said.
For her own cooking, Helfer likes All-Clad for stovetop dishes and uses Le Creuset for bakeware. Helfer recommends trying various pieces, although buying a set may save money. "You usually get a substantial discount if you buy the whole set at once," she said.
Kathleen Ganster is a Hampton-based free-lance writer.
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