Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cooking and cookware

Light Metal Indian Dishware?

watercarrier — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:11:17 -0800

Indian Cooking - I want those authentic tin plates and bowls - where? I'm all for traveling light. I like those tin/aluminium bowls, plates and containers I've seen the cooks in India using. What are they called? What is the spice container (with all the small tin bowls fitting inside) called? Looking for an online supplier that's cool to work with and is reasonably priced. Nothing fancy - just what the locals use. Thanks.

Can I un-non-stick my pan?

Oops — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:53:25 -0800

So I've got a Calphalon One non-stick fry pan, and the non-stick coating is starting to disintegrate. What are my options? I haven't really abused it, generally only used some hot soapy water and a soft sponge for the most part, but two years of reasonably heavy use (I love eggs in the morning) has taken its toll. The coating in the middle of the pan is beginning to flake off and show the metal underneath. I'm not wild about the idea of flakes of coating in my food, so I'm wondering -- what should I do with this pan? If I remove the coating is it just a regular Calphalon One anodized pan underneath (hell, if I can even remove it without ruining the anodized finish)? I'm one of those people that absolutely hates to throw something with a possible use away.

It's a 10" pan, model 1390, if that makes any difference.

Greener cookware recommendations?

cadge — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:56:17 -0800

Can you recommend greener cookware (preferably not cast iron)? My small set of cookware (one frying pan and two saucepans) is getting really old and worn out, and it's time to replace it all.

I've read up on safer and more environmentally-friendly cookware, but I'm having trouble figuring out what would be the best type to buy. It's a bit overwhelming.

In every writeup (and previous Ask MeFi post), dozens of people recommend cast iron. But I've looked at cast iron cookware in my local shops (a cookware shop and a camping shop) and it's just too heavy for me! It was effort just to pick the smallest pan off the shelf! I'd really like to avoid buying cast iron cookware if I can.

My cooking needs aren't much. Mostly I use the frying pan for simple stir fries, tofu, grilled cheese sandwiches, and browning ground meat. I don't fry eggs. I use the saucepans for vegetables and pasta sauces. I'd like to cook more, but I doubt it'll be anything elaborate. That said, I don't mind investing in higher-quality/higher-price cookware that I can use for years to come.

Is non stick cookware going to give me cancer in 25 years?

thewalrus — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:08:56 -0800

What are the dangers and benefits of non stick cookware (teflon/generic teflon type)? It's obviously healthier to cook without using lots of oil, but I've heard rumors of health problems such as cancer being linked to long term use of non stick pans. I have some non stick pots and pans which are getting older. They have gradually shed small bits of their surface into food. This isn't enough to notice in any particular dish but I can tell that a pan which has been used for 3, 4 or more years doesn't have as much non stick surface on it as it used to.

The alternative is to use stainless steel pots and pans but this will require using a larger quantity of oil.

Is there any scientific documentation on the risk/reward of using non stick cookware versus the well-documented heart-disease risks of using more oil? Assuming that oil is extra-light canola oil or olive oil, not the cheap stuff...

Kitchenware that no good kitchen would be without?

katillathehun — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:37:32 -0800

I'm in the market for some better cooking tools. What kitchenware would you swear by? What should no good kitchen be without? I love to cook, but I don't have the right tools for it. What I do have is either a hand-me-down that's severely showing its age or something cheap I bought when I was dirt poor. There are a lot of things I don't even have; I've had to get creative on occasion. So, I'd like to start investing in some good quality cooking gear. Knives, processors, pots, things that go whrrrrr... anything that's helpful in the kitchen. What do you use and recommend? It would be even more helpful to me if you could suggest specific brands, but if you don't know the brand and just really, really think I should have a hibachi or something... I'll look into that, too. I'm not looking to spend my life savings, but if it's well-recommended and will last me a while, I'm willing to spend a little more. Alternatively, if it's suspiciously cheap but you tell me it's awesome, I'm definitely interested.

What I DON'T need: grill tools. I live in an apartment, and I don't really use the community grill that often (at all).

stainless cooking

plexi — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:33:25 -0800

I am transitioning to a Calphalon stainless cooking set, but everything is sticking to the pans, despite much olive oil. What are some tricks from moving from teflon/non-stick to stainless steel on a gas range?

what is this? where can I find one?

rudy26 — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:31:32 -0800

help me put a name to this utensil so I may be able to replace it. I have tried all local sources, and the I haven't the time to go from site to site trolling. We generally use it to melt butter, warm sauces etc., and I find it extremely useful, but everywhere I look, I am referred to butter warmers, and they are much too big. the measurements are 2 1/2 inches across the bottom, narrowing to 2 1/4 inches across the top with a flare and a spout. It is 2 and 3/4 inches high, and the handle is 6 inches long. It is some sort of ceramic covered metal, and It feels heavy for its size. It holds one cup precisely.

My wife has had it since before we were married, and as you can see, the handle has rusted off.

If you can name it, thats great. If you can tell me where to get it, I'd truly appreciate it.

Sorry for the picture quality, but you get the idea.

Doing The Unstuck

dw — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:51:38 -0800

Thanks to my own stupidity, I managed to get two saucepans stuck one inside the other, with the lower one apparently containing a cavity of lower pressure holding the upper pan in place. Is there any way to get them apart without causing injury or property damage? The other night I needed to melt chocolate to coat Christmas cookies, but I couldn't find a metal bowl, and I don't own a double boiler. So I improvised and used two saucepans, one slightly narrower and taller than the other. It was all going well until I got stupid and turned off the heat.

There was this thump. The top pan sunk into the bottom pan and stuck fast. And that's where I am now. The two pans will not come unstuck.

The bottom pan still contains water; I can hear it sloshing about.

The most obvious solution to me would be to put the pans back on the heat, get the water in the bottom pan back up to simmer, and see if I can pry them apart at that point. But I'm afraid that that hot water would rapidly go under pressure, and either I'd get nasty steam burns from prying them apart, or the top pan would get launched by the pressure.

I've thought about sacrificing one of the pans by drilling a hole, but they're both Calphalon, and I don't think I have a drill bit that could get through the anodized layer.

I don't really want to throw both pans out. If I could just salvage one, great. If I could salvage both, spectacular. But I'm running out of ideas as to how to undo this mess.

Scoring indian serving dishes in north america

Smegoid — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:52:46 -0800

Where to purchase indian cookware and serving dishes in the USA? I want the lot: thalis, tawas, kadais, baltis. All of it! Ever since I visisted Fiji (60% of population being indian) ten years ago I fell in love with Indian cuisine and have been cooking it regularly ever since. I've finally decided that it's time to pony up and secure myself some more authentic dishes and cookware. When I was in Fiji all the indian restaurants used stainless steel thalis and other serving dishes. I remember being able to purchase them everywhere for a pittance. However here in North America I can't seem to find them anywhere and the few places I've spotted the odd dish, they're pricing them as though they were exotic imports of the rarest kind. Anyone have any ideas as to good online sources in the USA or Canada? Bonus points for people who want to explain the uses of the different serving dishes and cookware. Cheers!

Wok -- round or flat bottom?

10ch — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 10:30:25 -0800

I want to buy a wok. For the typical American (electric range) kitchen, which style is best? Flat or round bottom?

How do you keep it hot in the kitchen?

iurodivii — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 15:56:46 -0800

CookwareFilter: What's your favorite way to fry?... I have always used teflon-coated pans for stovetop cooking for its non-sticky-ness. But recently we had to throw a pan away because the teflon was flaking off (definitely not something I want to be eating). Instead of going out to buy more, and because I ran across this thread on cast iron, I am wondering, MeFi Chefs extraordinaire...
What is the best stovetop cookware material?

We cook with gas.
Generally we stir-fry things like eggs, tofu and lots of garlic & veggies.
We usually keep our actual cooking time under 15 minutes, so if the cookware suggested takes longer or shorter, please mention the benefits or tradeoffs for the spent or saved time.
And though we need to keep this affordable, ie. would not be able to pay $100 for a pan, I would love to hear about any cookware that really conducts your fire!

Cooking the iron skillet

jclovebrew — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 19:25:58 -0800

I decided to store my cast iron skillet inside the oven, even when I am using the oven. I figure it's acting like a heat stone, keeping the oven temp stable. Is this bad for the skillet?

Tasty yummy eggy things!

fuzzbean — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 09:46:55 -0800

I want to make delicious crepes and omelets! What are your favorite fillings and combinations, and what's the best pan to use? I like crepes and omelets, and I eat a lot of them (especially omelets, which I make for breakfast almost every morning). I've been experimenting with different fillings. So far I have:

ham and cheese (green onions optional)
plain cheese of various varieties
spinach and feta
spinach and ricotta and parmesan
brie and pears/apples
sharp cheddar and pears/apples

But I want to spice things up! I want my crepes and omelets to go "Bam!" So what are your favorite filling suggestions? Bonus points for fillings that work for both crepes and omelets, but anything that you find tasty and delicious would be grand. I have no prejudices against any food group or type of cuisine; I'll try any wacky combination you can hand me (if there's something you don't quite dare to put together in your own kitchen, I'll be your guinea pig and report back). I just want them to be yummy!

I prefer omelets to not have stuff stuck in the egg itself (so it's basically an eggy crepe wrapped around filling, rather than having onions or something stirred into the egg). And I usually make these in the morning before work, so it'd be nice if there's not tons of prepwork involved (or if the prepwork can be done the night before). But hey, I'm flexible.

A related question: what are your favorite pans to use for this type of cooking? I'm looking for specifics ("I love my Cuisinart stainless steel 12-inch skillet"...etc.) I've read this thread, and I'm interested in stainless steel or cast iron. I don't want aluminum or nonstick surfaces (although I've been using a nonstick pan up until this point, I'd like to replace it--I really don't like the health implications of aluminum and nonstick). I don't have any issues with using as much butter or olive oil is necessary to keep things moving, and it'd be nice if the pan in question is <$50.

How to keep a cast-iron pan clean

starvingartist — Tue, 20 Jan 2004 07:16:53 -0800

How do I keep a cast-iron pan clean? [more inside] First of all, the pan is already seasoned. I know how to do that. But I've started eating bacon in the morning, and the cast-iron seems to do the best job (I can't stand microwaved bacon, and the non-stick isn't big enough). I read somewhere that you shouldn't wash the pan, just coat the inside with salt right after cooking and then wipe it out a bit later. But the bacon leaves spots of cooked fat that don't come off with just a salt wipe. Can I wash it with mild dish detergent?