It’s like a year old. I don’t wanna spend the time cooking on it until it’s seasoned. That’s what I’ve spent a life on my CI doing. It worked non-stick at first; now, it’s non-nonstick., er stick.
Demeyere Proline frying pan. Maybe it’s heresy around here, but the heat control is so painfully slow that I never use it after the novelty wore off.
Demeyere proline pans and Atlantis saute pans purchased in 2017. Just too heavy to work with, a couple of those found new homes. I love everything in my kitchen now.
And I guess I could lose the two Staubs if I really think about it. I rarely use the oval coq au vin and the 3.75 qt. essential french oven is hardly used. I mostly use the Le Creuset 6.75 qt 12" wide round. That thing is perfect for me, you can do it all in that one pan, braising, stews, you name it. All except a tall bird but I don’t use a lid on that anyway.
I just bought a copper stock pot by the italian brand Ruffoni … at Tj Maxx.
It looks like this, but a different knob shape.
It’s the medium size, and was about $250.
This was a totally impulse purchase; I’ve never owned any copper cookware and have no idea how to care for it.
Keeping the receipt handy for sure, in case I change my mind.
having read some reviews over on the WS site, I think I’ll be returning it ![]()
I particularly enjoyed WS’s response to the complaint about the tinning failing, which can best be summarized thusly: “Yeah, it does that (wear out). You have to have it fixed every now and then, at no small expense.”
No major regrets really, but I did buy a pricey tortilla press which doesn’t see much use. Also, the Instant Pot is underused, as well as the small air fryer. We have an OXO mandolin, which hubby now refuses to use ever, after a few injuries, even after I bought a steel mesh safety glove. I’m kind of skittish about it too, but I don’t try to rush things, and go pretty slow, which kind of defeats the purpose of having one lol.
I’ve been a dedicated cookbook collector for years, and probably have 1500 or so books!
Many were bought on deep discounts, or used, and were fun to collect! Still, I will need to find somewhere to donate them when the time comes. ![]()
I do want to buy an electric deep fryer, for those once or twice a year fish and vegetable tempura frys that we do outside. Hopefully I won’t regret that purchase…
Use it as you would any stockpot, but if you can return it, you probably should. I got a 10qt., hammered, 2.5 mm Mauviel stockpot which I dearly love. (They sold it as 2mm, but it was so heavy I measured it.) I cannot recall if it was eBay or Etsy, but it was half the price of the Ruffoni, maybe less. It is an absolute delight to make stock in it, every week and sometimes more. Yes, the tin quickly discolors, as it should, but making stock is not going to wear out the tin. If you are the make mirepoix in the pot type (I am not, usually), just use a $2 wooden spatula.
I am a convert to deep frying in my carbon steel wok. I did onion rings yesterday and went through a large beer battered sweet onion in two batches. I used less than a pint of peanut oil.
Excellent! Peanut oil is the best for frying IMO, but very expensive up here in the north. I would like to buy a wok ring for outdoors, but haven’t been able to find what I want. The reason I want electric is to plug it in outside and avoid the fish frying smell in the house. Tempura battered Walla Walla or other sweet onions, along with garden vegetables is extremely sublime, yes?
If you have a grill, three halves of fire brick make a nice stable stand for a wok on the grates. I do that for my pizza stone.
Yep, we have a grill. Do you turn the burners to high, or do you temp the oil with a thermometer?
For a deep fry, usually stovetop, I use it on high initially but ultimately use my instant read to get the temperature to a good place. For a pizza on the grill, I just get it as hot as I can. Elevating the stone several inches has the benefit of reducing headspace, helping top and bottom to cook evenly.
I love Walla Wallas and Vidalias. The closest sweet onions widely available here are 1015s.
I got carried away and bought my husband a small air fryer for his birthday. He uses it occasionally and cleans it, so I can’t complain. But I really can’t tell any difference in the fish sticks, chicken tenders, etc. that he makes from what I would normally bake in the oven. It annoys me that it takes up counter space too, but I have only myself to blame! ![]()
I bought a new oval roasting rack, and a new mini rectangular roasting pan with its own rack about 3 weeks ago at a cute kitchen shop 60 miles from home. I didn’t realize until I washed the roasting pan that they are all coated in non-stick coating. I don’t use any non-stick skillets and my only non stick pan was a wok that my roommate destroyed with a fork in 1993.
I made a small prime rib on the rack but I didn’t feel comfortable using the drippings that had been in the pan. Not sure what to do.
I really like the size of the pan.
I feel for you. I tracked this one down and really like it. I am disappointed that over the years CM has moved away from uncoated metal. My now nearly black CM loaf pans are treasured.
Thanks for the link.
I do have a nice Italian stainless rack, purchased at an Italian store, which I use for cooling more than roasting..
You could try lining the pan, but that’s extra work. Annoying.
Lining the pan to catch the drippings from a roast that is sitting on a nonstick rack will keep things neat and clean, but it won’t address the fact those drippings came over nonstick. I doubt that is going to transmit whatever was in the nonstick, but as is usually the case, there are no guarantees. It would probably be good for us all to go out of the way to minimize nonstick and plastics in our kitchens. It is a huge challenge and can cost a lot. I am pissed that manufacturers who knew of these concerns long ago, did not stop or even issue warnings, or even conspicuous labeling. The vast majority do not research this stuff.
