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Post by Two Tales on Mar 1, 2005 22:40:24 GMT 12.75
Pots and Pans..form, fit and function..but it goes much further, versitility and durability are probably as important as anything else...I prefer SS over Aluminum...I like the double bottom pans...because of heat absorbtion and distribution..but they are not a necessity..size or rather a verity of sizes would probably be better but if given the last choice I would take large over small...because I make large dishes...I want a lid for each and evey one..that fits securlly on and seals well...these pots and pans are my stove toppers and not the baking and roasting ones..and none of the cast iron...
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Post by Paws on Mar 2, 2005 1:19:24 GMT 12.75
Well let's see:
Versatility - I guess with the lid that qualifies somewhat; however, don't forget that specific pots or pans will perform at most one function the absolute best. It there is one place in the kitchen that "multi-tasking" should be forsaken in preference of performance this would be the place. As an example; take two pans of equal size one has straight sides the other has sides flared outwardly. What would be the difference in the cooking characteristics of these two pans?
Durability? - Absolutely! Nothing is worse than paying for something over and over and over and over... see gets monotonous doesn't it? Expensive too. Come hell or high water though every year I buy one 12 inch T-Fal Ultrabase non stick skillet for about $48.00 bucks. My stainless and copperclad have been with for more years than I can count, same with the cast iron; but every year...
What other characteristics are important?
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Post by Paws on Mar 5, 2005 3:00:44 GMT 12.75
Come on now,what was it Two Tales said about form fit and function? What does that mean? Think of this, what is it that you want your pots and pans to do for you in terms of treatment of the food? There are only so many things one can do to cook food. We may boil it, braise it, steam it, saut'e it, fry it, stew it, grill it, bake it, smoke it, roast it and broil it. Now what does this tell us about our utensils other than versatility and durability?
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Post by Two Tales on Mar 6, 2005 14:35:19 GMT 12.75
When it comes to preparing soups and pasta and things done in pots I always try and use one that has 1 1/2 times the volume of the product being cooked...4 quarts of soup cooks in a 6 quart pot etc...with pastas you need the extra hight (even if you don't need the volume) to allow for foaming or in other words to prevent boil over...this is especially true cooking over open fire or coals...
I would like to know peoples thoughts on enamel wear (pots, pans and such coated with enamel)...then I'll tell you my thoughts about them....
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Post by Paws on Mar 6, 2005 16:31:11 GMT 12.75
In a nut shell enamel ware sucketh much! It cracks, chips, and breaks off! When it does it is in your food and enamel is just another word for "glass"! Not good eats!! Sure can be pretty though!
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Post by RogueWarrior1957 on Mar 6, 2005 18:48:30 GMT 12.75
"Smatter? Never heerd of a Johnny Reb afeared of getting a little grit in his craw! :-{p}
Seriously, I have a set of high dollar porcelain over steel (enamel) cookware that I have been using for years with no chipping problems. This is the type that has the stainless steel ring around the edge of the pots to help prevent chipping. Any porcelain will chip if struck sharply, so the first thing to break one's self from is tapping a metal spoon on the edge of the saucepan. (guilty in past) You must guard against overheating enamelware as well as shocking it by sudden temperature changes. As Paws said, it is a form of glass and should be treated as such. Also discard any pan that is damaged.
Porcelain enamelware tends to have a problem with food sticking if not watched carefully! But it serves the purpose for cooking the acidic foods I wouldn't let near my cast iron or aluminum cookware. The enamel skillet is all but worthless! Took ages to chisel the glued scrambled eggs out of that puppy...didn't matter that I used cooking spray! Works better for hamburger helper or something juicy like that.
This is just one fool's opinion, everyone is entitled to his own preferences.
-RW-
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Post by Two Tales on Mar 6, 2005 20:22:31 GMT 12.75
Well I pretty much agree it must be used with great care but personnaly I think that is should be left on the shelf or used as decorations....now what abot glass pots and pans (mostly pans)?
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Post by RogueWarrior1957 on Mar 7, 2005 4:15:13 GMT 12.75
I think I mentioned in an earlier post about discovering the hard way that glass (Pyrex, Fire King, and other borosilicate glass dishes) are for oven use only. Has the versatility of doubling as a serving dish, eliminating part of the dishwashing. It is also non-reactive to acidic foods like tomatos, fruits, and some types of peppers.
The same is true of Corning Ware utensils with the exception that they may be used on the stove top as long as you don't dry cook or use them for frying.
Scratched Corning Ware or glassware can cause a nasty breakage mess. Sometimes it is impossible to keep a casserole from burning and sticking slightly. After utensil cools, add enough hot water to cover the burned on area and let soften. To prevent scratching, use Bar Keeper's Friend (scouring powder) as it is milder in abrasive than Ajax or Comet, say nothing about being less toxic, and it will keep your glass, ceramic, and stainless steel in fine shape without scratching.
-RW-
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Post by Paws on Mar 7, 2005 5:23:57 GMT 12.75
Remember also that glass, like cast iron, retains heat and will continue to cook for some time after removing it from your heat source. So either adjust your cooking time or remove your food quickly. How about some "non-traditional" cookware? Anyone use clay, salt, flour dough, brick, or foil?
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Post by RogueWarrior1957 on Mar 7, 2005 6:58:27 GMT 12.75
I have a terra cotta tortilla warmer and we also have a clay pot for baking bread. A very unique way of baking bread!
Another unusual cooking utensil is the cast iron stove eye from a wood stove. Traditionally that is what the Mexican ladies formed/baked their white flour tortillas on. They have a special name for the CI stove eye, but the name escapes me at the moment. We always just used a CI round griddle.
-RW-
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Post by Mars on Mar 7, 2005 12:17:38 GMT 12.75
Don't know if it counts but many a time camping I used a big rock. Clean it off and build a fire around it. Works pretty good as long as it doesn't explode.
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Post by Paws on Mar 7, 2005 12:40:20 GMT 12.75
LOL! ;D May be how old Oogablock invented stew!! ;D
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Post by Two Tales on Mar 7, 2005 15:18:08 GMT 12.75
I have a reciep for "Dirty Ham" and other meats..this is where you coat the meat with an equal mixture of salt and mustard and bury it in coals...the salt slurry will harden to a crust/shell that, when tapped hard, brakes off fairly cleanly, this also works for beef ..have baked chickens and ducks in bread dough..and also in clay...with the clay I like to place the birds in a paper bag then sculpt something with the clay...for presentation ;D....foil? my goodness after assiting in the making of nearly 10,000 foil dinners in a 2 week period, for a very large scouting function..I could possibly lay claim to the Renolds Wrap Kingship....we also demonstrate the cooking on a rock and make/boil soup in a paper cup...have even used an orange peel for a cooking utensil ;D
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Post by OLKoot on Mar 7, 2005 16:34:30 GMT 12.75
Everything Rogue said, as I can remember my grandmothers porcelin cookware....The foods were so tasty.....now with TT's salt coating,it has a big cooking purpose in Scandinavian households and the prime usage I"ve observed is for fish...My mother in law used glass ans os did my wife for quite awhile, I for one dont like it becuase things do stick....but with some hot water soaking, it does come clean.... ;D
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Post by Two Tales on Mar 8, 2005 1:07:54 GMT 12.75
Steve, while the Nores folks do use a lot of salt for cold curing and escentially cooking the fish without the use of heat. I have found that fish is not structurally sound enough to prepair it using the afore mentioned method. It also has a tendency to aborb the salt at a rather alarming rate...
I like glass cook utensels, up to a point..it's not what you would take to the woods with ;D...I/the wife (Pooh Bear) have some Vision Wear that generally doesn't sick not sure if the material has anything to do with it..of course some stuff will sitck to anything...but if you follow the rules it's generally ok..makes a great rice cooking pot as you can see the product cooking without lifting a lid...I also like the fact that it cooks faster and retains it heat in an even distribution....for cleaning those really "dangit, I burnt the beans" type things I use Orange Plus cleaner, this stuff basically cuts through anything and there is no scroughing with harsh cleansers...
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Post by Paws on Mar 8, 2005 4:00:51 GMT 12.75
Gords, reed baskets, banana leaves, mud, sticks, barrel staves, canteen halves, Sierra cups, paper bags, egg shells; anyone ever use any of these items? ;D By the way TT; I have tried corn muffins, blueberry muffins, baked eggs, and herb dressing in orange peels. Great application!! ;D Question??? Isn't the intent of the Nordic salt application to fish to pickel rather than dry the fish? Now, I'm asking out of ignorance rather than thought provoking Socratic instructions technology!
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Post by Two Tales on Mar 8, 2005 9:54:01 GMT 12.75
Picking, drying and cold curing....soaking in the brine results in the pickled fish...dry packed in salt, so it removes all moisture, results in the salt fish much like you would pork or other meats, which must be rehydrated to use...and cold curing, the use of salt and herbs to cure it, resulting in a simlar product to smoked fish.... to purchase fish done this way you need to visit a specailty shop and it is very, very expensive..it takes between 2 and 4 weeks to properly cure the fish....we had a family that lived up the road from us by the name of Magdlion (sp) anyway, they were Sweds and used to cure nearly all their fish this way...but I actually didn't learn the process until I watched a show were Julia Childs actually prepaired it....
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Post by Mars on Mar 8, 2005 10:23:20 GMT 12.75
In jungle survival school we used bamboo for all of our cooking and eating equipment. Cut a whole section out and punch a hole in it for a canteen, another whole section with a "lid" cut out on top and you have a cooking pot that won't burn as long as something is in it. We cut spoons and forks out of bamboo as well.
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Post by Paws on Mar 8, 2005 14:01:05 GMT 12.75
Ken, I hope you are visiting occasionally because these guys are coming up with some great lmaterial! How about you sir, anything to add here? ;D
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Post by OLKoot on Mar 8, 2005 14:17:29 GMT 12.75
TT, I beg to differ with you on cooking fish encased in salt..I think its called Ludderquist(SP)..as was said the salt hardens and forms the seal and the fish cooks in this enclosure...THe Viet Namese also use a freshly killed bird with inerds intact, and engulf it in mud ,while baking it is creating a clay pot and emerse it in a fire to come back later....I have wrapped fish with potatos and veggies with butter salt and pepper, wrapped same in tin foil and buried over hot coals...and came back later and enjoyed a great individual meal...I've done the same with all sorts of available meats,fish and fowl...Heck, I was Boy Scout back in "55" and thats where I learned this earthen cooking!! ;D
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