Cookware material is a difficult subject to write about because everyone has their own preferences. Yet it is important for new cooks to know what they should be buying when first outfitting a kitchen. Cooking for Engineers has a great article discussing the thermal properties of the materials as well as pros and [...]

Posted in Equipment 4 Comments »

The safety of nonstick, Teflon coated pans is a topic that I’ve mentioned recently and I decided it was worth looking into. My cookbooks offered a little information, but nothing extensive. Mark Bittman voices his worries in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, explaining that he only uses nonstick for eggs or sauteing, and [...]

Posted in Equipment, Health 7 Comments »

I wanted to mention a few tips and tests from the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (March/April 2008).
PAM Professional, the new high heat line, does actually hold up to high heat better than original PAM. In a pan over medium-high heat, the original burned while the Professional stayed clear. Cook’s Illustrated does, [...]

Posted in Equipment 5 Comments »

Here is the final list of the minimum tools a new cook needs in the kitchen:

Chef’s knife: Used very frequently.
Paring knife: Used less frequently, but often enough to need it.
Serrated knife: Good for fresh bread and tomatoes. I love bread, so, with the convincing of a reader, it stays on the list.
Two cutting boards: [...]

Posted in Equipment 1 Comment »

I got some great advice on Wednesday about what equipment I need for my kitchen, and I wanted to share some of the advice along with my reactions.
Richard:
Definitely keep the serrated knife…nothing beats a loaf of unsliced bread for different flavor & texture. Get rid of the non-stick. In addition to avoiding it for the [...]

Posted in Equipment 3 Comments »

My girlfriend and I found out on Monday that we got the apartment we wanted for next year. We’ll be moving in this July, as she’ll be starting medical school in August. The prospect of moving out has become more real and it got me thinking about stocking my kitchen. What equipment [...]

Posted in Equipment, Stocking the Kitchen 9 Comments »