Showing posts with label Cast iron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cast iron. Show all posts
Typical Cookware Sets
While considering cooking, we can find that in a typical kitchen, different methods of cooking are followed. Actually, they differ from culture to culture as well as from tastes to tastes. Probably, sometimes you will need to fry; sometimes steam, or roast or sauté or make soups. To suit the different methods of cooking, you would probably require different cookware sets and if you listen to us, they are actually required. These different methods require cookware’s of different shapes and sizes as per the requirement. Consider this example; if you try to make soup in shallow pan I think that is practically impossible or if you still try it would result in hassles. If you think over it, it would be more convenient to have complete cookware sets to make cooking more easy and enjoyable! Believe it or not, a good set of cookware takes your cooking to another level.
Cookware sets have evolved with time and today you can find cookware sets of stainless steel, aluminum, copper, or cast iron. Choose the best for you and take the opportunity of having a complete set of popular pots and pans close at hand. When you buy a cookware set, owners manual given along with it provides complete information and ‘Do’ and ‘Don’ts’ of every individual utensil like pots, pans, skillets stock-pots and boilers, roasters. Now lets talk about making the choice of a cookware. You will not be surprised to know that most of the housewives and professional chefs prefer cookware of stainless steel because they are more durable, easy to clean and protect food flavor. Moreover, the stainless steel cookware are long lasting and can be used for years together. No surprise, they are the most popular cookware sets available in the market.
Today, a new breed of cookware, the waterless cookware sets are also gaining popularity as this is probably the healthiest, most energy efficient means of cooking. In ‘waterless’ cooking, you use no water or very little water. The waterless cookware changes the water into steam and the food is steam cooked. Sometimes it may happen that you don’t have to buy a complete set but you just want one or two additional cookware pieces to complete your cookware set. Cookware set gives you lot many options for cooking and prepares mouth-watering dishes for your entire family. Then you don’t compromise in the kitchen by just managing by whatever utensils you have for cooking.
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Compare Cookware And Buy The Best
Only if you compare cookware can you choose the best one for yourself . Or you can go to the home ware and furnishing forums on the website and discuss the problems you had with your cookware. You can even write cookware reviews of your old and new cookware, so that your experience can help other consumers to choose the best cookware.
Comparison Charts
There are several comparison charts in which you can compare cookware. The model and the price is given and the number of pieces in the set. Then comes the material that the cookware is made of, and whether it is dishwasher safe. The pieces in each set are described in detail. The last column has any miscellaneous information that is important in connection with the cookware.
In such a comparison table, you can have a complete overview of all the cookware and your choice becomes easy. You can definitely look for all the things that you need, all that is new, and all the features which make a price difference.
User Ratings
It is also interesting to compare cookware with the help of user ratings. There are websites who collect such user ratings for professional cookware sets and kitchen cookware and display the products reviews and prices in a table for you to compare cookware. They collect information about cookware from the internet. The cookware includes kitchenware products such as pots and pans, stainless steel or cast iron cookware sets, or china and glass cookware series.
Every manufacturer of kitchenware products has a range of cookware like skillet grill sets, nonstick iron handle skillet, iron handle skillet of various types like enameled cast iron or the various types of casseroles available.
Best Deal
The whole idea of comparing cookware is to get the best deal for yourself. Find out which cookware set gives you good value for what you are paying. Does the cookware set contain all the pans and the most used cooking pieces that you need for your kitchen?
For example your cookware set should include saucepans for whisking a homemade sauce or cooking your morning oatmeal. You also need a big stockpot for soups, stews or boiling pasta. Skillets are also the most used pans in any kitchen which will help you turn out perfect crepes or a simple grilled cheese sandwich. Handles should be stainless steel and silicone rubber.
The other factors that you would look out for are the inner and outer coatings. The material could be stainless steel or cast iron, as your budget permits. Once you have been able to compare cookware of various types and matched it with your requirements, your choice will not be difficult.
Smart Choices In Camping Cookware!
To make the best of a camping trip, it is essential to pack along some sturdy, small and multi-purpose camping cookware so you can use these pieces conveniently to prepare a few meals at the campgrounds for yourself and the rest of the gang! This makes the choice of camping cookware a pertinent one since basic amount of campsite cooking is required at some point in time and the smaller and easily portable type of camping cookware is the best for lugging around since you also have camping equipment like bags and tent to think of! Compact camping cookware that is lightweight is easy to pack and carry around serving many purposes too: commonly, a camping cookware kit consists of the ordinary cooking pot, skillets in various sizes that fit into each other (to save you packing space) and other items that are simple to transport. The cookware material you choose is of utmost importance as each type - cast iron, titanium-made products, aluminum or stainless steel cookware - comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Camping cookware sets made of Aluminum, titanium and stainless steel weigh less and are therefore not cumbersome to transport while the first also has a non-stick range, which may be a little costlier. The disadvantage to camping cook ware sets made of metal is that these have a tendency to rust and therefore storage is recommended only after these items are fully-dry. Cookware made of Cast iron is hardy and with a bit of special looking-after, these kits can are very long-lasting, though they are not exactly lightweight and can be tedious to lug around as compared to cookware sets constructed of the previously mentioned materials. While simple pans, skillets and pots are the basic camping cookware set's priority members, other essentials include cutlery, fundamental for enjoying mealtimes in the outdoors and utensils needed for the type of meals you wish to make at the campsite. Some meals may just call for basic spoon-knife combo while others may require the whole enchilada of a mini-kitchen such as a spatula, measuring cups, pincers and elaborate forks. There are even the special folding utensil kits in the market today that fit in neatly (nesting sets) enabling minimum use of premium space and are easy to store too. Those mulling over price tags and storage solutions for camping cookware have a neat and affordable option in the purchase of a simple spoon made of wood, of which the handle has been carefully sawed off (to prevent splinters) and a bowl besides the cheap and cheerful option of buying plastic cutlery sets. These simple and cost effective sets in plastic cookware consist of a wide array of cutlery and are convenient to use and store. Keen on traveling light and packing that way too? Then, lessen the load of camping cookware by pre-preparing meals in your kitchen before leaving; chopped veggies, sauces packed into compact containers/food-grade bags of plastic, essential cutting equipment (board and knife - more than one of the latter kind) and a variety of spoons will make campsite cooking easy on you. Choose simple meals to cook during campouts that minimize carrying extra cookware, avoid elaborate recipe-ingredients and stick to easy, simple cooking methods, such as Aluminum foil cooking - fast to cook, good to eat meals! |
Author Resource:- Abhishek is a Camping freak! Visit his website www.Camping-Guru.com and download his FREE Camping Report "Camping With The Family: How To Have A Safe, Fun, And Inexpensive Vacation" and learn some amazing Camping tips and tricks for FREE. Learn how to have the perfect vacation on a shoe-string budget. But hurry, only limited Free copies available ! www.Camping-Guru.com |
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Best Cookware Set To Match Your Needs
Important Features
The most important thing to look for when you are buying a cookware set is a nonreactive surface. Stainless steel is the most popular choice nowadays, but seasoned cast iron, enamel or a good quality nonstick surface is also good. If the base is of aluminum or copper, or sometimes even cast-iron induction, heat induction is better.
Convenience
Your best cookware set should be convenient for you to use. The handles are an important selection, because you should be comfortable handling them. Cast iron handles or tubular stainless steel handles do not heat on the stovetop and are oven safe. . If you like, you can buy silicone handle covers separately which are oven-safe.
Make sure that the lids fit well on the cookware so that the food does not spill. If you like to use the oven often, you must check out the temperature rating of the cookware. There are several recipes which begin with searing foods on the stovetop and then moving on to the oven. All cookware cannot be used in the oven, so check out that your best cookware set is compatible for both.
Cleaning
The other factor for your best cookware set is the cleaning. Make sure that the cookware set can be put into a dishwasher. Often the manufacturer recommends washing by hand, but if the cookware is hard and anodized, it could be washed in a dishwasher. If the cookware is nonstick, it has to be washed by hand.
Disadvantages
Once you have checked out the best cookware set in the market, it is important for you to read user’s comments and reviews on the product that you have singled out. There may be some disadvantages like the weight of the cookware set, or the size of the pots which may be important for you too. Some people prefer a heavy cookware set, so that the children cannot attempt to pour hot food by themselves. On the other hand, it might just be too heavy for you too!
The biggest disadvantage of a set is that you cannot choose the size of all the pots, but have to take whatever belongs to the set. In this way you can definitely get a better deal. But look around for the main features which are important for you, so that the best cookware set becomes an asset for your house.
Cookware -- From Stainless Steel Pans to Cast Iron and Anodiz
Cookware runs the gamut -- from stainless steel to cast iron to anodized aluminum, copper and coated cast iron -- and many more.
Rita's got some favorite cookware that she recommends. Her enamel coated cookware, the 100 year old cast iron skillet handed down from her mother and the new anodized aluminum pans.
Cookware sets will be big gifts this Christmas and all year long for birthdays and other occasions. What's the difference between professional sets and affordable discount sets? In this video Rita tells you what to look for when shopping for pots and pans.
What’s Cooking?: Cookware Pots And Pans
Therefore, if in the market for cookware pots and pans it is important to purchase these utensils with specific thoughts in mind. Those thoughts should take into account the kitchen and types of food that is cooked.
Kitchen Décor
One of the most important rooms in the house is the kitchen. This is because the kitchen is a gathering place to not only eat, but socialize.
In addition, there are only so many rooms within the home that can be remodeled that may increase the value of that home. Two of those rooms include the bathroom and the kitchen. Therefore, not only does the right adornment of cookware pots and pans help to create a festive atmosphere to the kitchen, but can also create a sense of increased value to the home through the use of cookware pots and pans.
Specifically, the construction and installation of a cooking pots and pans rack can be installed and hung from the ceiling. Once this has been accomplished, an appealing set of cookware pots and pans can be placed on this rack. This will not only provide a beautiful décor to the kitchen but also bring a ease of accessibility to the cookware. The use of copper pots and pans are very effective to create this look in the kitchen.
Food That Is Prepared
Another consideration that should be taken into account when considering the purchase of cookware pots and pans is that the cook should take into account the food that is generally prepared for the family. This is because there are many types of cookware pots and pans available on the market that are specifically designed to cook in different ways.
For example, available on the market are pots and pans that are made of cast iron. Cookware made from this type of material is generally used to slow cook foods because the cast iron heats up slowly and diffuses the heat slowly after it is removed from the cooking area.
Another type of cookware that can be utilized by a modern day family are non stick pots and pans. These types of pots and pans are covered with a non stick surface. This allows for the food to be cooked and not stick to the surface of the pan. In addition, cleanup is easy because there’s no food to scrape off of the surface of the pot or pan.
Variety Is The Spice Of Life: Cooking Pots And Pans
It has been often said that in order to do the job right it is important to have the right tools. This premise holds true whether the task requires building something, working at a place of employment or even performing daily tasks at home.
One of those tasks that can be easily accomplished through the right equipment is cooking. Specifically, through the use of the right cooking pots and pans, cooking and cleanup can be better accomplished.
Cooking With The Right Cooking Pots And Pans
Preparing a meal takes more than just throwing the food ingredients together into a pot or pan and then cooking the meal. To actually prepare a meal properly it takes planning, gathering the ingredients and preparing those ingredients for cooking. Examples of this preparation can include measuring out the recipe, chopping or slicing the food and possibly cooking the meal in stages.
In addition, it takes the proper use of cooking pots and pans to properly simmer or cook the food. For example, cooking pots and pans come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. In addition, cookware pots and pans are manufactured using various materials.
Those materials include cast iron, copper based cookware, aluminum, etc. Therefore, depending upon the cook and the cooking plan of action it is important to choose the right cooking pots and pans. This is underscored as cast iron can be used to slow cook food products while a copper based pot and pan is the best choice for heat efficiency and the equalized cooking of the food.
Nonstick Cookware
Also, there are some types of cooking pots and pans that are coated for easy cooking and cleaning. Generally, these cooking pots and pans use a Teflon coating or other substance.
Also, if considering these types of cooking pots and pans it is important to purchase a quality product. This simply means that these pots and pans should be coated with a set amount of the nonstick surface. Obviously, due to wear and tear and inadvertent scratching one or two layers of the nonstick surface are not sufficient.
For best results in maintaining the longevity of this product it is important to purchase nonstick cookware that has a minimum of at least three layers. The higher end scale of quality nonstick cooking pots and pans will be manufactured using seven layers of the nonstick material.
Finally, if choosing a nonstick surface it is important to stay away from silicon. The reason being is that silicon, when heated, may adversely affect the taste of the food.
Copper Cooking: Copper Pots And Pans
There are many styles and designs of cooking pots and pans on the market. Some of these cooking pots and pans are decorative in nature, while some are very basic in look.
In addition, there are pots and pans that are made from different materials. Some of those materials could include cast iron, aluminum and copper.
Specifically, copper pots and pans can serve a number of purposes. Two of those purposes include the basic purpose of cooking foods and can be a decorative addition to the kitchen.
Cooking With Copper Pots And Pans
When it comes to choosing cooking pots and pans it is important to consider what the cooking pots and pans are made out of. This is because the choice of metals used to manufacture the cooking utensils equates to efficiency in the kitchen and the use of energy.
One primary example of an energy efficient material used to create pots and pans is copper. This is because copper is an efficient conductor of heat. Therefore copper pots and pans are excellent choice of cookware.
In addition, this type of cookware heats up rapidly and provides a more unified disbursement of heat. Therefore, not only is this an efficient use of energy, but provides uniform cooking of the food.
Decorative Style of Copper Pots And Pans
One additional benefit to using copper pots and pans is the natural beauty of the copper. This is typically demonstrated as the bottom portion of the copper pots and pans are copper in color and the upper portion of the cookware is silver in color.
This blend of metallic colors provides a beauty that can highlight a kitchen's decor. In fact, many individuals choose to display their copper pots and pans openly. This open display is often accomplished by mounting a pot and pan rack in the kitchen so that the copper pots and pans can hang from the display rack in full view of those who enter the kitchen.
Downside To Copper Pots And Pans
However, as with all things, there is a downside to utilizing copper pots and pans. This first caution is that over time, due to the exposure to heat, the copper may become discolored. In addition, to maintain the beauty of the copper pots and pans it may require additional work to maintain the appearance.
Finally, it is important to note that food being cooked will sometimes react adversely with the copper.
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Seasoning And Cleaning Cast Iron Cookware
Seasoning
If you receive cast iron cookware that is currently being used as cookware and has already been seasoned, then you can skip seasoning for now. However, if your food sticks like glue to your pans, then you know that you have to reseason. It can't hurt to at least be familiar with seasoning cast iron cookware.
If the cast iron cookware is brand, spanking new, then it has a protective coating on it that needs to be washed away before you can season. You have to do this, preferably with just hot mildly hot soapy water and steel wool. At this stage, a little water is not going to harm the cast iron cookware. But don’t let the soapy water soak in the pots and pans!
Then, you pour some vegetable oil into the clean cookware. (Originally, you used lard, but that's hard to come by and not an option for vegetarians!) It's best to use a paper towel in order to spread the oil evenly over the interior of the pans. Then, you need to turn your oven on to 250° F. Keep the lid off. Stick the oiled cask iron cookware in the oven for two hours. Use when cooled off.
Cleaning
Cast iron cookware should be cleaned with a damp towel or cloth. If you have to wash, use only a mild dish detergent and NEVER use a scrubbing pad. It's best to let dry by sticking it on a warm burner. Another way to clean tough, stuck on food is to add a cup of water to the cast iron cookware, boil it for three minutes, dump the water (and, hopefully, the stuck on food), then let cool a bit and wipe with a thick cloth.
Yet another people like to clean their cast iron cookware is by adding a little salt to the pots, then wiping with a cloth or paper towel. The salt acts as an abrasive powder. Afterwards, more oil needs to be added. Store with the lids off. This is why it's best to hang these pots and pans up.
Using A Cast Iron Griddle To Tell The Future
Scrying
Being able to glimpse the future through use of a tool is called "scrying". Although tea leaves, Tarot cards and crystal balls are perhaps the most infamous of scrying tools, you can also use an inky black object like a cast iron griddle, particularly if it is used regularly for cooking and not just wall decoration. A seasoned cast iron griddle has even coloring that can help your subconscious awaken after gazing at it a while.
The main gist of scrying with a tool like a cast iron griddle is to relax your conscious, logical mind and let your intuitive, imaginative mind take charge. If you've ever seen shapes in the clouds or in a campfire, then you already know the kind of skills you need to tell the future by gazing at the back or the inside of a cast iron griddle.
Empty Or Full?
There isn’t any one correct way to tell the future with enamel cast iron cookware. Some people like to hang a pan or griddle on the wall and stare at it. Some prefer to fill the cast iron pot with water and gaze. Some like to heat up their cast iron griddle and splash some water inside, watching the shapes that arise from the bouncing drops and the steam. Try many different ways to see what method really clicks with you.
Preparation
Scrying takes a surprising amount of energy for many people. Some people can see the future effortlessly, but for most of us it takes a bit of work. It's best to look at the future of other people and not yourself, because you will be too worried about your own future to see anything accurately.
Many people like to pray or wear a protective charm when they scry with a cast iron skillet. You might just like to imagine a shielding white light around you. Even if you don’t believe in God, it's good to pray that what you see is accurate and not more than you can handle.
What You Need To Know About Enamel Cast-Iron Cookware
What Is The Coating Stuff?
Enamel cast-iron cookware is basically bare-cast iron cookware with a protective glaze of vitreous enamel (also called porcelain enamel). It's cooked right on to the metal pots and pans. This procedure began in the 1800's and is still used by cooks and chefs today. Cleaning is much easier than with bare-cast cookware because you can use regular soap and water and do not worry about the seasoning process.
Even though enamel cast-iron cookware is still called that, there's not a lot of actual iron in the pots and pans anymore. Other combinations of metal alloys are used. This is partially because of health concerns, but also this is to make a lighter and more portable pot. Although a little bit of iron is necessary in the human diet in order to be healthy, if you get too much iron, you can get sick. Many believe that enamel cast-iron cookware can leech more iron into food than bare cast-iron cookware.
It Costs What?
Another main point about enamel cast-iron cookware that you must always keep in mind is that it is about the most expensive cookware on the face of the planet. The process of making the enamel cookware is a lot more complicated than making many other kinds of cookware.
If you are interested in getting enamel cast-iron cookware, you might be better off getting one piece at a time rather than a whole set. You would have to contend with the potential for the cookware not to match. You can get bargains on auction websites like eBay, until you look at how much you have to pay for shipping. Although not as heavy as brae cast-iron, it's still plenty heavy.
With proper care, enamel cast-iron cookware can last for decades. You need to let the pots and pans cool off completely before washing them, otherwise the clashing temperatures may wind up warping the cookware. It's best to use soft sponges or washcloths rather than anything harsh.
Other Uses For a Cast-Iron Cookware Set
Weight Training
Although modern enameled cast-iron cookware sets are lighter than their all-iron ancestors, they still can pack a wallop when you want to pick them up – particularly if they are full of homemade chicken soup. Why invest in expensive weights for your workouts and basic body building when you can just lift a cast iron cookware set multiple times? If you really want to feel the burn, bench press a Dutch oven with the chicken soup still in it.
Hammer
Every now and then, you just need to pound something into the dirt (literally and figuratively). Perhaps you need to hammer in tent pegs or garden stakes. But you have forgetting you hammer – or, your hammer's handle has a crack in it, making it too dangerous for use. Never fear. Just pick up a piece from your cast-iron cookware set (preferably a frying pan) and WHAM, your problems are solves.
Recipe Book Holder
The problem with a lot of recipe books is that they are in books. Books are great – but not when in traditional binding. Unless the cookbook is spiral, bound, it will not lay flat. So, you have to either write the entire recipe out by hand in order to use it or you could lay a piece from a cast-iron cookware set in order to keep the book from springing shut. They also don’t move when you create a breeze racing into the kitchen to put out a fire or handle some other cooking misadventure.
Self Defense
This is actually the best reason to get cast-iron cookware sets. It's not for cooking – it's for down intruders, ex-boyfriends and, quite possibly, marauding black bears. In the case of the latter, just give the bear all of the food inside of the pot and he'll eat happily and then go away. But with people, you need to slam them in the head first and then ask questions later. Not that they can reply, but that's not the point.
Porcelain Cast-Iron Cookware: Not An Oxymoron
Enameled Utensils
Porcelain cast-iron cookware is the offspring of metal alloy utensils and a porcelain glaze (also called a vitreous glaze). The resulting glaze give the sturdiness of bare cast-iron cookware, but without the complicated seasoning and cleaning process required to keep the pans from rusting away. There are even cooking grills made of porcelain cast-iron.
Modern porcelain cast-iron cookware can be used on any range and can even be cleaned in dishwashers instead of always by hand. Unlike bare cast-iron, porcelain cast-iron cookware can come in many colors other than black. You do need to be sure you don’t scrub porcelain cast-iron cookware with scratchy or harsh scrubbers, else they will chip or peel. Once they chip or peel, you really should throw them out.
What About Iron Poisoning?
There's been a lot of fuss made about aluminum cookware being partially responsible for Alzheimer's Disease. However, this has never been proven. But, it is this reason that a lot of people are looking at replacing all of their aluminum pots and pans with porcelain cast-iron cookware. And then people get scared hearing about the risks of iron poisoning with porcelain cast-iron cookware.
Not being able to eat or being able to eat properly cooked foods will certainly hurt you a lot faster than some iron leeching into your food. Again, it hasn’t been proven that you can get iron poisoning from porcelain cast-iron cookware that is NOT cracked or peeling. However, you need to eat a LOT of iron before your body starts showing signs of iron poisoning.
Signs of iron poisoning include bloody vomit or stool (never a good sign), abdominal pain, sudden lethargy and disorientation from dehydration. This means that they have ingested a large chunk of iron up to 6 hours previously. If any of these sign occur, don’t ignore it. Call an ambulance immediately. Usually, people who get iron poisoning have taken too many iron ferrous supplements as opposed to using porcelain cast-iron cookware.
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The Pros And Cons Of Cast-Iron Cookware For Camping
The Advantages
The main advantage of cast-iron cookware for camping is that it's very durable and doesn't topple over in a stiff wind (which we got a lot of in England). It also spreads heat out evenly and so you don’t have burnt food on the bottom and ice-cold sludge on the top. Another advantage is that cast-iron cookware for camping is fireproof. This is very important, because fire and hot coals are all you have to cook with. It's surprising how many people forget this.
Another tremendous advantage of cast-iron cookware for camping is that it makes a great self-defense weapon that you don’t need a license for. I swear I could deflect a bullet with my cast-iron frying pan found in the trash. Even when it rusted and I realized I couldn’t cook with it anymore, I still kept it just to smack intruders over the head. Unfortunately, living in a camp makes you more prone to people high on drugs. You need to smack first and ask questions later.
The Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of using cast-iron cookware for camping is a really big one hard to ignore – cast-iron is incredibly heavy. If you're hiking all over hill and dale, you have to have everything on your back. After a couple of miles in the afternoon sun, that cast-iron cookware for camping begins to feel like the proverbial albatross. If you are going to take a cast- iron cooking utensil, take ONE small pan and that's it. If however, you are an RV camper, then you can use a whole set of cast-iron cookware for camping and your back will be fine.
The other disadvantage of cast-iron cookware for camping is that it does not tolerate water well. This is not very helpful when you are stuck for a week in a downpour. When the tent starts leaking, you grab all of the pots and bowls you can to collect the leaks and keep it from spreading out all over your bedding. In this way, a cast-iron pot is helpful. However, it's ruined for cooking by the end of the storm.
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