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Actually, the Costco site does aver that a 7 mm aluminum disc comes with the cookware, on the base. I'm not even a Costco member, but they have some nice deals, and the store is cleaner and much nicer than Wal-Mart or Sam's Club. I'll check it out if I join. $180 just seems cheap for that many pieces, is all. They give you a return privilege, of course, but that'd be a hassle, you'd pay shipping, and it isn't clear if they have the cookware in-store. I haven't phoned because I don't need anything. I intend to get the copper saute from France, just to enjoy comparing it with what I already have. Actually, I've wanted to try one of those copper pieces ever since I saw it onscreen in Babette's Feast, one of my favorite food movies. I thought, by the way, that Dinner Rush was one of Danny Aiello's best performances, and I wondered why the movie didn't do better. If I learn more about the Sitram cookware, I'll post details. It's hard to imagine that it isn't good quality, if it's 18/10 stainless with the 7mm disc, tho. Whatever the case may be, you're giving good advice, telling people to buy good cookware without being eager to get a matched set. I think that people are reluctant to throw out cookware. I had a couple of pieces of Revereware that my mother had for decades. It's junk, the frypans warp, it lets food scorch, it's ugly to look at, but I still hated to throw it away. Better to get good quality stuff, even if it's not a bargain.

Hi, Gentlemen- Just a few comments tonight, nothing of great import. I've compared prices everywhere on that Mauviel 11 inch 2.5mm copper saute pan, 4.6 liters. I haven't ordered it yet, although I may do that in a day or two, because I'd like to think I might still be able to sneak off to France for a few days before year's end. Artcopperware.com has the lowest price, 105.5 Euros, although shipping is 59 more. Seems like a lot for shipping. Cunillexport only wants 44 Euros to ship that pan to the U.S. I would imagine that the outlet store at Mauviel, in Villedieu, would be heaven, if they sell factory seconds. Dehillerin's website quotes 108.45 Euros for the same pan, although their Email quote has the price 3 Euros higher now. Naturally, I could kick myself for not buying it when I was in Paris last June, although I had tons of stuff to lug home. Their shipping fee is 66 Euros, 10 or 12 more for priority shipping. On a variation of the same topic, I was surfing the Web earlier tonight, and I noticed that costco.com has sets of Sitram Profiserie, stainless, for sale so cheap, it's hard to believe. If you go to costco.com and search for "cookware", you can link to a set of Sitram Profiserie for $180 that has 11 pieces. As I recall, there's an 11.6 quart stockpot, a fait tout, two saucepans, two small skillets, and a saute pan, with 3 lids and a steamer insert for the stockpot. Some lids fit more than one pan. The cookware is 18/10 stainless, 7 mm aluminum disc, and seems too cheap to be true. It's hard to imagine, even though we've discussed the reasons to avoid buying sets of cookware, a better deal than this. Few pans beyond this would be needed, it would seem. Could there be something wrong with this offer? I haven't been to Costco to see if they have any sets in stock. Might be mail-order only, not sure. For an amateur like myself, 11.6 quarts is a big enough stockpot, and you could use one of the skillets only for omelets, as some chefs recommend. I'm unlikely to run out and buy this set, because I have plenty of cookware already, but it seems like a terrific bargain. I hope that all of you are enjoying the approaching holidays and cooking up a storm, as I'm trying to. May your Bordelaise and Bolognese be the best. God bless you all, be well. Best wishes. Greg in Chicago

Gentlemen: Sincerest thanks for your kindness, and your helpful suggestions. I'll get that 11 inch saute when I get a chance, and I'll dwell on the choice of a second saucepan or evasee. When a sauce cooks up properly, the enthusiasm for learning more, grows exponentially, as you both surely know. Tools and good ingredients are critical, and it's always a delight to learn more about how to find both. Whatever I decide, I'll keep you posted. I can't tell you how delighted I was, to stumble upon this website. I have heard it said that chefs are among the most gracious of all people, because they are expected to make people they don't even know, feel comforted and cared for. My gratitude for your advice is most sincere. Best wishes, Greg in Chicago

Mr. Kinsey- I have a few small questions to ask you, about cookware. Your comments on this website have been insightful, extremely well-articulated, and enormously helpful to me. As an amateur chef, I have been seeking to learn more about cooking for almost two decades, and I've found few websites, or books, that have been as effective as your comments in helping me gain a better understanding of cooking techniques. My cookware consists of a set of anodized aluminum Calphalon which I purchased years ago, thinking that it's better than it is. A couple of saucepans, a 10 inch saute, a 12 inch saute, 8 inch and 10 inch omelet pans, an 8 quart stockpot, and a Calphalon wok which I don't like at all. I also have a 5 liter wide bottom pot, high sides, Matfer stainless with aluminum disc, I think, which I bought from a French chef at a cooking school in Wheeling, Illinois where I take classes occasionally. I'm not sure about the specs on that pan, but it's sturdy, nicely sized for boiling pasta and simmering Bolognese and other sauces, but too small for simmering chicken or veal stocks. I also have a 10.5 inch covered stainless saute, All-Clad, which I like, purchased at outletsonline.com before I learned from your comments that other stainless cookware is probably better quality and cheaper. And, finally, a cumbersome Le Creuset ridged grill pan. In June, I was delighted to visit Dehillerin for the first time, in Paris. As you can imagine, I was overwhelmed by their inventory, not armed with sufficient information to purchase cookware wisely, so I settled for a set of Guy Degrenne stainless flatware, which, astonishingly, cost little more than $100 for 12 5-piece settings. I digress. I would like to buy one piece of 2.5mm commercial copper cookware, stainless lined, and experiment with it. I would buy it by mail from Dehillerin, or from the factory in Villedieu-Les-Poeles, unless I find a way to return to France soon. Naturally, I would like to select a versatile piece that I'll use often. You have stated that your 11 inch curved sauteuse evasee is perhaps your best and most versatile pan. I've carefully investigated the products made by Mauviel, Bourgeat, and Falk Culinair, and Falk seems to be the only company that makes an 11 inch curved sauteuse evasee. Is this correct? At Dehillerin, I was shown the Mauviel 11 inch Rondeau, lidded, with very high sides and a stated 7.5 liter capacity. It was so big, and so heavy, I concluded that I would not often need a pan that large, given that I rarely cook for more than two. I thought I'd have trouble getting it home with my other luggage. However, I am strongly interested by the 11 inch Mauviel saute, the commercial-grade, with cast-iron stem. I cook pasta regularly, and this pan would enable me to add the pasta to the sauce and finish it. It seems like a wonderful pan, and large enough, to cook an entire chicken, or to use for cooking Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic, Chicken Marsala, various fish entrees, and related dishes, but small enough to be useful for lesser quantities of food. In short, quite versatile. Would you consider this pan to be a good choice for a first experience with top-quality copper cookware? My 8 quart Calphalon stockpot is serviceable for simmering stocks on a snowy Sunday, but I intend to get a larger, cheap stainless stockpot soon. However, my 2.5 quart Calphalon saucepan, though a nice size, drips, and I'd love to replace it with something better. Would you recommend a flared saucepan, if I wanted to go the copper route on that? Would 2.5 quarts roughly, be a good size pan to get, or should I be thinking of a slightly larger pan? I apologize for the length of my post. Like many people, I bought my set of Calphalon years ago when I didn't fully understand the value of buying cookware one piece at a time. The set was so cheap, I thought I had to buy it. My 10 inch saute pan warped, and was replaced by Calphalon, but now, I see that much of the anodized aluminum is being discontinued entirely. Would you mind being so kind as to share any thoughts you may have regarding the pans I've thought of purchasing? I rarely use my frypans, and seldom cook eggs or fry food per se, but I find my saute pans extremely versatile and easy to use. I'd love to hear anything you have to say that might assist me in my next purchase. I live in Chicago, and lots of stores sell cookware, but oddly, the inventories available seem far less extensive than New York offers, not to mention Paris. It's always better to see the pan before you buy, I'm sure you'd agree, but even in a city as large as Chicago, that's not always possible. Thank you very kindly.