JimHeard

I'd recommend Sitram over the Cuisinart or the All-clad stainless. I've seen that line of Cuisinart in the store and it seemed less sturdy than Sitram, plus I don't trust any covered aluminum disk, since you can't really tell how thick it is. On the Sitram, you can see that it's actually 1/4" thick. We have the 3.3 quart sitram saute pan and like it alot. You can get the 4.5 quart model with lid (I believe that's the size) for about $70 on amazon. As Sam and others have pointed out, All-clad is generally way overpriced. That said, if you are set on a single-gauge pan (as opposed to the disk bottom style like sitram and the cuisinart), avoid the stainless line, and look at the all-aluminum MC2 line, which is not only cheaper but better (but doesn't look at pretty). The best deals on any all-clad will not be on Amazon but on http://www.cookwarenmore.com/ which sells good-quality seconds for way less than retail. For example, the 4 quart MC 2 saute pan would be about $130 versus about $195 retail. Think seriously about your intended use before deciding whether to pay extra for single-gauge. If you can get by with medium heat, then you will probably not experience the problem of hot edges with the disk bottom pans (it causes black spots around the "corners" that are a bit of chore to clean, but manageable). If you expect to do a lot of high-heat cooking, then it's probably worth the money to go single-gauge. Hope this helps.

I can also vouch for Chris's Coffee as a great place to buy coffee gear. I haven't tried the Quick Mill, but another good option they offer is the Isomac Gran Macinino, for $160. It's a doserless, all-metal conical burr grinder made in Italy. I use it for FP and drip, and it produces an even grind with very little dust. Can't say whether it works for espresso, but some of the Coffee Geek reviews claim good results for that. Other places sell this grinder for over $200, so $159 is good value (I got mine used - from Chris's - for $99).

We own several pieces of Sitram, and it is exellent, well-made cookware. We own the 3-quart saucepan and have been very happy with it. Haven't used the Bourgeat stainless, but it looks to be the same construction and they have a good reputation. The Sitram pan appears about $10-12 cheaper ($57 with lid at this link: http://www.cookswares.com/individual.asp?n=60043). You can sometimes pick it up at incredible prices on Amazon (they call it either "professional" or "profiserie," but it's the same stuff). I see no reason to pay more for the Borgeat. Although Sitram is great for certain kinds of pans (especially larger sauce pans or stock pots), I would think twice before using it for either a saute pan or a saucier. We have the 11" saute pan, and it's a great pan, PROVIDED you keep the heat no higher than medium. If you cook anything hotter than that, the outer edges of the pan (beyond the edge of the aluminum disk) get too hot, and you get a dark-brown or black ring around the outer edges of the inside bottom of the pan (this problem has been discussed earlier in this post with respect to smaller sauce pans). This cleans off with BKF and elbow grease, but it's a pain that causes us to limit the use of this pan to lower-heat applications. Bottom line: I would suggest getting a single-guage pan for both the 11" diameter saute pan, and the saucier pan you mention, UNLESS you are sure you will seldom or never use higher than medium heat. I have not tried these pans, but if they are built as described, the single-gauge saute pans at J.B. Prince (at this link: http://www.jbprince.com/index.asp?PageActi...OD&ProdID=3505) seem like great value ($56 for the 3-quart version, w/no lid). Hope this helps. Jim Heard

I'm planning on trying a regular Bialetti moka pot (aluminum, standard Moka Express), and am unsure about the size. I'm the only coffee drinker in the house, and normally have just one strong 12-oz. cup of drip or french press. I know the "cups" in moka pots are much smaller, and am trying to decide between the 3-cup and the 6-cup moka pot (Bialetti makes nothing in between in the basic Moka Express line). I'd appreciate any advie from anyone.

The sort of griddle Eunny was talking about can be picked up and cleaned any number of ways. The griddle I was using at work (the subject of my initial post) was built-in, so there was no way to clean it at a sink or over a trash can. The bench scraper is also called a dough scraper--a common tool in pastry kitchens that I find dozens of uses for at home or at work. They're not very expensive--here's one from Sur La Table. The bench scraper might be useful for decrudding the home griddle between loads of pancakes or whatever. ← Thanks very much, Malawry. Since it sounds like the cleaning technique may vary, I'd welcome any advice from Eunny on how she got her grill/griddle to have the nice black patina, and how she cleans it. I have one of those 2-burner griddle/grills on order, and want to get off on the right foot. Thanks to all participants for a very helpful post.

Hi Cala, One possibility for the inexpensive sauce pan you are looking for is the Cuisinart Chef's Classic hard anodized non-stick line discussed above. I understand why Sam and other folks do not like non-stick except for those old Calphalon Commercial n/s fry pans (and I agree), but it sounds as if your use of this pot may not put much stress on the non-stick coating. I also realize that you may not actually need n/s for this pot, but this line is otherwise suitable for what you need: 3mm single-guage aluminum, and not expensive. We recently bought a 2-quart model from Amazon, and are so far pleased with it for the specific tasks we bought it for (cooking rice, heating soup). The 1.5Qt. version goes for all of $19. I'm having trouble pasting in the link, but you can find it on Amazon if you search for "Cuisinart Chef's Classic hard anodized sauce pan". It does have a glass top, which I normally dislike, but for the price, I can certainly put up with it. Plus, for certain tasks (cooking rice), it's better to be able to see inside without lifting the lid. Hope this helps. Jim Heard

Thanks, Sam. Just what I needed to know.

Dear Sam: Thanks again for the very helpful discussion of the Falk 11" saucier and the alternatives. I recently received the Falk pan, and really DO understand what all the fuss was about. I used it to make risotto last weekend, and the cooking was almost as much fun as the eating. The shape is perfect for the continual stirring, the pan is incredibly responsive, and it was simply a delight to use. As you suggested, I saved $80 or so by not buying the lid, and was delighted to find that the lid for my 11" Sitram Prof. saute pan fits it perfectly! That lid, for folks who are so inclined, sells at Bridge Kitchenware for about $16. I do have one question about the Falk. Given its weight, when sauteing, I tend to slide it back and forth across my stove grates, which are heavy cast iron. As copper is softer than iron, I have wondered if sliding the pan over the slightly rough cast iron will over time cause any problem with the pan. So far, I have noticed that it causes tiny scratch marks on the bottom of the pan, but have assumed that they will not affect the performance. I just wonder if long-term, I may expect more than tiny scratch marks? Finally, thanks also for tipping us off to Sitram. I had never heard of it before reading your discussion, and am now the proud and happy owner of several excellent pieces of Sitram Profiserie cookware. For the many uses where a disk-bottom pan is a good choice, I would recommend it to others without hesitation. Jim Heard

Thanks, Sam, for your helpful answers to my questions (and FiFi's addendum). Thanks to everyone else who chimed in too.

For those folks looking for a good deal on Le Creuset enameled cast iron ovens, Caplan Duval in Montreal is having a sale with some incredible prices (e.g., 7.25 Qt. round oven at $115 - $119 U.S., depending on colors). I'm not affiliated with them, just a satisfied customer (I just bought a 5-quart oven from them). Here's a link: http://caplanduval2000.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl...ed+Ovens+012705

Dear Sam: Thanks for your wonderful course and the extremely informative Q&A. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to get this level of detail and quality of advice anywhere else. I hope you won't mind answering a couple more questions about your most-used pan: the curved sauteuse evasee. I have read your discussion and am convinced that this would be a very useful pan, and am trying to decide between copper (Falk 11") and aluminum (All-clad MC2, 4.5 Qt. saucier). I envision using the pan for sauteing (when our 11" Sitram saute pan is otherwise occupied), stir-frying, and cooking things like risotto that involve reducing and/or frequent stirring of liquids. For those uses, on a good (Wolf) gas stove, is there a reason to pay the premium for copper? The price difference between the Falk ($223 with 5% discount) and MC2 ($127 at Cookware & More) is almost $100. Also, am I correct that the heat capacity would actually be higher with the aluminum pans, assuming the aluminum is thicker than 3.5mm? Finally, for the uses mentioned, assuming I chose to go with aluminum, how would the All-clad "chef's pan" (12" x 3", 4 Qts.) compare with the All-clad Sauciere (10.5" x 4", 5.5 Qts.)? Am I correct in assuming that the "chef's pan" is really just an expensive wok, and would not be much good for anything but stir-frying? Thanks for any guidance you can provide.