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Ed, Thank you, I hadn't thought of that option. Where to find vintage=eBay? (Of course, that would mean not being able to try before I buy...) As for new ones, what is the deal with Sabatier--I recall reading somewhere on egullet that Sabatier is actually a "type" of knife rather than one brand (sort of like aspirin). Thanks! Cynthia

Speaking of tissue damage... (I posted a similar query in the knife section of foodieforums.com and I see some similar handles/names here.) I have a repetitive stress injury known as radial tunnel (similar to carpal, but originates in the elbows) which causes pain and fatigue in my fingers/wrists/elbows. Generally I have some loss of sensation in my thumb and pinky finger on my right hand (my dominant hand) and they frequently feel as if they are just a little bit "asleep". My Wusthofs are feeling mighty heavy these days, I've been thinking about replacing my Chef's knice and my Paring knife with lighter Japanese knives, as I thought this would stress out my hands less. Ergonomic handles/easy of use (to prevent fatigue and "overuse") are the performance criteria that matter most. (While people say Shun, for example is better than Global in terms of the steel, since both are probably sharper than my Wusthof's, I want the one that will be more comfortable to cut with). Is my reasoning sound in thinking I'd be less fatigued/stressed with Japanese knives? If it sound like a good plan--what do you think have the most comfortable handles/are easiest to use? (Note--not asking what is the sharpest, I am going to have to choose comfort handle and ease of use over sharpness--unless, of course, the knive has to be sharpened so much that the act of frequent sharpening would make my hands even worse.) FWIW, my hands are on the "small" side thought are not "tiny", and I am right-handed. ~Cynthia

Sam, Thank you for the link to the Paderno saucepan, it looks good and the price is nice. My one concern is...would there ever be a cooking/technique reason to have a Tall Saucepan of straight gauge construction rather than disk-bottom? (Since I am planning to only start with ONE pan--as I have already gotten rid of the 1, 2 and 3 QT saucepans I mentioned upthread, I want to maximize versatility of cooking tasks of the new pot). I just want to be sure I am not missing anything in my logic before I start purchasing. Thanks again for all this terrific info. I wish I had known this stuff years ago! ~Cindy

Oops, I forgot to put the word "Curved" in front of Sauteuse. I do indeed intend to buy this "saucier" shape as opposed to the flared-sided one. I defintely saute in my saute pans, but now that I think about it, I realize I've also been frying in them too solely because food FITS in them, whereas my 8" fry pan is too small for most things. Though the higher sides of the saute pan were bugging me when I was frying! DUH! So, I will get a copper fry pan. What do you think would be most versatile size for a home kitchen? Yes, well, sort of...(read on for explanation). But this isn't the whole story as to why I am phasing them out. I bought them in the early 1990's when low-fat high carb was still very "in", and I had been watching a lot of Graham Kerr on tv at that time (who had morphed from Galloping Gourmet--but not necessarily healthy--into "healthy gourmet" due to his wife's health issues) and he endorsed Scanpan. Scanpan 2001+ wasn't nonstick al la Teflon-coated pans--they were not "super slick". So I didn't get the obnoxious "pooling" effect of the oil in the pan--it spread better than Teflon. The brochure inside the pans explained that the nonstick surface was inherent to the pan and not just a coating, and that with use the pan would develop a "seasoning" to it. This bore out as I was indeed able to use metal utensils in it with NO problems in the approximately 12-13 years I've owned them. What I found most remarkable about them, though, was that in addition to letting you cook with less fat than a regular pan ALSO let you develop a fond so you could deglaze. Now, I cannot say the deglazing ability on these pans is the same as on, say, stainless steel, but they were definitely better way better flavor-wise compared to the teflon style. And they cleaned up beautifully. I am phasing them out b/c over a decade they were wearing out (loose handles, etc). Scanpan offers a lifetime guarantee and I sent my pans back. To my amazement, they were replaced with brand new pans in only a few weeks, with NO hassle. The new pans were called Scanpan New Tech--which was what they renamed the line after Y2K came and went. They also supposedly had new technology and had "upgraded" the non-stick ability. The replacement pans were great at first, but soon the saucepans and 6 Qt pot in particular started to blister on their interiors. (So far the saute and fry pans are problem free, but I am not holding my breath!) Oh well, so much for the new pans. When I spoke to the company rep she said I must have gotten a bad batch, she was extremely apologetic and polite, and sent me a prepaid shipping label this time (they usually don't pan for return of items for warranty service), so I can once again return the pans and get replacements. However, my fear is that there is a difference of manfucaturing or chemical/physical properties between the 2001+ and New Tech which accounts for the blistering of the new product, (I have read some reviews from other users of the New Tech that indicate I am not the only one who has experienced this problem, thus causing me to question whether it was true that I got a bad batch, but really what I think it is more likely is that the New Tech has some performance issues... I am concerned that if I return the pans, their replacements too will have the same problems. It is just too much of a hassle for me as I cannot return ALL of my pots and pans at once (or I will have very little to cook with.) And, to be honest, I've always wanted copper cookware, so I figured now is a good time to switch. I do want to stress that Scanpan's customer service has been outstanding throughout this process. I have never tried any of their other cookware but if I could "exchange" my cookware for the stainless steel line, I would do so, but alas, that is not they way the replacement guarantee works--it has to be the same product. Anyway, enough about Scanpan, I digress. Thank you for explaining about disk-bottom vs. straight gauge on smaller-than-the flame diameter pans. This makes a lot of sense. I can't wait to start shopping! Thank you so much for all of this terrific information! Best, Cindy

Hello, Sam, I am new here! I thoroughly enjoyed the class, very helpful. I am ready to “upgrade” my cookware and would appreciate a little reassurance and hand-holding from an expert as I am only an amateur and cook just for fun (not for profit)!! Here is what I have now, separated by what I am retiring (or have already gotten rid of) and what I plan to keep: RETIRING (all of the following are Scanpan 2001+, which I’ve had for 12-14 years and which was great but is now no longer relevant to the way I cook) • Fry pan—8 in—I found this to be too small • Sauté pans--10 in, and 14 in • Sauce pans-- 1 QT, 2 QT, and 3 QT • Big pot w/two handles--6 QT KEEPING • Stockpot--8qt--Bourgeat SS w/aluminum disk on bottom (it was a gift!) • Cast iron skillet, preseasoned--12 in, Lodge—I am new to cast iron, so am still leaning how to cook in it, but so far, I like it • Blue Steel crepe pan, size?, French (no brand name)—a slightly seasoned hand-me down which I’ve just begun to use—great for crepes (thank goodness!) and I was shocked to find I can make a good omelet in this even though it isn’t non-stick • Oval French Oven, Le Creuset (size? Big enough, LOL!) NOT SURE YET • One “try-me” special “Chef’s skillet” (looks like saucier) 9 in/2 qt, Calphalon One (the regular version, *not* the nonstick). This actually works pretty well, cleans easily and hasn’t warped, but based on what I’ve read upthread about the One line, I wish I hadn’t bought it. • Calphalon Commercial (one of the “older” styles) butter warmer—does it’s job just fine, but is too small for warming milk (I love Chai tea) and is too light when empty (tips over toward handle if not perfectly balanced on gas grate), and it is UGLY, thus it really annoys me and I am looking for any excuse to replace it I want to invest in high performance cookware that will last a long time. I want to be able to cook both everyday fare as well as more “fussy” dishes for entertaining (and impressing a future husband with my fabulous cooking skills, at least I hope so!) Also, I’d like something that is a little bit “forgiving” – if such a thing exists—that is to say, pots and pans that “respond” quickly so as to minimize and control the damage rather than magnify the error. Not that I plan to scorch things on purpose! Also, for starters especially, I want to get as much use out of a smaller number of items rather than have “a pan for every recipe” I prefer versatility and quality over sheer quantity. Based on Sam’s recommendations and reading all the Q&As, here I what is on my list of things to buy: 1) 11” straight gauge copper Sauteuse Evasée. I am leaning towards Bourgeat since I really like the idea of a pouring lip. I would like to from others with more cooking experience than I—How much do you think a pouring lip really matters? Seeing as at least the flared (but non-curved) sauteuses are AKA a ”fait tout”, I have reasoned that a curved sided one should be no different based on what Sam has said. Thus my hope is that getting this pan first would allow me to delay the need for purchasing a separate fry pan for a while (to eventually replace the 8” one I’m retiring, as without it, the only fry pans I will have will be the cast iron and the crepe pan). In any event, I don’t want to replace the 8 inch fry pan with I have with a new one the same size as I find this to be kind of small. 2) I think I will need at least one “normal” (non-reducing) sauce pan. I honestly have no idea why I originally purchased so many ( 1, 2 and 3 QT) all those year ago. To replace them, I want to start with only ONE pot and think it should be Tall Saucepan so that I can heat up soup, blanch veggies, etc. Since I am limited the number of pieces, I need to maximize versatility both in terms of size and what the pan can do. Thus, I would like to know what you think about: -Size/capacity -Straight gauge vs. disk bottomed? (which ones give me more cooking options?) -Preferred material for whichever construction you suggest -Brands? 3) Smallish saucepan/butter warmer thingie? To melt butter, heat enough milk for one person, small amounts of sauce, whatever… Can the larger tall saucepan do this job? My worry is putting smaller amounts of liquid in a large diameter pan if I don’t want to reduce the liquid.) If I need a smaller saucepan/butter warmer, what should I get? -Straight gauge is what you say is needed when the diameter of the pan is smaller than the burner diameter. I am not sure I understand why this is so? -Given that straight gauge is your preference, which material/brand do you suggest for such a pan? Thank you so much, I know this is kind of long! Any help you can offer on this would be most appreciated! Regards, Cindy