New Kitchen

[EnglishTeacher]

I'm building a kitchen from scratch. I'm planning on an induction cooktop. With a minimalists philosophy, what would you buy in terms of cookware? While there are tons of interesting and knowledgable people here, I'm especially interested in the comments of Mr. Kinsey if he happens to read this.

Also, I have some specific questions. 1) Why does everyone here seem to prefer LC to a cast iron dutch oven (my wife's South African, and they love their potjkies). 2) Why do I need a saute pan? 3) Why do I need a roasting pan? 4) Why do so few people here seem to use pressure cookers? 5) Can I let my pressure cooker double as my stockpot?

I know people here tend to avoid naming brands, but I'd appreciate it if they did. I know no one here has any kind of brand agenda. Please vent your preferences. Also, I have money despite my profession, and I would rather invest in something of some quality.

I guess this is the question. If you could only have the minimum, what would it be?

This is my first post, and I appreciate your mercy and consideration.

Thanks

Nick Tang

[Chris Amirault]

Welcome Nick!

We've got quite an impressive list of kitchen reno topics, including these by Varmint, Dave the Cook, the Perlows, Marlene, and MelissaH. There's also two kitchens growing in Brooklyn: johnder's and mjr_inthegardens. Take a look at those and let us know if you see any answers.

As for your questions, I see you've taken a look at slkinsey's eGCI Understanding Stovetop Cookware course. That's a great place to start with many of your questions.

My crack at a few of them:

1) Why does everyone here seem to prefer LC to a cast iron dutch oven (my wife's South African, and they love their potjkies).

I don't know exactly what potjkies are, but if they're unlined cast iron, one main answer is the porcelain enamel lining. The light color makes it easier to see the food in the pot and the porcelain provides a boundary between the reactive metal and acidic ingredients which can darken the food. You don't have to season and maintain them either, and, well, many people think they look purdy.

2) Why do I need a saute pan?

Sorry, can't resist: to sauté things, mais oui! If you do a lot of sautéing, a sauté pan's high straight sides and large flat base make it easier and less messy to do. Frying pans can work, of course, but their sides are designed for flipping food and thus aren't straight.

3) Why do I need a roasting pan?

Ditto above. Do you roast meats at high temperatures? Do you want to get that nice browning effect on the bottom? If those things are true, then a quality roasting pan with a solid base makes a huge difference. Click here for an in-depth discussion.

I've no experience with pressure cookers, but I had to dive in here:

I know people here tend to avoid naming brands, but I'd appreciate it if they did.

←

Dude, you've got the Society confused with some other group of people! Believe me, we name names.

[EnglishTeacher]

Thanks for the posts. I read them. Right now, the construction doesn't worry me. I'm more worried about where I'm going.

I guess what I meant about the roasting pan is is there anything I can do with a roasting pan that I can't do with a large Dutch oven or skillet?

A potjkie pot is the Afrikaans word for a Dutch oven. Potkie is just their word for pot, so yes it is a redundancy like ATM machine, but they all say it, and I don't argue with her.

I'm more interested in cookware right now. What are the essentials? What do I need to accomplish the most tasks with the same stuff?

For example, do I need a sauce pan and a saucier? I know that sauciers are better for anything requiring reduction, but a sauce pan seems better for candy making. Can one better double duty for the other? All I've used a is a cheap disk bottom sauce pan up to this point, but I've clad is better for candy making. If I have to choose these sorts of things to complete multiple tasks, what do I do?

I know many people have suggested Mauviel for induction, but I was wondering whether it was really better for all things. For example, it has a nice bottom, but should something with other, more conductive materials, be better for things requiring an more even dispersal of heat, such rice or again candy?

Are there things for which I need a smaller pot or pan, or if I'm only going to buy the minimum, should I just go for the largest of everything I need (with a stockpot addition and Dutch oven)?

I understand that saute pans give more surface area in less space, but a larger fry pan than you would buy of a saute pan seems to compensate for this. If I'm going to braise afterwords, I'm probably using my cast iron anyway, which has high sides.

Thank you for your comments. Now, I'm focussing on cookware.

)

Nick Tang

[Chris Amirault]

I guess what I meant about the roasting pan is is there anything I can do with a roasting pan that I can't do with a large Dutch oven or skillet?

Depends on how big the skillet is, but if it can accommodate a large roast, not really. However, a Dutch oven has tall sides that make it less than ideal for (dry-heat) roasting -- and I can't imagine a Dutch oven big enough to hold our 16 lb turkey at Thanksgiving.

What are the essentials? What do I need to accomplish the most tasks with the same stuff?

←

I'll leave your induction questions for someone who knows more than I do on the subject (which is pretty much anyone). However, the questions about "what you need" can't be answered without your telling us what sorts of cooking tasks for which you anticipate using the equipment. Are you strictly cooking European continental cooking, with the full sauce range? What about Chinese food? Broiling? Do you make a lot of rice or pasta? In any given meal, how many courses are you likely to serve, and how many of those require simultaneous cooking on a stovetop?

[gariotin]

I just redid my kitchen and used it as an excuse to get rid of 30 years of accumulated, non-matching junk. I invested in All Clad - the LTD ones - and bought:

1 qt saucepan

3 qt saucepan

Saute pan - not sure of the exact size, but pretty huge

Fry pan - more "normal" size

Petit roaster w/rack

Medium sized stockpot (I think 6 qts)

I also splurged and got the steamer inset for the 3 qt pan

I find this covers pretty much all bases, altho I must admit that I live alone, so most daily cooking is not too complicated. I entertain often, but again, go for simplicity over frou-frou these days. Xmas dinner was many-coursed and complicated, but I don't recall wishing I had anything extra to cook with.

Just my opinion, but this works for a basic set.

[EnglishTeacher]

Thanks for the awesome post. This is what my philosophy is. The more I own, the less I use. Also, I go slower trying to figure out what to use. I just want some stuff that can double duty and pull off any dish I might want to experiment with.

I'm still stuck whether I need a roaster, but otherwise, your list seems solid (although I'm still considering whether I need something like a chef's pan or whether I need a saute pan).

Thanks,

Nick Tang

[JAZ]

A couple of comments:

Have you considered Demeyere cookware (which can be used on induction ranges)? I have several pieces in the Sirocco line and love it. Most pieces have a copper disk bottom (skillets and sauciers don't -- they have a thick aluminum core), so the responsiveness is good. They're also dishwasher safe. I love them.

Also, you haven't really said what kind of cooking you do, so it's a little hard to say what the "minimum" is. The list that gariotin posted is a good start, but (for instance) if you plan to make stock, a 6-qt. stockpot probably won't be nearly big enough. On the other hand, there's no reason to get a 12- or 16-qt. stockpot if you're not going to make stock. As another example, if you want to make stews and braises, I think you'd want a cast iron (either plain or enamel-coated) 4-qt. or larger dutch oven. If the 6-qt. stockpot is heavy enough, it might be able to do double-duty, but often stockpots aren't designed for browning and braising.

And it seems that you plan to make candy -- you'll need something heavy bottomed and at least 4 quarts for most batches of candy. You really can't use a cast iron dutch oven style pan for that -- it retains way too much heat. Sometimes you just can't make pans do "double duty."