What cookware are you the most obsessive about?

[Darienne]

Shalmanese's excellent topic on what we are the most and least excessive about, I kept thinking about obsessive...what am I the most and least obsessive about and decided that this topic might go in 'consumer' better.

I share the cooking with my DH, but I am still obsessive about MY Paderno pots and pans. No one uses them but me and they don't go into the dishwasher either. When we had company last week and they had to help with the cooking, I simply took all MY pots and pans and hid them away.

I also hate it when Ed adds something to my sauces or interferes in anything I am making unless I ask his opinion. But then I am a home cook and professionals would never do that anyway...would they?

I am very casual about cooking neatly and make the most gawdawful mess as I go. I am very neat about the rest of my life, but can't seem to cook without mucking up everything. My DH is appalled by my cooking habits.

[andiesenji]

I'm obsessive about my copper pots and pans and the antique cast iron cookware I inherited from my grandmother and great-grandmother.

I too have separate cookware for "others" who have no business fooling around with my good stuff.

(Ditto my knives!)

One of my ex-husbands accused me of having a knife "fetish" because I simply was unable to pass by a cutlery shop without buying something.

On one occasion, to shut him up, I purchased an enormous Bowie knife for him - it was very costly and then I had his name engraved on it and as I recall it cost close to $200. and that was in the early '70s.

I never heard another word about my knife purchases.

[paulraphael]

I used to be obsessive about the heavy copper pans. I don't obsess over them as much, but I still chase other people away, because the prices have gone crazy and I'll never be able to replace them if anything happens.

I'm more obsessive now about my small assortment of knives and sharpening stones. Not a collecting obsession as much as a technique obsession.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'm the only one who cooks particularly in our home, so I don't have to worry about anyone messing up the cookware. In fact I'd be delighted if someone tried occasionally.

I've been obsessive about knife sharpening lately. I can sympathize with the "technique obsession" there.

I have one knife that belonged to my father that I've been reshaping. It's pretty much there, but I'm still getting the curve just right. I've reshaped a few other worn knives, but none so far gone as this one. I posted about it on the family blog a few months ago--

http://familyoffood.blogspot.com/2009/07/dads-knife.html

[annecros]

Silpats. Ever since my hubby scored my first silpat cutting dumplings, no one touches my silpats.

Never, ever, touch my silpats.

I use them, wash them, store them. Nobody has any reason to touch them.

[fooey]

I'm obsessed that the house will burn down and I'll have to replace everything.

I sometimes think the only reason I pay insurance is in case I lose all of my kitchen equipment.

It's taken years and thousands of dollars, and I just don't think I could go through a restocking if something catastrophic happened.

The house can go up in smoke, but my oh my, to have to replace the kitchen equipment would be a monumental task.

If I'm obsessed about one thing in particular, it's my hand-carved pepper mill.

I found it when wondering through Pike's Place Market in Seattle. It's irreplaceable and, though a show piece, I hide it from others.

Edited August 26, 2009 by fooey (log)

[Peter the eater]

I'm not terribly obsessive about anything in my kitchen anymore. It's become quite a dilemma for me -- collecting thing is fun, but materialism really sucks.

If I had to pick something, I think it's the copper pots. The lining is easily scratched by sharp metal implements, so it's got to be stuff like nylon and wood. I have no idea where I would go to get them re-tinned.

[Peter the eater]

Darienne, what's DH stand for -- Designated Hitter? Dumber Half? Dearest Hubby?

Fooey, that pepper mill is beautiful. Where did you get it and what's it made of?

[Darienne]

Darienne, what's DH stand for -- Designated Hitter? Dumber Half? Dearest Hubby?

Fooey, that pepper mill is beautiful. Where did you get it and what's it made of?

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Hi Peter,

I am not particularly up on computer lingo, but on chat lists DH is generally Dear Husband.

(I googled it just for fun and did come up with some interesting and politically incorrect terms )

[David A. Goldfarb]

If I had to pick something, I think it's the copper pots. The lining is easily scratched by sharp metal implements, so it's got to be stuff like nylon and wood. I have no idea where I would go to get them re-tinned.

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Retinning isn't such an esoteric craft as people seem to think. There are probably places that can do this for you in Canada, but I usually use Atlantic Retinning, which used to be in Manhattan for something like a century, and moved out to New Jersey when Chelsea's industrial zone was taken over by fashionable art galleries--

http://www.retinning.com/

Turnaround time can be long with Atlantic Retinning, though, so I've been considering a couple of other possibilities--

http://www.metalcoatingcompany.com/

http://www.eastcoasttinning.com/index.html

[fooey]

Fooey, that pepper mill is beautiful. Where did you get it and what's it made of?

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Thanks, Peter. I bought it at Pike's Place Market in downtown Seattle. Here's some info. on the vendor program at the market.

Pike Place Market's craftspeople continue the tradition of "Meet the Producer" by selling handmade works of art directly to the consumer. Every craftsperson at the Market makes their own products, whether it is a pair of earrings, colorful candles, a wool sweater or even a melodious ocarina.

I bought it from a craftsman named Brett Knutson in 2008, but there's not much online about him that I can find. There's this and:

Brett Knutson individually hand turns each of these peppermills. The natural maple burl wood has a dramatic swirling grain structure. The top of each mill shows off a hint of the outer section of the burl, creating a very dramatic and unique appearance. The mill uses an adjustable all-steel mechanism and can mill from coarse to fine. Smooth action and exceptional work.

The peppermill is carved blue birch wood.

Each mill is signed and numbered.

The price was $274 w/tax. A bit extravagant considering I'll never use $274 of pepper my whole life long, but I just had to have it.

Edited August 26, 2009 by fooey (log)

[andiesenji]

I can easily spend that much on pepper.

Check Pepper-Passion.com for some unique peppermills as well as some extremely interesting varieties of pepper.

I recently ordered some Talamanca Del Caribe and it is everything they describe and more.

peppercorn varieties

[pax]

My husband's grandmother's cast iron. Not even he is allowed to mess with it.

[Jon Savage]

My cast Iron pans and my knives.

[Darienne]

I can easily spend that much on pepper.

Check Pepper-Passion.com  for some unique peppermills as well as some extremely interesting varieties of pepper.

I recently ordered some Talamanca Del Caribe and it is everything they describe and more.

peppercorn varieties

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Quoting from Andie's website given:

f. Talamanca Del Caribe:  is a variety we discovered that is largely unknown to the average chef.  This is a pepper grown in small quantities in Ecuador and certified as organic.  It has a robust flavor and pungent aroma that will likely surpass anything you have experienced before.  Tasting Talamanca can be a life-changing event.  This is the boldest flavored black pepper we know of.

Andie. I am not sure I am up to such a pepper. I have always been a pepper love, albeit a very unsophisticated one. I found that making and eating DL's Orange-Szechwan Pepper ice cream to be pretty significant in my pepper life. I didn't really know anything about the range of peppers available. Talamanca sounds incredible. Thanks for telling me about it.

[snowangel]

My trusty old Weber Kettle (old enough that it has wooden handles).

We've had to reattach the handle for the lid, and replace that three bladed thingee, but don't take it away from me.

We were given a gas grill, and we were sure glad when the tank ran out. But, the gas grill top does make a nice serving area!

[Octaveman]

Of course, my knives but other than them...probably my woks and cast iron frying pans.