Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Christmas presents for the cook and the kitchen


Shel_B

Recommended Posts

Yeah and actually, if Mauviel says it is 2.5mm thick, then it probably is 2.3mm of copper since you the stainless steel has to account for some part of the thickness. The Matfer Bourgeat seem to be the only ones whose copper is thicker....

I don't recall if I specifically checked Mauville, but I did check a couple-three other brands of stainless lined copper pots, and while they did say the thickness was 2.5, closer examination of the specs indicated that the copper was 2.3mm and the stainless was .2mm.

One site said that all stainless/copper comes from the same source, and that it all meets the same specs.

FWIW ...

Thank you for sharing! Yes, I've also read that since Falk invented the method to line copper with stainless steel, every pan that does it is basically using their exact process so they are technically all the same.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oops. That is unfortunate. But the clearance prices might be attractive. And as to recourse, has anyone ever had a problem with a Falk pot?

I use copper for sauces and risotto, such as hollandaise this past weekend.

The clearance prices are, indeed, attractive. Very good!

 ... Shel


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you have good grill/BBQ? One of my favorite new things (that I resisted buying for myself so my sweetie got it for my birthday) was a Traeger pellet grill/smoker. I love it and we cook all kinds of things on it: ribs, chicken, hot smoked salmon, wood fired pizza, pulled pork, homemade pastrami, smoked pork chops, smoked pork tenderloin, roasted veggies, potatoes and more.

Mark

My eG Food Blog

www.markiscooking.com

My NEW Ribs site: BlasphemyRibs.com

My NEWER laser stuff site: Lightmade Designs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A quick question about durability and putting copper into the dishwasher. I have never looked at copper cookware. I am hard on my cookware and I put it all through the dishwasher. Does copper (2.5 mm) hold up to less-than-delicate handling? Can it reasonably go into a dishwasher?

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you have good grill/BBQ? One of my favorite new things (that I resisted buying for myself so my sweetie got it for my birthday) was a Traeger pellet grill/smoker. I love it and we cook all kinds of things on it: ribs, chicken, hot smoked salmon, wood fired pizza, pulled pork, homemade pastrami, smoked pork chops, smoked pork tenderloin, roasted veggies, potatoes and more.

Don't have a place to store or use it.

 ... Shel


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think that fragile copper cookware would survive my kitchen very well. :blush:

Why not consider a BellaCopper diffuser and use that in conjunction with premium and durable stainless steel pans such as Demeyere?

~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A quick question about durability and putting copper into the dishwasher. I have never looked at copper cookware. I am hard on my cookware and I put it all through the dishwasher. Does copper (2.5 mm) hold up to less-than-delicate handling? Can it reasonably go into a dishwasher?

I would not put any kind of copperware in the dishwaher. Nor iron, which is what the Falk handles are made from. My falk pot cleans easily with dish soap or (if it really needs it) Barkeeper's Friend.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A quick question about durability and putting copper into the dishwasher. I have never looked at copper cookware. I am hard on my cookware and I put it all through the dishwasher. Does copper (2.5 mm) hold up to less-than-delicate handling? Can it reasonably go into a dishwasher?

I would not put any kind of copperware in the dishwaher. Nor iron, which is what the Falk handles are made from. My falk pot cleans easily with dish soap or (if it really needs it) Barkeeper's Friend.

You like your Falk? I am looking at their 3qt (or is it 3.5qt?) saucier. I like all of there stuff besides their fry pan, but it all seems to be the most expensive between Mauviel and Matfer Bourgeat. I figure I can get some from Mauviel, some from Matfer, and some from Falk and end up with everything I want and save as much money as I can as opposed to buying them all from Falk. I would probably get the Falk signature line with the stainless steel handle. I like the angle of it more than their classic iron handles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the 1.5 quart sauciere and I like it very much. I've had it for a couple years. If I had a spare $199 I'd consider the 2 quart sauciere. Anything bigger would be too heavy for me to use. You may be stronger or have more mouths to feed. The iron handle is pretty and practical, and there's been no trace of rust. I did not know about the stainless steel handles until just now.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A good remote read (non-contact) infrared thermometer has been very useful for my cooking.

dcarch

. Example? dcarch

I bought mine on ebay about $50.00 long time ago. I think today if you pay about $100 you should be able to get a fairly good one, There are cheaper ones if you are on a budget. The thing to look for is one that can read from an acceptable distance for you, and one with a laser beam to show you where you are reading the temperature from. The laser beam is just a pointer, it does not measure.

You can tell exactly how hot your frying pan is so that you don't kill your non-stick pan, or too hot for your cooking oil, check surface temperature of your meat being roasted, etc.

dcarch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the 1.5 quart sauciere and I like it very much. I've had it for a couple years. If I had a spare $199 I'd consider the 2 quart sauciere. Anything bigger would be too heavy for me to use. You may be stronger or have more mouths to feed. The iron handle is pretty and practical, and there's been no trace of rust. I did not know about the stainless steel handles until just now.

Yeah not being able to see and hold it in person is a little bit of a worry but weight should be ok. I have a 2qt d5 All Clad saucepan now so I am used to using heavy pots. I know the 2qt is as small as I go. I figure with a 3.5 qt I can also do smaller things with it, but if i need to do a large sauce then I have the room for it. I'd hate to spend money on a 2qt saucier and then come to a point where I find myself needing a larger one from time to time. Better to just have the bigger one and do smaller amounts in it and have the ability to do larger amounts when I need to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have both the 1 QT and 2 QT all clad brushed aluminum sauciere pans. It would be true that I could do what I do in the 3 qt, but for some reason i use these two that I have a lot for sl. different things and enjoy them a lot "as such"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have both the 1 QT and 2 QT all clad brushed aluminum sauciere pans. It would be true that I could do what I do in the 3 qt, but for some reason i use these two that I have a lot for sl. different things and enjoy them a lot "as such"

Yeah, I'm looking to buy only one saucier and then 4qt and 6qt saucepans but I hear you about the usefulness of 1qt and 2qt sauciers, so I rather just own one. I have a 2qt saucepan for smaller jobs right now as it is. Maybe I'll get a really small saucier at some point for specific pan sauces, etc, but right now I'd rather get the one that I'd use the most and a 3qt would never be too small for anything I'd plan on using it for.

Edited by Robenco15 (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

An early Christmas gift...totally unexpected. Today confectionery partner, Barbara, and I got together to make Copy-cat Enstrom toffee, covered in chocolate, sprinkled with almonds (both sides. Yum) for holiday gifts to give away. This is the first time we have both been well, without family complications, etc, etc for months now.

Barbara gave me this wonderful cake plate and server.

P1010001_36.JPG

  • Like 3

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After Santa's helper delivers my Christmas gift check there will be a Vollrath Intrigue 3 qt saucier in my kitchen. I also asked for a plain vanilla 6 qt stock pot. Sometime this weekend my DW tried to tell me they do not exist. While in Target Sunday I showed it to her. It is sitting in a Target bag under the tree. It is the right size for boiling up pasta without taking up too much space in the dishwasher.

  • Like 2

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is just a little stocking stuffer, but I love it - Melitta makes a little cutie called a "JavaJig," a reusable coffee filter thingy for use with Keurig-style brewers. BPA-free, the "starter kit" includes 2 reusable cups and 30 teensy little filters. No need to remove the machine's filter holder - this little guy pops right in and then the grounds and the filter can go straight into the compost bin.

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Reusable-Brewers-Filters-filters/dp/B0091146V8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387226264&sr=8-1&keywords=melitta+java+jig

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After Santa's helper delivers my Christmas gift check there will be a Vollrath Intrigue 3 qt saucier in my kitchen. I also asked for a plain vanilla 6 qt stock pot. Sometime this weekend my DW tried to tell me they do not exist. While in Target Sunday I showed it to her. It is sitting in a Target bag under the tree. It is the right size for boiling up pasta without taking up too much space in the dishwasher.

6 qt is definitely a handy size, I have 8 qt and often wish for something just a little smaller...will check that one out!

  • Like 1

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Toots got me a Breville oven - just the one I wanted. She's such a dear. Her daughter is getting me "something" for the kitchen.

Amongst other things, I got Toots her most favorite alfajores, direct from Argentina. She's been wanting them for a while, and now she'll have them. Can't wait to see her expression when she unwraps the box. I also got her a new skillet. Technically, it's not a Christmas present, just something she needed (my word, not hers) and that I wanted for her place so I can cook for her a little easier and she can have a skillet that'll go into the oven. Oh, and while it's not directly related to kitchens or cooking, I got her a pair of warming boots that heat up in the microwave oven. Her feet sometimes get cold and these might help a bit.

Finally, I got tickets to see Baryshnikov at the Berkeley Rep theater later on. She's going to enjoy the performance, I'm sure.

I'm making lemon curd to give to the family - something like 7 or 8 jars of it. Mmmmmm ...

Edited by Shel_B (log)
  • Like 2

 ... Shel


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got a massive assortment of Poilâne breads shipped straight from Paris: the Poilâne round loaf, a rye loaf, walnut bread, cranberry bread and a box of Punitions.

I would LIKE the Tiger fuzzy-logic rice cooker / slow cooker that Andie mentioned in the Slow Cooker thread, but I have a feeling I'm going to have to buy that one myself.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, Shel:

Since this is a special gifty situation, I would suggest a silver-lined piece of copperware. You can do this one of three ways: (1) buy new; or (2) buy a vintage tin-lined pan, and send it out for plating; or (3) find a vintage silvered piece.

For the first, may I suggest Bottega del Rame http://www.rameria.com/ ? For the second, buy a hotel-grade pan on eBay, and send it to ACME Plating in Colorado. http://www.acmeplating.com/ For the third, you might find a Jos. Heinrich or Georg Jensen Taverna piece that is already silvered. I have done all three and can recommend all.

The advantage of a silver-lined pan is that you can have thicker copper than can be found on the bimetal pans (max 2.3mm of copper) AND the silver is not subject to accidental melting as is tin. The only DISadvantage, IMO, is that you must refrain from using metal utensils. If you do, this would be a "lifetime" pan, and the ne plus ultra of cookware.

Merry Christmas!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...