Cooking on diamonds

[Patrick S]

One other thing about the medical use of teflon.  Much of the information regarding teflon talks about how chemically stable it is... in a given temperature range.  The medical use of teflon falls squarely in that range, which is why it is so useful.  Where I have seen indications that even DuPont says it can be a problem is out on the upper fringes of that temp range, where high temp cooking goes on.  Because of this, that comparison isn't as useful as we'd like. 

This sure has turned out to be one heck of an informative thread!

Thanks!

Scott

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Hi Scott,

Thanks for your additional posts. Your comments have been very helpful to this topic. I wanted to mention the medical use of Teflon/PTFE because in our discussion there has been some concern about ingesting Teflon/PTFE peelings and I see there seems to be no reason to worry about that. I would have to agree with the eGullet comments....there are other things we could heat/burn that might be considerably more dangerous to us.

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Well, certainly its true that many foods break down into toxic substances when subjected to the same temperatures that degrade Teflon. For instance, fat dripping onto coals from steaks or burgers generate loads of carcinogens, including many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are some of the most potent known carcinogens. Frying or roasting starchy vegetables generates acrylamide, a rodent carcinogen. Heating most cooking oils to 500F generates 1,3-Butadiene, benzene, acrolein, formaldehyde, and other carcinogens as well. Let me be clear that I don't consider these facts to constitute an argument for or against the safety of Teflon, just interesting background information.

[SWISS_CHEF]

Hey Ed,

Just wondering how the cookware is holding up?

Thanks,

-john

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Doing fine-like new and no scratches.

[jsolomon]

Heating most cooking oils to 500F generates 1,3-Butadiene, benzene, acrolein, formaldehyde, and other carcinogens as well.

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You're forgetting everyone's favorite, benz(a)pyrene!

[Abra]

Any word on when they'll be available here? Or should I just get one directly from you? Personally, I'd never get another Scanpan. My Cybernox is the pan I use every day, all day, but I'd like a pan that's truly nonstick for those special applications where you need that. This thread came back up just in time for me, since I've just lately been looking around for a new pan.

[SWISS_CHEF]

Any word on when they'll be available here?  Or should I just get one directly from you?    Personally, I'd never get another Scanpan.  My Cybernox is the pan I use every day, all day, but I'd like a pan that's truly nonstick for those special applications where you need that.  This thread came back up just in time for me, since I've just lately been looking around for a new pan.

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The pan is actually half Swiss (the coating) and half German (the casting). I contacted the German half (who apparently is the controlling half) last summer and asked if they would like my company to distribute the pan in the US for them. Initially they wanted to talk, but later the owner went to an exhibition in Asia somewhere and met an American company that already distributes pans in the US so he decided to give him the business. I have just googled and I don't see anything that tells me the pans are available yet in the US. I have an arrangement with the Swiss portion of the consortium and I can buy and (for the moment) mail the pans to people in the US. If you are interested please PM me. As you may have read, I did this for CtznCane (you can ask him his opinion via PM) and he seems to be happy (as am I) with the pans performance. I tend to focus on quality cooking tools and to-date there is nothing that comes close to this pan that I have seen.

Please note: "Swiss Diamond" pans are 100% Swiss made and have the same coating but the casting and handle are inferior.

Ed

[Ducky]

I just saw this thread and wanted to add my endorsement for these pans. I obtained two of them about six months ago from Ed and they are superb. I use them daily and they still look like new. These are lifetime pans, and once you have them you will not touch your old ones.

The really brilliant thing about them - apart from the features already mentioned - is that you can fry most things with just one or two drops of oil.

[CtznCane]

I just saw this thread and wanted to add my endorsement for these pans. I obtained two of them about six months ago from Ed and they are superb. I use them daily and they still look like new. These are lifetime pans, and once you have them you will not touch your old ones.

The really brilliant thing about them - apart from the features already mentioned - is that you can fry most things with just one or two drops of oil.

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I too have absolutely no regrets. I'm looking forward to getting another one as well, hopefully sometime during the next year. With many pans you can find something almost as good that is a little more of a bargain (these pans aren't cheap) such as for my other pans I have the Calphalon tri poly which are very good. The difference though between the nano pan and any other non-sticks that I've seen is huge. This pan is just head and shoulders above anything else I've found. Truly a pan worth every penny and then some.

[SWISS_CHEF]

I made the most delicate crepes today in the larger pan. It worked perfectly even after 3 years of constant daily use, including regular scrubbings with a stainless steel scouring pad.

[gfron1]

Yep - despite the critics, my pans (going on 4 and 5 years) are as non-stick today as they were the day I bought them. Only one has scratched and that was my own stupid fault. My greatest joy is when I do sugar work in them.

[Dryden]

Anyone know how to get these in the US? We need to replace our nonstick, which isn't anymore...

[SWISS_CHEF]

Anyone know how to get these in the US?  We need to replace our nonstick, which isn't anymore...

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I don't think they are sold in the USA, check with:

Limmat Handelshaus AG

Rietstrasse 18

Postfach 48

8108 Dällikon/ZH

Switzerland

Phone +41 44 847 33 66

Fax +41 44 847 33 90

http://www.limmathandel.ch/

Edited January 15, 2009 by SWISS_CHEF (log)

[DRuger]

Ed,

Are there still two different grades of these pans?

I've found several companies offering the "swiss diamond" here in the US, but wonder if they are still not as good as the professional grade pans.

Do you still sell the pro grade yourself? If so what's the price differences?

[DRuger]

Well I took the giant leap and bought a set of swiss diamond fry pans, and two small sauce pans. Sofar I LOVE them. Nothing sticks, they cook even, they don't warp like most of the cheap supermarket ones we've bought in the past, and I expect them to last a LONG time.

You can see the difference when simply boiling water, rather than seeing the pattern on the bottom of the pan when the water starts to boil like our cheap pans, the water boils around the whole pot, even up the sides. We also cook with less heat!

Can you scratch them? I feel if you dug a fork into it you could, but we don't plan to. I plan on getting some of the larger sauce pans, and maybe a stock pot. I'm loving these pans!