Some of these also retain the heat of the cooked food till the time you serve. It is surely an indispensable part of any kitchen set up because of everyday usage.
Materials used in cookware
Cookware is made of heat resistant material that serves best for cooking purposes. There are other features to be noted while selecting a cookware made of a specific material.
Aluminum is lightweight, durable and a good conductor of heat. It can be easily used for frying food and even sautéing, as it does not deform at high temperatures. However, aluminum is given an anonized coating or stainless steel coating to prevent corroding and to protect the food quality.
Copper is regarded one of the best conductors of heat as it conducts heat evenly when food is being cooked. Copper easily comes in contact with the moisture-laden air to form a thin film on the vessel surface. Thus, when you cook salty food in copper containers there is possibility of a chemical reaction. As a result a metallic flavour adds to the cooked food, which is harmful to health. To prevent this, copper cookware requires proper cleaning and frequent polishing unlike other metals.
Stainless steel is widely used nowadays because of its durable and flexible nature. It is non-porous, can withstand any temperature change and maintenance requires minimum effort. Stainless steel does not easily react with alkaline or acidic material and this makes it non-corrosive. It is not that good a conductor of heat and so a thick aluminum or copper coat is given underneath to ensure that heat is distributed evenly.
Titanium is used together with titanium dioxide coating otherwise it is very reactive in nature in its raw form. This makes it non reactive with foods. It is thin and light weighted but not a good conductor of heat and can be conveniently used as a camping vessel.
Types of cookware available
Many types of cookware cater to various utilities to make your cooking hassle free and enjoyable.
Casseroles
They are large, covered pots or vessels that can be used in ovens and can be used as serving dishes as well.
You can cook vegetables, meat, pasta and even sauce. The advantage here is that you can serve the cooked food in the same bowl itself.
The quality and the flavour of the food remains fresh. S&P Provence Covered Square Casserole 13cm Mini Square, Scanpan Classic Tall Casserole Dutch Oven 20cm/3L Tall Casserole, Le Chasseur Round Casserole Pot - French Blue 30cm dia/3 Litre and Romertopf Classic Large Casserole Dish are some casserole models that come in varied colours and shapes.
Cookware Sets
Various combination sets of cookware are available. When you purchase cookware in sets, you can save on extra cost that is otherwise incurred when buying them separately.
Basically a set will comprise of a roasting pan, a frying pan and a stockpot.
You should keep in mind to purchase a set that can be put to many uses. The quality should not be compromised at any point of time.
Saucepan
A saucepan serves handy if you prepare pasta, rice, sauces and soups on regular basis. You can purchase a medium sized stainless steel pan with an aluminum base. Chef Inox Studio Saucepot with Lid 24cm / 5.25ltr and Alessi Mami Pasta Pot Set are few to mention.
Frying Pan / Skillet
It is mostly used to fry meat, potatoes, pancakes and eggs. You can purchase a non-stick coated aluminum pan or a stainless steel with copper or aluminum core.
There will be convenience in cleaning. Anolon Advance Open French Skillet 34cm is one such type of skillet with a lid. Anolon Advance Open French Skillet 28cm comes without a lid.
Roasting Pan
It comes with a rack and is meant to roast meat pieces and poultry. You can buy a non-stick aluminum pan of lightweight that heats evenly and is easy to clean.
Scanpan Impact Roaster w/ Rack 40cm, Anolon Advance Rectangular Contoured Roaster 44cm are open pan, Scanpan Classic Roaster Set with Lid, Jamie Oliver Professional Anodized 2 in 1 Roaster/Slow Cooker with Rack and Lid 28cm x 34cm and Jamie Oliver Professional Anodized 2 in 1 Roaster/Slow Cooker with Rack and Lid 28cm x 34cm has a lid. Cast roaster and fish pans 16cm high can be used to cook meat products.
Fondue Sets
For entertainment delicacies, classic cheese fondue or a meat fondue is preferred. The size of the pot will vary depending on the food item.
Chocolate and cheese fondue needs a small pan whereas for meats you need a pot that withstands very high heat. Fondue forks are also available with the set.
French & Dutch Ovens
These models are made of bare or enameled cast iron and even aluminum. Where the ones made from enameled cast iron with a porcelain enamel lining is called French oven.
French ovens come in different colours like Flame, cherry red, green, white, French blue and citrus. You can bake, broil, braise, saute, marinate, refrigerate, and freeze food easily.
The heating process is slow for Dutch ovens and thus it is apt to bake biscuits, cakes, breads, pizzas and even pies. Le Chasseur Round French Oven - French Blue 18cm dia/1.5 Litre and Le Chasseur Oval French Oven - French Blue 27cm/4.2 Litre are French ovens.
Pyrex Visions Covered Dutch Oven 5L, Mario Batali The Italian Kitchen Cast Iron Dutch Oven - Espresso Brown and Scanpan Fusion 5 Dutch Oven 20cm / 3.7 Litre are of Dutch model.
Poachers cookware
This is specifically designed so as to help you bake eggs. They are small sized and some come in the shape of a set of cups.
They are non-stick aluminum or stainless steel pans with a lid.
Chef Inox 6 Cup Egg Poacher, Avanti Fish Poacher 46cm Stainless Steel, Berndes Egg Poacher 4 Eggs and Scanpan Impact Egg Poacher - 4 Cup are some models you can choose from.
Pressure Cooker
The technique of pressure-cooking is to use a complete airtight vessel with a whistle to allow the steam to pass through.
A proper locking system ensures that steam does not leak from sides. The steam is emitted when the pressure inside the cooker exceeds the required limit.
There are safety precautions that provide for a safe method of handling pressure cookers.
You can choose models like Nordic Bakeware Microware Microwave Pressure Cooker, Tefal Clipso Control Pressure Cooker 6 Litre, Tefal Clipso Vitamin Pressure Cooker 6 Litre and Scanpan Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Combo Set with One Lid depending on the size and the specific utility you want it to serve.
Rice Cooker
Exclusively used to cook plain rice or flavoured rice and even elaborate recipes. It is a self-sufficient appliance that operates with electric connection.
Rice is measured and put into the inner bowl. Water is put accordingly.
The required water levels are marked with graduations as the amount of water required depends on the type of rice used. Breville Syncro Rice Cooker - BRC450 and Tefal Electrical 3.2Litre 10 Cup 3 in 1 Rice Cooker 10 Cup have different capacity with unique features.
Stockpot or Pots
Generally, they are made of stainless steel with an aluminum base and are medium sized. They are used for preparing fluid food recipes like soups or stock and for boiling seafood.
The stockpot models are Anolon Advance Covered Stockpot 7.6Lt and Circulon Stainless Steel Elite Covered Stockpot 24cm/7.6L.
There are various pots like Charcoal Companion BBQ Bean Pot and Maxwell & Williams Cuisine Hot Pot Casserole Mint.
Woks
These are frying pans with glass lids and side handles. They come in different colors and can be used for cooking and frying purposes.
Many models are available like Swiss Diamond 32cm Wok/Stir Frypan w/ Tempered Glass Cover 32cm Wok, Circulon Hard Anodized Elite Open Wok With 2 Handles 36cm, Breville Gourmet Wok, Essteele Stainless Steel 36cm Electric Covered Wok, Jamie Oliver Professional Anodized Wokpan 30cm and Scanpan Professional Wok 32cm.
Things to consider while purchasing cookware
Price constraint
You have to keep in mind whether your purchase is mainly based upon specific features or brand and at times both together.
Cleaning care
Certain cookware are dishwasher-safe while others require hand washing. Few others will require a frequent upkeep by way of polishing and even seasoning.
Cooking habits
For enough durability and longer use, you can use aluminum cookware. Stainless steel is good to fulfill heavy duty cooking needs.
Cooking surface
Electric cooktops are supportive of low and even heat.
Gas cooktops facilitate quick heating and cooling process. Certain stovetops made of ceramic are best for electric energy source with ease in cleaning.
In recent times, there are induction cooktops that use magnetic energy for cooking purposes.
Number of persons
You can choose the cookware according to the number of family members gathering for meals or the number of people for a party.
A careful co-relation of the points above with what you are looking for in your Cookware will help you make the right pick at Getprice!
|