cv@linus.UUCP (Chris Valas) (12/10/84)
!!! I am trying to decide between these two brands of cookware. I would appreciate any comments on performance, long-term utility, etc. Currently subsisting on peanut butter . . . C.J. Valas
broder@magic.ARPA (12/17/84)
Cuisinart commercial if you can afford it. There is a good review of high quality pots in the last issue of "Cook's" magazine, and Cuisinart commercial was the clear winner. I believe it was also the highest rated pan, in a review last year. However I see no reason to buy very expensive stockpots, steamers, etc.; Farberware will do perfectly well if heat distribution is not critical. By the way, "Cook's" is one of the magazine you should subscribe to, if you are interested in cooking equipment comparisons at a level beyond what it is being reviewed in "Consumer Reports". - Andrei Broder
klein@ucbcad.UUCP (12/17/84)
> !!! > I am trying to decide between these two brands of cookware. > I would appreciate any comments on performance, long-term > utility, etc. Yes! Yes! Does anybody have experiences they can broadcast? There's also Magnalite, which seems to be very close to Calphalon in price and construction. On the cooking shows you see on Public TV, the chefs seem to use something that looks a lot like Calphalon. Cooking teachers and experienced cooking students tend to lean toward Magnalite and Calphalon, not so much Cuisinart, when they recommend something to us. Consumer Reports liked Cuisinart a lot (back in '80 though, I believe). Also, cooking professionals insist that you absolutely MUST have at least a few critical 100% copper items: saute pan and large whipping bowl are often cited as the most important. Any comments? My wife and I are struggling to discern the truth from the emotion here; there's certainly lots of each! -- -Mike Klein ...!ucbvax!ucbmerlin:klein (UUCP) klein%ucbmerlin@berkeley (ARPA)
betsy@dartvax.UUCP (Betsy Hanes Perry) (12/19/84)
I would classify Calphalon cookware as a handy luxury, but hardly a necessity.
My husband and I are moderately serious cooks, and the two most-used pans in
our kitchen are a well-seasoned 12" cast-iron skillet and a two-quart Silverstone
(TM) saucepan. We happen to own a Calphalon sauteuse of about the same
dimensions as the skillet; it is used only for those rare dishes which
the skillet would discolor and which need slow, very even heat (disqualifying the
Silverstone.) The Calphalon surface is nowhere NEAR as non-stick as a well-
seasoned skillet; in particular, it stuck badly when I tried to cook veal
cutlets in it. It's easy to clean once things are burnt on, but that doesn't
salvage your stir-fry.
I'd say buy good heavy aluminum stock-pots, iron skillets, a nonstick-lined
saucepan or two, and save your cash
for an enamel-lined pot if you're cooking many foods which discolor.
Calphalon's pretty, but I don't think it's worth the price differential.
--
Elizabeth Hanes Perry
UUCP: {decvax|linus|cornell}!dartvax!betsy
CSNET: betsy@dartmouth
ARPA: betsy%dartmouth@csnet-relaythomas@utah-gr.UUCP (Spencer W. Thomas) (12/22/84)
In article <25@ucbcad.UUCP> klein@ucbcad.UUCP writes: >Also, cooking professionals insist that you absolutely MUST have at >least a few critical 100% copper items: saute pan and large whipping >bowl are often cited as the most important. Any comments? My wife and >I are struggling to discern the truth from the emotion here; there's >certainly lots of each! A copper bowl for beating egg whites is certainly useful - you will get higher, stiffer peaks quicker than with any other technique. In fact, I can beat egg whites by hand in my copper bowl, something I would never attempt without it. -- =Spencer ({ihnp4,decvax}!utah-cs!thomas, thomas@utah-cs.ARPA) <<< Silly quote of the week >>>
andrew@orca.UUCP (Andrew Klossner) (12/25/84)
[]
"A copper bowl for beating egg whites is certainly useful - you
will get higher, stiffer peaks quicker than with any other
technique. In fact, I can beat egg whites by hand in my copper
bowl, something I would never attempt without it."
This worries me. Is copper getting into the egg white?
-- Andrew Klossner (decvax!tektronix!orca!andrew) [UUCP]
(orca!andrew.tektronix@csnet-relay) [ARPA]berry@zinfandel.UUCP (Berry Kercheval) (01/03/85)
In article <1278@utah-gr.UUCP> thomas@utah-gr.UUCP (Spencer W. Thomas) writes: >In fact, I >can beat egg whites by hand in my copper bowl, something I would never >attempt without it. We got a copper bowl a while ago, and soon after gave our hand mixer to a rummage sale. It works! Still saving for a Kitchenaid K55S, though.... -- "Take this //JOB and run it!" Berry Kercheval Zehntel Inc. (ihnp4!zehntel!zinfandel!berry) (415)932-6900
klein@ucbcad.UUCP (01/03/85)
A little while ago I requested some info about this issue, and got some informative replies. My wife (who has taken French cooking classes and does a great deal of fancy cooking) and I then went around to all the stores and did comparison shopping. We decided on a brand that I haven't heard about here, Master Chef. In summary: All: Thick, high heat conductivity. Do not color or react with foods. (Except Calphalon) have tight-fitting lids. Cuisinart: Too expensive. The copper sandwich is good but you can do just as well with thicker aluminum. Seems pretty indestructable. We got the free griddle with our food processor and it is great. We did not actually find any Cuisinart, so we couldn't evaluate balance. Magnalite: Coated aluminum surface is damaged by dishwasher and by metal utensils. Rough surfaces ==> hard to clean when burned. Considered similar but overall lower quality than Calphalon. Calphalon: Same care problems as Magnalite, but smoother surfaces. Poor balance. Poor-fitting lids. Handles get hot, are at a bad angle for holding. Master Chef: Well balanced. Handles stay quite cool. Stainless steel interior so can use metal utensils. Master Chef is actually one of three lines made by a company whose name I can't remember (useful, ehh?). The other two are a Magnalite/Calphalon type and a copper type. Pricewise, Magnalite, Calphalon, and Master Chef are pretty close. We found the Master Chef in a small shop in Palos Verdes (Southern Calif). They are sending us a listing of other retailers when they get around to it. We tried out our new pans doing some tough seafood sauteeing. Utterly great, every place in the pan was bubbling about the same even though our burners are pretty spotty (electric). Stainless steel interior is easy to clean. -Mike Klein ...!ucbvax!ucbmerlin:klein -- -Mike Klein ...!ucbvax!ucbmerlin:klein (UUCP) klein%ucbmerlin@berkeley (ARPA)
leimkuhl@uiucdcsb.UUCP (01/18/85)
There is a long note string in net.cooks about cookware.
lazeldes@wlcrjs.UUCP (Leah A Zeldes) (02/06/85)
>> I am trying to decide between these two brands of cookware. >> I would appreciate any comments on performance, long-term >> utility, etc. I have discovered a cookware called Silampos, made in Portugal, which seems very similar to Cuisinart, except it has an aluminium sandwich bottom instead of a copper one. It is perhaps not quite as well made but it is a GREAT DEAL less expensive. If you buy Cuisinart, be sure to get the professional line, not the stuff with the wooden handles -- they get very hot, and they don't hold up well if you put them in the oven and the dishwasher. The metal handles are better, and constructed not to hold too much heat. You can't put Calphalon in the dishwasher. Leah A Zeldes ...ihnp4!wlcrjs!lazeldes