New Calphalon cook ware

[FatDaddy]

Picked up a new set of cook ware the other day. had a 50$ giftcard and some 20% coupons for linens n things. got the simply calphalon 12piece set.

Cooked a couple meals so far with em.. Love em.. they were normally 249.00 bucks for the set. with 50$ card and 20% off got em for about 150 bucks.

 

[Bbq Bubba]

Nice pans Fatdaddy, you'll have a lot of good eats using them babies:lol:

 

[NCGrimbo]

Nice. I've got that set. Only cookware that I use is Calphalon.

 

[itschris]

Excellent purchase. I love the Calphalon non-stick. I bought every piece I could when they discontinued the Commerical Non-Stick line... I must have about 20 pieces.

For the stainless pans though, I'm an All-Clad guy. I don't know why, but I just like their stainless pans better.

 

[mkatts]

Same here. Nothing but Calphalon in my cabinets. Love them!

 

[FatDaddy]

Excellent purchase. I love the Calphalon non-stick. I bought every piece I could when they discontinued the Commerical Non-Stick line... I must have about 20 pieces.

For the stainless pans though, I'm an All-Clad guy. I don't know why, but I just like their stainless pans better.

what are the benifits to the stainless? i looked at some all-clad stainless too. but the non-stick seemed easier to work with. id like to get a couple of stainless pieces to add to the cabinet.

 

[Ron_L]

I love my Calphalon! I really wanted All Clad stainless but my wife and daughter are paranoid of anything that isn't non-stick.

 

[RevZiLLa]

That's a nice deal on a quality set. My set is 14 yrs old and has ben a real pleasure

 

[Rusty_Barton]

what are the benifits to the stainless? i looked at some all-clad stainless too. but the non-stick seemed easier to work with. id like to get a couple of stainless pieces to add to the cabinet.

Because, no matter how good it is, coated non-stick eventually wears out. I don't see the advantage of non-stick on saucepans and stockpots.

For frying pans, cast iron is non-stick, and it's superior to any other non-stick surface. Also, it lasts forever. How many of us have one of grandmas skillets?

 

[LMAJ]

Excellent pans - I have a set that is probably 15 years old ( I started cooking as a newborn) wears like iron. Once you heat it up nothing really sticks.

 

[itschris]

what are the benifits to the stainless? i looked at some all-clad stainless too. but the non-stick seemed easier to work with. id like to get a couple of stainless pieces to add to the cabinet.

I'm an avid coo, (chef wannabee) I've been numerous schools on everything from knife skills to pastry. You'll find that in most professional gourmet kitchens, it will be stocked with stainless. It's an absolute myth that everything will stick to stainless. I cook foamed omelets in my 10 inch stainless every other weekend. You just have get used to heat control and use the appropriate fat - butter, olive oil, even PAM.

The best part of stainless however is making sauces. Some of the best filet mignon I've ever made has been pan seared in a stainless pan, than throwing the whole thing in the oven to finish. Once the steak is to temp, remove it from the oven and use the pan to create your pan sauce. The one thing you just can't do effectively with nonstick is truly carmelize meats, fish, and poultry. Once your done cooking, the bottom of the pan is dark brown with crunchy bits of goodness called fond. You deglaze the pan and reduce to make pan sauces to compliment your meal.

You just can't recreate a super fine double or triple reduction in a nonstick pan... it just doesn't work. Delicate suaces such as hollendaise just come out different.

Beyond that... if you like stir fry or if you saute', you'll benefit the same way... veggies, and the meat develop a much more dimensional flavor due to carmelization.

 

[FatDaddy]

Sounds like i need to get a couple of stainless additions to my set. what would be your opinions on which stainless pans would be essential to a good kitchen.

 

[itschris]

I have a lot of pans, both the Calph NonStick and the All-Clad LTD Stainless. Beyond all the pans I use... the one I grab probably 80% of the time is this one.

You can do just everything with it. It's awsome for braising and searing. Like I said before.. cook a steak in there and get the bottom of the pan all nasty and deglaze with some good red wine, reduce, and you'll have a damn fine pan sauce that easy. I like to get fancy sometimes with multiple reductions, but you can get as easy or as prissy as you want.

One of my personal favorites which reminds of dinner when I was a kid - brown some yellow onions in veg oil. Sear a chuckie nice dark gold on all sides... add about a 1/2 cup of water and a cup of beef broth and let simmer. When the meat is tender pull it from the pan... (make sure you don't let the pan get dry during the process) Now just add some more broth- about another cup or 2 and reduce while scraping the bottom of the pan. You'll develop this rich and wonderful brown gravy that'll make you weak in the knees. Throw it over wide noodles and enjoy. I'm telling you.. it's a great pan.

I have 2 of them.. one I paid I think around $225 at William Sonoma, the 2nd one I got brand new inthe box on ebay for $100 and I see them there all the time for that price.

I'd get that pan and one good sauce pan and that may be all you'll ever need.