A Well-Stocked Kitchen: Cookware Edition
November 9, 2009 · Posted in amy i, around the house, cooking and food, organization by amy i
Welcome back to A Well-Stocked Kitchen, my ongoing series about the tools and gadgets that have helped me become a better cook and baker! This week, I’m sharing my cookware (i.e. pots and pans) collection with you.
Pots and pans were the area where I felt the most lost when registering for wedding gifts. How was I supposed to know whether I needed a 9″ or 10″ skillet? Is Le Creuset all it’s cracked up to be? Did I really need an omelette pan? The answers: doesn’t matter, yes (drooool), and nope!
So here’s where I stand on the debate about non-stick vs. stainless steel: I have a strange aversion to metallic things, I don’t like the way some of them feel or sound. I also really wanted clear glass lids for my pots. So, for me, the nonstick was a clear choice, since it makes my skin crawl the least. But there are lots of pros in the stainless steel column too. Here’s an interesting thread on Chowhound about the differences (Zoolander anyone?).
The only thing missing from my collection at the moment is a stock pot, which I don’t have the space (or need) for at the moment. Someday, when I’m a real grown-up, I’ll be making matzo ball soup for 25 people at family holiday gatherings. In my stock pot that I have plenty of space to store. A girl can dream, right?!
So, my friends, what’s your pick? Nonstick? Stainless Steel? Cast Iron? Mix and match?
You can find previous editions of A Well-Stocked Kitchen here:
Utensil Crock Edition
Baking Edition
Small Appliance Edition
Drawer Edition
My picks:
13″ Deep Skillet with Lid (I use this guy by far the most)
Grill Pan (my husband’s fave!)
Wok (not an essential item, but I make a lot of stir-fries and Asian-inspired dishes, so I do use this. If you’re interested in getting one, it’s on major sale at Amazon at the time of this writing!)
And my pièce de résistance: 5 1/2 Quart French Oven
I have a mix of both. I really recommend a cast iron wok. It will heat more evenly and help you get all the food cooked at the same time.
IKEA has a wonderful selection of pots and pans. If you want to see if you’ll use something try IKEA before investing in a more expensive piece. I was very surprised how wonderful some of their pans worked for me. And the quality surpassed my expectations too.
I definitely have a mix of all of the above. It really depends on what I’m making! My kitchen is a mix of all clad, the new greenware line by cuisinart (the most amazing nonstick nonteflon I’ve ever had the pleasure of using), cast iron and le creuset. I highly recommend the green line by cuisinart!
Do you find it a challenge using mostly nonstick? I find it can be a bit limiting at times. I always have to be careful with the utensils plus it just doesn’t cook some recipes “right” if you know what I mean! Don’t get my wrong, I love my nonstick and probably use it daily but I also can’t imagine solely cooking with it!
Amy, I love how much we both love cooking, yet how difference our kitchen must-haves are! (Although let’s be honest, EVERYONE who loves cooking has Le Creuset on the list!) Maybe I should do a round-up from my kitchen, too - so many choices out there, so many ways to find your kitchen mojo!
Maggie’s most recent blog post: The Days of our (Food) Lives
@Jen I don’t find it a challenge using just the nonstick, but I also don’t tend to do the kind of cooking that involves getting a good sear on a piece of meat, etc. I’ve been happy with the nonstick in general!
@Maggie Yeah! I would love to take a peek inside your kitchen, and I think it would be interesting for the readers, too, to have a different perspective on what a well-stocked kitchen looks like.
amy i’s most recent blog post: Soup Week: Creamy Broccoli Soup
I have two pans that I use 98% of the time. A 10.5 inch square Scan pan “fry pan” and my Le Creuset dutch oven in “flame” is also a keeper.
The rest, I can do without!
ABCDragoo’s most recent blog post: Opportunity knocks, and I’m in Knoxville {BOO!}
