Cooking Resources

SpiceUmUp · 05-30-2005, 07:56 PM

I have Kitchen Aid SS cookware that I love, Copper cookware that is better yet, and I have Le Creuset that is not only wonderful to cook with but also does double duty as weightlifting equipment

Caine · 05-31-2005, 11:52 AM

I currently have Le Gourmet Chef tri-ply stainless 10-inch Frying pan, 1 quart sauce pan & lid, 2 quart sauce pan & lid, 4 quart stock pot & lid, 6 quart stock pot & lid, 5 quart covered Saute & lid; a Lodge 8-inch skillet and 12-inch skillet; and a Calphalon nonstick 10-inch omelette pan & cover (strictly for cooking eggs), and I am extremely happy with all of them. The Le Gourmet Chef tri-ply is EXACTLY like All-Clad, at less than half the price. I bought all of mine of sale, so they were 1/3 the price of All-Clad, and I guarantee you can not find any difference. I bought the Calphalon omelette pan at Le Gourmet Chef on sale for 15 bucks, and The Lodge skillets are just about the same price everywhere, but I happen to like shopping at Le Gourmet Chef. Check out their website for a location near you.

mudbug · 05-31-2005, 12:09 PM

Caine, I agree with you about Le Gourmet Chef. It's a must-stop every time I go to the outlet mall. Love their samples of dipping oil and sauces. The only equipment I have purchased there so far includes a marble board for rolling out pastry and a re-conditioned blender for the bar.

Andy M. · 05-31-2005, 12:14 PM

I have four saucepans from LeGourmet -2 1-qts., a 4-qt and a 6 qt. I think I paid $40 to $60 for the biggest one. They are a steal for the money. I agree with Caine that they do a good job. You can't beat the price.

In comparing LeGourmet to All-Clad, I notice the LeG is thinner, and as a result, lighter in weight, than the All-Clad. In the four pieces I have, there is no performance difference.

buckytom · 05-31-2005, 12:18 PM

avoid emerilware at all costs, even tho they are from all-clad. the pans perform nicely, in my limited experience with cooking, but the non-stick surface wears off too easily.

mudbug · 05-31-2005, 12:20 PM

Actually, bucky, HH got me a set of emerilware saucepans for Christmas a couple of years ago, and the non-stick is still in fine shape. Wonder if your experience is due to all those termater-based gravies you do?

buckytom · 05-31-2005, 12:28 PM

thanks 'bug, but most of my tomato sauces are made in ss.
we have 2 sets of emerilware. we had one and were given another. the frying pans in the older set wore out very quickly, especially the pans dw uses everyday for things like eggs, the one food you really need non-stick for. so now i baby the second set, and they seem to be holding up ok, but i don't like to have to be so careful.
when they finally become unuseable, i have my eye on some heavy duty copper sandwiched ss, i think from france. wms-sonoma had it the last time i looked. about 7 or 8 bills for the set.

mudbug · 05-31-2005, 12:38 PM

Well, I don't have any emeril frying pans 'cept for a teeny one just for eggs and stuff like grilled cheese sandwiches. My big fryers are an ancient, well-seasoned cast iron, a SS All Clad, and a non-stick Calphalon. I mostly use the SS and the cast iron. I also have an All Clad non-stick grill pan that gets used a lot that is holding up well and cleans up easily.

Robo410 · 06-22-2005, 09:15 PM

Well if I had all the $$$ in the world I would prolly spring for the ultimate Falk Culinair set. However I don't. I also like a variety of different types of cookware for different tasks and recipes. So I like to bargain hunt...left overs of the old Calphalon before the hybrid wars, real French copper at places like Marshalls, seconds on AllClad or LeCrueset, and of course my inherited Griswold cast iron. But my fave pan is a hand crafted copper saute from Tasmania. Check out LaraCopper !