Need help buying Xmas present please

[maxinquaye]

First off; hello everyone! Nice forum you have here...

My girlfriend has *really* gotten into cooking the last few months. I'm a woodworker so I understand that good tools makes a real difference. I'd like to buy her a cookware set for Xmas but have NO idea what makes a good product.

My budget is around $300. If that's not enough for a good set, I don't mind buying her the basics piece by piece (what *are* the basics?). Her stove is an electric coil if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Katie H]

Hi, max. Welcome to DC. You'll get plenty of help. You might want to search the cookware forum to see what threads address your question.

However, I would suggest you purchase at least one good piece of cast iron cookware. Probably a skillet. I couldn't live without my cast iron skillet.

Another piece that is extremely useful is a heavy Dutch oven. I have two that are enamel-coated cast iron made by Le Creuset. I use them all the time.

I could go on and on, but I'll step back and let others offer their suggestions. Before long, you'll have more suggestions than you can believe.

 

[GotGarlic]

I bought an All-Clad 3-quart saute pan a few years ago and use it for practically everything that doesn't go in the oven - and even some things that do I love it. I recently started collecting Le Creuset bakeware, but I'm sticking with stainless steel for stovetop cooking, except I *really* want a Le Creuset Dutch oven (but this isn't about me ). HTH.

 

[Katie H]

I *really* want a Le Creuset Dutch oven (but this isn't about me ). HTH.

GotGarlic, have you checked out At Caplan-Duval we sell Waterford Crystal, Denby, Noritake, Le creuset, Spode, Portmeirion and so much more. They have about the best prices around. I live in a very rural area and don't have access to Le Creuset outlets, etc. Caplan runs specials regularly, which is great.

 

[pdswife]

How about some good knives??

 

[VaporTrail]

Does she have a good mixer?

$300 is perfect to get her a Kitchenaid stand mixer. You can get a "classic series" for about $250... (check your local Wal Mart before ordering online, you might not have to pay shipping on it...)

Or you could splurge and get her an Artisan Series model for $350 ish plus shipping.

That's what I would get if I were buying for me... but I don't have the budget for it at the moment.

Cookware though... someone else is gonna have to comment here.

I've heard good things about All-Clad...
But at $600+ for a 9 piece set (on sale even... @ FoodNetwork.com) it's expensive stuff.

 

[jennyema]

First of all, you are sweet to go to the trouble of researching this.


I would absolutely recommend either the 5 quart or 7 quart Le Creuset french ovens.

If she's really into cooing, she'll use it alllllllllll the time. And, she'll have it forever, and then her kids or grandkids will have it.

It's top quality that has little rival -- something that can't always be said for other kinds of cookware. You can have endless debates about the merits of a brand of SS saucepan, for example.

A KA mixer, like VT suggested, is also a wonderful thing to have in the kitchen.

If she doesnt have a food processor, though, that would be my top choice. A cook cannot live without one.

 

[maxinquaye]

Well, perhaps I should be more specific (hopng she dosn't subscribe to this forum). She suffers from Celiac disease, so any wheat product is out, which is why she doesn't seem to use a mixer much. Most of what she makes seems to require a good set of knives and pans/pots. I've read the forum, and the Calphalon Tri-ply seems well recommended, so I'm looking at the stainless 13 piece set on amazon.com. I may be able to scrounge enough up to get her a nice chef knife to round things out...

 

[GB]

I would stay away from a chefs knife. That is something she needs to try out to make sure it fits her, kind of like buying shoes.

Calphalon makes cookware so you won't go wrong with that. Sets are not always the best way to go though. Piece by piece is usually better unless you are positive all the pieces will get used.

I like the Le Cruset dutch oven idea. That is a great piece she would love.

 

[sage™]

you don't need to pay the high prices for All Clad try ply or for Calphalon..there are other brands now available that are just as good or the same. Walmart has some of them and so does Sams.....

 

[maxinquaye]

Sage, which brands would that be? I was at Costco the other day and saw they had several sets displayed...ay of those good? I thought the Amazon price for the Calphalon set was pretty reasonable myself...looked like quality stuff and gad good reviews.

 

[GotGarlic]

Well, perhaps I should be more specific (hopng she dosn't subscribe to this forum). She suffers from Celiac disease, so any wheat product is out, which is why she doesn't seem to use a mixer much.

Unless she likes to bake and misses baked goods, I'd go with one of the other suggestions, but I wanted to respond to this. I have a friend with celiac disease and came across this site while doing some research on it: Karina-s Kitchen: Recipes from a [Gluten-Free] Goddess

Here she has some tips for gluten-free baking: Karina-s Kitchen: Recipes from a [Gluten-Free] Goddess: Cooking & Baking Gluten-Free: Tips from Karina

So she doesn't have to give up baked goods completely HTH.

 

[eatsOats]

I cook for two people, 5-6 meals a day, 7 days a week. What gets used the most?
- All Clad: 12" fry, 3qt. saute.,
- Le Creueset: 7.25 qt. dutch oven. <--- my fav.
- Good 8" chef's knife (10" if she has big hands) <--- I use Forscher Fibrox almost exclusively).
- Kitchen Aid 12 c. food processor <--- OK so I'm bragging, I just purchased it online but haven't received it yet. My [tiny] current 3 c. KAID is finally getting replaced!

 

[maxinquaye]

Well, I did some shipping around today to get my hands on the stuff. I decided to pass on the stainless because she is used to non-stick. I handled the Calphalon products and they seemed very well made. In particular the "One" line just oozed quality.

I cruised around a bit and scored at TJ Maxx. Got her a 3 Qt sautee pan, 10" skillet, 2.5 Qt Sauce pan and a 4 Qt. Chef's pan (which seemed like a handy mix between a sauce pan and a skillet) - all the Calphalon One Nonstick line. Also picked up a nice cast iron 5.5 Qt dutch oven. They had a 7.5 Qt. Le Creucet there for $130, but the other was half that price and I honestly couldn't tell the difference after examining them both. Plus the Le Creucet was a butt ugly orange color. Anyway, got out the door with the 4 pans and the oven for right around $300. BB&B wanted $200+ just for the 4 Qt. Sautee pan. TJ Maxx also has the 5 Qt One nonstick for $80 - not bad for a $250 pan!! Seemed too big for the two of us so I passed on it.

I figure this will get her started...are there any essential pans I missed? I can always return these if I screwed it up.

 

[sage™]

I dont knoiw about Costco..I think there's just one of them in Houston and its far from me. I just know what Sam's has..they have a set like Calphon made for them..it's their Members Mark brand..I'm pretty sure tramontina makes it for them.

An 8 inch fry pan (non stick) is a handy size to get,,I use mine quit a bit for eggs and omelets..heating tortillas, etc

Since you got her non stick..does she have wooden spoons, spatulas etc to use in them?? good stocking stuffers

 

[GB]

You did real well maxinquaye. She will love it. I have Calphalon non stick pans and I can't say enough good things about them. I have that chefs pan too and love it. I get so much use out of it.

 

[GrillingFool]

So think... what 3 cookware or kitchen items does she use the most?

Go get high quality ones of those.

And if she's been mentioning something particular, be SURE to get that.

 

[babetoo]

hey sage,

i have a granddaughter named saige. has the i in it. she is 26 years old.

haven't heard it before with her spelling

babe

 

[wysiwyg]

maxinquaye,
I couldn't done better, congratulations. Next time, I recommend you also check Home Goods, they have a great selection of cookware for rock bottom prices.