The role of a good cook ware in the preparation of a
sumptuous meal cannot be overemphasized. When one consider
purchasing a good cookware the first point that comes to the
mind is the budget. Buying a standard cookware within one’s
budget and at the same time obtaining all the pieces and
features one has in mind is no simple task. If you belong to the
category of people who take cooking a bit seriously you need
spend some more time to look into the various aspects of a good
cookware from the material from which it is made, to the number
of pieces, features and the quality.
The first factor to
be considered is the material in which the cookware is made. The
first option is the stainless steel that is most popular,
durable and convenient. It is also the most popular cookware
material in North America being highly resistant against wear
and tear and at the same time less expensive. It is also subject
to criticism as the metals like iron, nickel, and chromium used
in this alloy is said to create health hazards.
The other
option for the home maker is the ceramic pottery, enamel or
glass cookware. All these materials can be easily cleaned and
are also heat resistant. The latest addition to this category is
the plastic ware used for both cooking and storing. It has the
advantage of being light weight, unbreakable and also being used
in Micro wave ovens where other metals are not suitable. Cast
iron cookware is normally pre coated with unsalted fat and
heated to avoid rusting in the absence of porcelain coating.
The stainless cookware is to be washed in soapy water or warm
ammonia with water solution. The cookware is to be rinsed and
dried to obviate water spots in the cookware. Never one need use
chlorine or alcohol instead only some mild cleaners. The copper
cookware are to be cleaned by a commercial cleaner or a home
made mixture of salt, flour citric acid, and ammonia if applied
before washing would also serve the purpose. While copper
cookware is highly expensive the stainless cookware with copper
bottom is lesser costly. The copper bottom cookware does not
spread the heat evenly and the bottom of the food gets heated
faster and there are chances that the food at the bottom may get
burned.
One need to buy a cookware that is less
expensive, durable, and that distribute the heat evenly. Cooking
pans with hot spots cooks at various speed at different spots
and make cooking most unpleasant... The cookware made of cast
iron, copper and aluminum may result in the food cooked to
absorb the metal taste and sometimes even the metal content to
get transferred to food. The fact remaining so, copper bowls are
immensely useful in beating egg whites. Though aluminum is the
least expensive it may cause reaction with certain type of food.
If one chooses the Aluminum cookware the anodized is the best
choice.
One need to remember that no cookware can be
considered as the perfect and the most suitable for cooking on
all occasions or for cooking of all types of foods. The ideal
cookware depends on your budget, your cooking preferences and
the food habits. However cookware made of stainless steel could
be recommended as an ideal choice considering its price,
economic life, easy cleaning, and less or no reaction with the
food. No wonder it is also the most popular and sought after
cookware in North America.
About the Author:
Linda Polansky writes about
Choosing Cookware and
Cookware Appliances
