Triple-Clad Pans - Set
I have TWO sets of these! They work on electric, gas, induction, and even my cast-iron woodburning stove. I've used the top of the line (a client's Calphalon LTD) and these are right up there. Remember, never go above medium heat. PS: Clear glass lids are the BEST! | 10" Nonstick Skillet
I chose this pan because it's the right size, and good quality, but cheap enough that you'll replace it when it gets scratched up. Three rivets so you can flip and shake this pan until your arm gets tired. | 12" Stir Fry Pan Wok
My favorite! Do you want a kick-ass nonstick wok? Yes, you do. This is my beef stroganoff pan, my spaghetti and meatballs pan, and of course my stir-fry pan. Heavy, but it heats evenly and cooks correctly. I thought the nonstick would be weird but it's awwwwwwsome! |
7 qt Dutch Oven
This non-stick Dutch oven casserole stockpot with lid has a hard anodized surface that is durable and harder than stainless steel. This pan is oven safe to 500F! It's heavy, and the aluminum core provides even heat distribution. The tempered glass lid (which i LOVE!) is oven safe to 350F. Large size for chili, potroast, or huge batches of tomato sauce. This one is not induction compatible., but if you prefer that, Click here for the fully stainless steel dutch oven. | Baking Sheets
Know how you can put a sheet pan in your oven and you hear a BANG?! It's because your thin metal pan is warping. These pans are pro-quality and can handle everything from delicate cookies to racks of ribs.
Click here for the Quarter Size. | Insert Racks
Use these for roasting food, to let fat drip away, or to rest your breads, cookies and cakes to keep the bottoms from getting soggy. This has a very nice, tight grid & I love it.
Click here for the Quarter Size. |
For baking you will need some baking pans. Most people have these, but if you were going to upgrade, what do you choose?
· Glass? Even Pyrex can chip or break, but you can soak it in a sink full of water overnight and it will always come perfectly clean with a little elbow grease. Things don't usually brown as nicely, but you can hold the thing up and look underneath.
· Metal? Super sturdy and durable, metal is highly conductive and browns crusts really nicely. Sometimes too nicely. Unless you spend a small fortune on your pans, you shouldn't try to soak these.
· Ceramic? I can't find any advantage to using ceramics, so I don't own anything I actually bake in. I transfer cooked stuff into ceramic for display!
Show me what you've already got and let's talk about it before you go buy anything new. |
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Standard Cupcake/Muffin
Can you get a cheaper one? Sure, but it could warp and you have lopsided cupcakes. Shouldn't it be non-stick? Sure, but you'll scrub off that coating after a few times and you'll be hating life. | Paper Cupcake Liners
ALWAYS use paper liners. They don't have to be fancy! They protect the pan and keep you from having to scour it and scratch up the finish. Don't bother with the silicone, they don't come clean easily either. | Mini Cupcake/Muffin
Do you like wee little cupcakes for tea parties? I DO TOO! Let's make a bunch of different flavors with different icings and drink tea and take a break from working on this website, what do you say? |
Springform Pan
These are probably the most underrated pan in the kitchen. This one's highly rated, and has a leak-proof tight seal. (Still, slip a sheet pan with some foil under it just in case.) The nonstick coating makes for easy food release and cleanup. Always hand wash, and never use the base disc as a cutting surface! | Mini Springform
I used these contstantly for catering and In-Home Fine Dining work, and they were reliable, fun, and made impressive little desserts, especially if you wanted to make different flavor cheesecakes. Can't soak them so they're kind of difficult to clean; I used a dollar-store veggie brush. | Pressure Cooker
My cooking lesson clients know I call this my "Time Machine", because it cooks so fast! Again, I like these pressure cookers so much, I have 3 of this size (and a smaller one too!) You can also just use it like a normal, deep pot for soup or large quantities, just don't use the lid! See my favorite Pressure Cooker Book |
10" Cast Iron Skillet
Fried chicken & cornbread? Yes, of course... but also fruit cobbler, tamale pie, and frittata. You think you might want the bigger one, but even this is quite heavy. Cast iron gets better with every use, so use it often! | Grill & Griddle (2-burner)
Steaks, pork chops and chicken breast love the grill side. The griddle side makes the BEST grilled cheese, homemade naan, or flatbreads. This pan makes it easy to cook a lot at once. If you only have an electric range, this will still work, but it can also work in your oven. | 9" Square Grill Pan (1-burner)
Create attractive grillmarks on steak, chicken, pork chops: Once you're done searing, pop it in your oven. I also like to use it for zucchini planks and sliced baguette for crostini. Scrub under hot tap water with dollar-store dish brushes, then heat until it's dry. |
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