OK - whats in a pan?? well, first of all the weight - you need a heavy gauge anything for it to be realistic. A really great pan is heavy, it has weight in your hand, that weight, or substance is usually stainless steel or cast iron. I hate nonstick pans, my feeling is if you cook properly and season a cast iron pan well you'll be fine without the nonstick surface. So, what does a basic kitchen need?? I love cast iron, well seasoned it is a wonderful heavy cooking surface for just about anything. I keep several skillets in my kitchen. I dedicate one to seafood, one to omlettes and one to regular dishes. I have small, medium and large cast iron pans. I have cast iron that was my great grandmothers, and so well seasoned you never need to oil it. I have brand new cast iron from some cook shop in berkeley ca that my husband carried for miles to get to the car, he complained, but it was worth it - heavy and wonderful in every size my cast iron skillets are the pans i reach for most!
Pots & pans