Help With Cookware Purchase

Q: My wife and I have recently become much more interested in improving our cooking skills (not really sure why). As a result, we were wondering if we needed to invest in some high-quality cookware. We currently have RevereWare, but would like to move towards something like All Clad. Are we nuts?? We certainly don't have $500 lying around, but we would be willing to make the sacrifice if we knew it were worth it. What should we do? (a) Buy the All Clad (b) Buy another set of cookware (preferably cheaper) (c) Learn with what we've got I did a search on dejanews and couldn't find a post with this subject. I am new to the group, so I do apologize if this has been covered before.

A: Don't buy a set. There is no reason whatsoever that one must have a matched set. Buy individual pieces of various brands from open stock when convenient for you. Here is an excellent source: http://store.yahoo.com/bowery/cookware.html I have never been a fan of buying "sets" of anything as different types of cookware serve different uses. Here is what I did in the past year to replace old worn cookware. I bought pieces of inexpensive but VERY nice Oneida stainless/aluminum bottomed saucepots and saute pans one at a time, in order of need. I now have quite a nice collection. I also highly recommend a really large cast iron frying pan with fairly high sides and a generic lid that fits loosely. I use that for everything from corned beef hash, to fried rice to frying chicken and fish. It's wonderful and clean up is a snap. A shallow 14" fry pan with a nonstick coating is indespensible and doesn't cost very much...usually $25. or so. You can use that for frying bacon/eggs, sauteeing veggies, crepes, seafood or vegie pancakes, etc. One of the kitchen appliances I simply cannot do without is an electric griddle. Makes grilled sandwiches, pancakes, french toast, etc a real snap. Those you can pick up on sale at places like Target for around $35-40. I recently bought two enameled cast iron saucepans at a garage sale for $4. Ironically they matched the Villeroy and Boc "Acapulco" pattern of my china that I purchased 20 years ago. I am astounded at how fast those bring liquids to boil and at such a low setting. I have an electric stove and that's always a concern of mine. Think ecletic and buy what works best for some of the dishes YOU want to cook. As your collection expands, you'll find your repetoire will as well.

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