TRUTH, SOME PANS HAVE GONE TO POT!
SOME OF THE CHEFS ARE SMOKING IT AND MAKING BIG BUCKS

- My equipment mantra is the three C’s of cooking, and they are Cutlery, Cookware and Contraptions. This page and section addresses the second and third parts of Cookware… Pots and Pans -- I have lots of pots and pans. Last count was 12+ and I live alone but entertain. Also I have enemies because I tell the truth…
Maybe twice the average household and they all get used since I like to cook and being single, and I like the diversity of cooking what I want ( about five or six ethnicities and locales) and the gals love my cooking.
A Little Truth — Here is truth… “ The average kitchen guru today on TV is a chef or wannabe chef or total fraud highly paid for the use of his name with half a dozen or more helpers making cooking on HSN, QVC and others so simple and wonderful so you will buy the Chinese Crap they are selling”.
- The Chef is like the traveling salesman you see on old Westerns. on TV pitching and selling pots and pans. And it’s nothing but sell, sell, sell. If you would have access, some of the pans you would see after usage in the commercial kitchen look like they were stolen from the Chernobyl kitchens. Gas stoves can do that. BUT
But the kitchen in a business is hidden you don’t see it, and we like to show our tools off so we like to look pretty. They use their pans till the aluminum burns out a hole and you’ll see many scorched pans when you are watching TV.
Example — A simple spaghetti joint pretending to be high end Italian Ristorante` like a Carraba’s or Romano’s might have 60-70 pans aluminum blend, usually they are not non-sticks, since they don’t stay that way. They don’t last since most stirring is done with metal tongs and two guys scrubbing with green scrubbier to clean. Sometimes, not so clean. But on a really hot gas or propane stove it will kill anything so you are safe.And the pans are mostly and neatly burnt in on all sides, from very hot gas tops, flat tops and grills and they develop a carbon finish. Solution, they just buy more cheap pans. Some place during dinner did not wash the pan between usage. They dumped it on a plate and dropped in the food for the next dish
ALL-CLAD ✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️ STAINLESS ✸✸✸✸✸
All-Clad products which are probably on top of the list of best high end cookware made and then rationalize the purchase by the fact it will probably be the best and last stainless you ever buy. I own one. They will still be usable when I die and for my grandkids.

They make great stuff. I see it as an investment. But if you don’t understand these pots require less heat than some of the junk or carbonized lifetime no-stick bullshit coatings than buy cheap stuff.
Superb quality and I know they will outlast me. That justifies the difference and you get to know the temperatures and other characteristics by using the same tools. This means whopping a lot if you are stuck with an electric range, my solution is serious cooking in my condo is on my Buxton induction and I can use all my All-Clads, and Tramontina’s those temp controlled burners.
I said my piece…
Brazilian Tramontina ✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️ Stainless ✸✸✸✸✸ For general cooking seared dishes and fond scrapping I prefer stainless and cast iron, I have for dishes that do better needing sear and temperature control in the Induction Kitchen. It’s a tough choice buying pots and pans but Tramontina are well made, with a ton of experience in the commercial cooking establishments. MyTramontina’s and All-Clads are beautiful works of art. Bu tough as nails. But thats the Brazil made, they as with many companies make some cheaper lines, made in China.
Heavy duty and virtually wear proof, easy to take care of. They too offer differing levels of price, quality, assortments, selling points, rebates and so forth.
Seasonly, commercially two good features of Tramontina, they are carried at COSTCO at ridiculously low prices and Costco has a good assortment of their line but again seasonally.
I also have larger stock pots by TRAMONTINA. My Mixing bowls are Tramontina Pro series — The two TRAMONTINA stockpots I have are heavy duty and priced quite right. Stock-pots double for spaghetti boilers when needed because of their price points for large pots and I have inserts for strainers, their advantage is I can use the steel pots on my Burton Commercial Induction.
It’s Not The Pot Thats Warped It Could Be You Or Your Stove Element —
NOTES: The most common complaint I hear about of any pot or pan is that the pan warped. If you use electric you will find that it is not the pan can warp, nine times out of ten it’s the coils on the electric stove that have warped or bent with time and use and that ruins the pan. I am stuck in my Condo with an electric appliance which I hate. Let me explain —
👺 Cheap Frying pans and Pots of Aluminum can slide on the coils and dangerous. To you, the meal and the floor — I’m not prejudiced, It’s not dangerous till a little one gets near a handle not facing inward and I actually witnessed a court case called as a witness, they settled, but both sides were in the wrong, but the kid will have a scar he did not ask for. Kids under eight do not belong in kitchens. And unsafe products should not be sold.
👺 Lodge, All-Clad, and Tramontina are heavy pots and skillets. They do not slide — And the advantage of more even cooking, fewer if any hotspots. They also last three lifetimes.
👺 I do not own aluminum coated non-stick Chinese Junk. They are light stamped low density cheap pans. And thats the problem, endorsed brands, I tend to stay away from. It’s a pan, nothing more, nothing less, few pans wind up in the Louvre. If the Mona Lisa is smiling she just discovered non-stick. You have to sift through — house brands — celebrity chef brands — HSN, NBC, QVC, and the CIA who all seem to have their answers to the worlds cooking needs.
👺 Cooking shows, personality based like Rachel Ray who needs a show dedicated to diet, , and stop promoting her brand of tools and accessories, like Chinese fishing boats, JUNKS, they aren’t that good. I like her, she has a sense of humor and a great host, but get better vendors. Her Olive Oil brand, her celebrated EVOO failed in testing DNA as a fraud. It was a cheap blend. And Pretty colors mean nothing, they won’t make cheap pans work any better. Like Dog Food most buy the food based on how pretty the box is…
👺 I gave all that I received, complimentary, they were looking for an endorsement tested, they were crap, and I donated them to the Salvation Army for some Godly consultation and good will.
👺 Endorsers — I don’t believe —
- Wolfgang Puck who is making more as a pitchman for Chinese crooker cookers. His origional pots were so crap, the handle so slim they bent… with nothing in them, when I spotted them in Sam’s.
- Emeril LeGasse is touting small ovens…and he mumbles on his new Infomercial and the acting and production is third grade.
- Then there is Southern Belle whose vocabulary, consisting of lots of “You-all’s and scads of butter” even though she was a Diabetic, pushing Chinese pots and pans, China which for some reasons reminded her of home. When she got in trouble with a few racially bad statements, Target had her stuff off the shelves in two days. And doesn’t sell it anymore.
- I pass on anything Martha Stewart has her name on. Recalls and dangerous products.
👺 I Do Like — Ethnic Diversion —

- The Black Chefs like Carla Hall and Chef G. Garvin who have brought unique and incredible cuisine in bringing Black to the table.
- I like Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence, both COOL guys stick to food talent and use plain cookware and a lot of cast iron they cook in. I like Bobby’s simple answer to cooking on his competition show where you really see his versatility and ethnic diversions against all comers. I like Guy Fiero even if he is off the wall, I got some great ideas from some of the Diners, Dives and eads
- I watch the IRON Chefs a lot not because they are famous, but it reminds me of when I worked the kitchen meals you wanted to spend hours on needed in twenty minutes — Theses cooks are incredible and diversified, creative and tough competitors.

TV - But Wait! “ The Sound Of The Fraud Bird” — This Is Truth --
- “BUT WAIT” is the battle cry for the dumb, ignorant and stupid. This is a clue to change channels when you hear “ BUT WAIT” That piece of junk you are looking at isn’t worth what they are telling you.
- For $39.95 and get two for one just decreased the products value by half, so it’s only worth $20.00 dollars and just pay the shipping and handling for 39.95 just to find both came in the same box. Screwed! Twice! And they are making a ton.
- It came from China, never warehoused here and no middle man profits. And pallet shipping at a tenth of conventional costs by slave labor at 65 cents an hour. The real value is determined by the additional fee for that second piece, the shipping is the same, flat rate by the shipper so if the second piece is only eight dollars more, you just got a five dollar item and they made three dollars more because they got a flat rate on shipping — From China on a pallet with other crap…
- It comes with a collection of totally cheap Chinese molded probably contaminated plastic valued at 40.00. Actual value, I deal with China regularly, value the plastic kit at under a dollar and it was probably included in the product to begin with when they dreamed up the equation. Most Chinese plastics in a kitchen will degauss and just pitch they are not safe and you need serving tool that can stand the heat of as dish washer.
- And you will get it free. Actually the junk was free to begin with. Chinese utensil plastic has a problem, again, it degausses, I throw them out, and safety wise not a secure safe item. Next time you pluck a piece of Chicken from boiling oil and slips from the plastic just remember ER’s are open 24/7.
- The shows that tell you it took only thirty minutes and doesn’t tell you it took hours to prep or get the right ingredients some of which you never heard of and not available in your neighborhood. It’s all a fairy tale. Backstage there are fourteen professional people putting this montage of edibles together.
- Like the Martha Stewart show, she’s Americas darling of what’s right in culture, entertaining, lifestyle and cooking. That’s why it takes 75 - 100 people to produce the one-hour show plus another 25-50 in vendor support. Fresh herbs from the garden, why not when you have twenty acres and plenty of gardeners.
- Somehow our host does the twelve-course meal in thirty minutes all endorsing some form of stainless polished bright and absolutely perfect stainless in 18-10 for six payments of 39.95. After all they don’t do the cleanup and thank God for Bar keepers Friend.
- The right handed Fresh Pepper Twist. God help us if we used ground pepper from a can. The mandatory fresh ground pepper twist is a required exercise. Looks professional! When you cook for 300 you don’t hand grind the pepper, you use powdered onion, garlic and pepper.
- If you use real garlic for small orders you prep the garlic with a four pound wooden hammer on a heavy wooden block with heavy saran wrap both sides in one mighty smash, pull the flakes away, then mince. Or cheat with the powdered, minced or flaked stuff soaked a day earlier.
- Knowing what I know about the industry, one example. A full line of Wolfgang Pucks stainless sold at SAM’S had handles so weak I could bend them as they would bend at the pans edge. It probably contributed to a small roast on the floor more than once. They were priced accordingly but not of any quality.
- Same with some of the Rachel Ray lines. Improved somewhat last couple months but not quite as good. In truth most endorsements are for the money and not because of you. And that ugly turquoise color she uses is out and dated. Look for bargain prices when they got dumped on the market as the fellow at B B & B told me customers thought they were ugly.
- Then there’s box retailers with selection, Macy’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, Penny’s, Sears, K-Mart, Target, Wal-mart, Crate and Barrel, and a host of others on line. Slightly better but not the top end gear from any lines.
- I tend to gravitate to Williams Sonoma, and Sur La Table for small items and sale items as they tend to go higher end in the quality of the lines they carry. Also most likely a better pot or pan will last a lifetime, you get to know it by volume and temperature, pouring and what it does to food.
- I buy for the long run, passing on cheap stuff that rusts, breaks, peels and falls apart. I best described more than half the stuff in the stores. Only once I bought a set relying on individual designs suited for me. I buy something just like I vote. I go NPA, no political affiliation, I vote for the person not the party. I buy the pan not the set.
- We have a great mall not far from us with a Crate and Barrel for the classy tabletop arranging when called for and while my friend is shopping dresses and stuff, I am in Williams Sonoma getting lost in looking at everything, mostly better quality lines which is directly across, no more than fifty feet from the Apple store which is Mecca to me.
- I am an Appleholic and suffer from Mac-itus and I gladly take her shopping and vanish to satisfy my selfish needs. Many times since I know what I am buying, I use several vendors on the web. A partial list is on the first page.
- The required and regimented 1/4 inch diced onion chopping scenes followed by close-up dicing and mincing of fresh herbs most of which the store didn’t have. Then the hand twist “ fresh ground pepper demonstration” as explained above using right hand twist only.
- And the finale when they are all sloshed together with “Extra Virgin Olive Oil” which isn’t in most cases isn’t really as tested by the fine folks at UC-Davis has just published an extensive report on the fraudulent labeling of extra-virgin olive oil. Our own Rachel refers to it as “EVOO” and her Imported labeled with her name olive oil failed the testing. It was a blend and not pure, ranked fairly bad. Sorry girl but you should know better. Pay attention to who you get in bed with.
- Almost 80% has been known to often have fraudulent or misleading labels, now certain US brands have been found to be mislabeling their olive oil as well. “More than two-thirds of common brands of extra-virgin olive oil found in California grocery stores aren’t what they claim to be, according to a report by researchers at UC Davis, “ said the Los Angeles Times in the story linked to the tests to determine extra-virgin oil (acidity, peroxide level, etc.) are listed and described. Their lab tests cast doubt on specific brands of olive oil’s virginity using scientific techniques (aka DNA).
SEE OLIVE OIL INVESTIGATION (click)
And Pots Need Stove Tools - Wood - Exoglass - Silicon — Wood is natural and the best except for those who never take care of them which is 90% of the breathing public. More expensive is high-temp plastic from resin and fiberglass, silicon and pure plastic cheaper sets. Forget the cheaper plastic light weight crapola, the kind that come in sets for ten dollars and include twenty ridiculous pieces. They will break, melt, actually I consider them dangerous in the kitchen.
I have seen someone foolishly doing the heavy lift with 1/8 inch pieces of plastic import junk and the drippings and pulled pork meat went on the floor carefully filling all the grout lines with dark dye. Hot chicken frying in a pan and the cheap spatulas and tongs letting them fall back and splash you. Cheap tools are dangerous.
Exoglass cooking spoons, made in France, look like wood spoons but they are not. The color tan (not shown) looks like wood in your utility bucket. Thats because it's natural in color. They are a blend of resin and fiberglass with a heat resistant quality to 430 degrees which is quite sufficient for 99% percent of your stovetop cooking. Do not buy the red, yellow and blue colored ones! Eventually they will lose their color and become tan. Order the standard tan.
Exoglass spoons are quite durable and they can be thrown into the dishwasher. They do not melt nor splinter. Great for reductions, slow simmering and sauces. Unlike wood, they don't stain or retain food particles, odors, or bacteria. (Carrots, Chili, etc.) they just fade away.
I did find good stuff at Williams Sonoma, pretty reasonable and excellent quality, they are stainless handles and silicon paddles, the perfect combo. They are made of soft, durable silicone, these indispensable tools can easily withstand temperatures up to 600°F without absorbing flavors or odors and they won’t scratch your nonstick cookware. $10 ea.-39.95 in sets.
- Silicone heads are heat resistant to 600°F.
- Lightweight brushed-stainless-steel handles ensure a secure grip.
- Dishwasher safe. Excellent quality.
- Set includes one of each tool.
- A Williams-Sonoma exclusive and it’s a lifetime buy.
SAFETY HINTS and TIPS - USAGE, HINTS, CARING FOR POTS — Stainless Steel - Use Bar Keepers Friend® to clean and shine pots and pans made of stainless steel and copper. “To get rid of stuck-on food or discoloration, and stains from using too high of a heat, we recommend cleaning your All-Clad® with a product called Bar Keeper’s Friend.” – All-Clad cookware FAQ (www.all-clad.com)
WHY DO CHEFS SLIDE PANS ? ANS. - Habit for one thing. You see it on TV all the time the chef doing the flip to turn the dish, and sometimes they rub the pan on the stove for several reasons: It breaks the food loose so it doesn’t stick. It moves small particles down to the liquid area. On electric stoves it reinforces the contact surface. The coils get carbonized. Avoid sliding or dragging your cookware over the surface of your stovetop, especially glass top ranges, as scratches may result.
Never use your cookware in the microwave. It's not made for that. Use only microwave approved cookware and Most cookware is oven safe to 350°F. Cookware with stainless steel handles are generally safe in oven to 500°F. Glass lids are oven safe to 500°F. and never place a nonstick pan under the broiler. Cookware with metal handles and no nonstick is broiler-safe.
Do not make a double boiler out of pots that are not designed for that purpose. Thats an accident looking for a place to happen and wet burns don’t heal so quick. At the same time use low to medium heat only on Nonstick. Excessive use of high heat will cause pan warping and permanent nonstick coating damage.
Do not use nonstick cooking sprays on nonstick cookware – an invisible buildup will impair the nonstick release system and food will stick in your pan. Oil is not needed on nonstick cookware, but if you prefer oil for flavor, olive oil or peanut oil is recommended. Heavy vegetable oils may leave a residue that can affect nonstick performance. Use low heat when heating up oils. Oils can quickly overheat and cause a fire.
All cookware: Before first used and after each use, wash pans thoroughly with mild dishwashing detergent and warm water. If food remains on the surface, boil a mixture of water and vinegar into the pan to dislodge the food particles.
Copper pots have a protective layer that has been applied to the copper base to prevent tarnishing during packaging. Before first use, remove this layer by dissolving 3 tablespoons of baking soda in 3 quarts of hot water and soak each pan for 20 minutes. Then rinse with cold water and dry.
Never use oven cleaners to clean cookware. They will ruin the cookware.
For Hard-Anodized: To lessen a stain, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to pan and scrub with a nonabrasive plastic mesh pad such as Scotch-Brite.
Do not use steel wool coarse scouring pads or powder on Copper —
Note that plain hard-anodized exterior cookware like Circulon is porous and staining will occur if food is spilled or allowed to boil over onto the exterior of the pan.
For Stainless Steel or Nonstick: A spotted white film may form which can be removed with a mild solution of water and lemon juice or vinegar.
The Dishwasher — 😩 Yes, some pots and pans are NOT dishwasher safe. Placing these types of cookware in the dishwasher will result in the discoloration of your pans due to high water temperature and harsh detergents. The following types of cookware materials are NOT dishwasher safe, regardless of promises made.
Hard-Anodized aluminum cookware, Porcelain Enamel-exterior cookware, Copper Bottom cookware, Plain Aluminum cookware will discolor…
Dishwasher safe. That includes most Stainless Steel cookware, Aluminum cookware with exterior color coating (silicone polyester) with or without nonstick. Machined base cookware with rings of exposed aluminum, Some hard-anodized cookware is specifically designed to be safe for use in the dishwasher and is marked as such and is noted also on the product packaging. To avoid scratches or chips on the cookware exterior, place paper towels between pans when storing.
Hot handles and knobs: Handles and knobs can get very hot under some conditions. Use caution when touching them and always have potholders available for use. Remember to position pans so that handles are not over other hot burners. Do not allow handles to extend beyond the edge of the stove where pans can be knocked off the cooktop.
Loose handles: Periodically, check handles and knobs to be sure they are not loose. If the handles are attached with screws, re-tighten the screws, being careful not to over-tighten. Handles that are attached with screws that are loose can separate from the pan and cause personal injury or property damage.
Never use a pan that has a loose handle. Nine times out of ten a loose handle will have a screw that needs to be removed the base and screw need a good wire brushing, a cleanup, some Lock tight and retighten.
A Cut Above - The Cutting Board - A Knives Best Friend — I have three main boards; A heavy 2” thick wood chopping block for most work with drier products, and just about everything else. I do veggies and fruits on two big plastic boards about 5/8 thick. Also for meats, poultry and fish that can hold up to strong dishwashing and frequent use since the onions, fruits, shallots, all leave odors that cling to the wood. I have smaller boards for smaller jobs like cheese parties, garnishes, odds and ends, etc. faster cleanup.
👺 Forget glass, ceramic or other hard surfaces, they are for cutting cheese as most cheeses stick to glass and stay in one place while cutting, so take a knife thats old or useless for other things and make that a cheese knife. The glass will hold the cheese and even if the knife is dull, it will cut the cheese. Otherwise they will kill and ruin the edges on your good knives. You can also buy a cheese knife.
CUTTING BOARDS — Boos Boards - The first choice in cutting boards is wood. Boos is one of the most popular medium and high end product lines. Hands down. There are two basic types, its like the knives, domestic wood is maple, cherry, and good ones are not cheap. The imports are Bamboo and they are not cheap.
Health Warnings - Board Usage — A recent report found that 80 percent of all grocery-store chickens in the US are contaminated with Salmonella, may have Listeria, Campylobacter or both. Clean, clean, clean, the board after any chicken or meat.

How to wind up in the hospital: Cutting a head of lettuce after slicing chicken breasts is just looking for trouble and a good Gastroentonologist or trauma room physician will have on hand the chemicals needed to prevent “Praying to the Porcelain God”. If not be prepared to sh*t your brains out.
The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are between 76 million and 81 million cases of food poisoning each year, the vast majority of which go unreported because they didn’t require a trip to the hospital or doctor’s office.
The best utility cutting surface are the large soft plastic cutting boards, white and made from recycled materials. These boards are relatively easy on knife edges and are practical to use. They can be cleaned and sterilized in the dishwasher to sanitize it. These cutting boards range from small to counter-top, and two of mine cover a 4x2 foot NSF table in my kitchen.
When they start showing deep cuts and scratches time to dump them. I use either Clorox Spray Cleaner or Vinegar and water after every use. Costco sells Vinegar Cleaner in a gallon container made for commercial kitchens.
Never use good knives on glass, marble or plastic acrylic cutting boards. They will ruin even the best knives. And wash, wash, wash, Salmonella will ruin the best meal. Wood should be oiled with either mineral oil or one of the commercial oils like Tree Spirit wood and Bamboo Oil. Nut and olive oil can become rancid in the wood doing more harm.