PRODUCT REVIEW
This product review is for the DUXTOP 1800-Watt Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner 9100MC
In-Depth Product Review: Demeyere Resto 1.5-quart sauce pan with egg poacher insert (aka Gourmet Pan)
THE COMPANY
Demeyere (pronounced Deh-MAI-reh) was a Belgian company founded in 1908 as a family business. 100 years later, the family sold the company to Henckels/Zwilling. Demeyere is an offbeat cookware company. Imagine an uncle who loves cooking. Imagine he wins the lottery and decides to build the ultimate set of cookware for himself, regardless of cost, such that he will never even think of buying any more cookware afterwards. Imagine that he loves the results so much that he shares them with the world. That’s pretty much Demeyere in a nutshell: superb but expensive. That said, my kitchen has quite a lot of Demeyere in it; it has never failed to impress.
THE PRODUCTS BEING REVIEWED
The Demeyere 1.5-quart 4-Cup Egg Cooker/Poacher
By the way, poaching just means cooking by simmering in liquid (water). In practice this setup gives you a cross between poached and steamed eggs, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the delicious results no matter what you call it.
Key features:
– 1.4 liter (1.48 quart) capacity
– 18 cm top diameter (7.1 inches); 16 mm bottom diameter (6.3 inches)
– 4 mm (0.17 inch) thick aluminum disc base
– Glass lid with steam vent and steel handle
– Welded 18/10 stay-cool stainless steel sauce pan handle
– Rivetless handle design won’t trap food particles
– Stainless steel 18/10 interior surface, magnetic stainless steel bottom surface (for induction compatibility)
– 4 nonstick egg cup inserts with individual handles, plus a stainless steel lifter for quickly lifting all four inserts at the same time
– 2-year warranty
The sauce pan/egg poachers are made in Indonesia and are part of Demeyere’s “Resto” line
In-Depth Product Review: Demeyere Proline Skillet a/k/a Atlantis Gold 5-star Frying Pan 28 cm & 32 cm diameter (11 inch & 12.6 inch diameter)
THE COMPANY
Demeyere (pronounced Deh-MAI-reh) is a Belgian company founded in 1908 as a family business. 100 years later, the family sold the company to Zwilling J. A. Henckels (itself owned by the Werhahn Group, a German family investment firm that also owns Staub and other high-end brands).
Demeyere is an offbeat cookware company. Imagine an uncle who loves cooking. Imagine he wins the lottery and decides to build the ultimate set of cookware for himself, regardless of cost, such that he will never even think of buying any more cookware afterwards. Imagine that he loves the results so much that he shares them with the world. That’s pretty much Demeyere in a nutshell: superb–likely the last pan you will ever want to buy.
Here is Demeyere’s video about Demeyere Proline skillets, explaining the skillet’s 3-layer magnetic stainless base and how it’s more responsive to induction than most other pans:
If you’ve never cooked on stainless before, here’s a video showing you how to cook on stainless (though the take-off-the-burner-with-lid trick is only applicable to Demeyere’s extra-thick pans; for other pans that don’t hold as much heat, you will probably have to keep cooking on the burner):
In-Depth Product Review: Bar Keepers Friend (BKF)
PRODUCT REVIEW: BAR KEEPERS FRIEND
“The answer to life’s problems: F it. BKF it!” –unused advertising jingle
Okay, they’ll never use that line as an advertising jingle, but I do want to shine a spotlight on my favorite way to quickly clean stainless steel and copper cookware: Bar Keepers Friend (all varieties)
Many people gravitate to cookware that has stainless steel inner linings, but discover that stainless steel discolors easily. The discoloration usually comes from two sources:
- Rainbow discoloration often stems from overheating the metal or oil residue1
- Grungy/white discoloration often stems from food residue or sometimes hard water (mineral stains left behind by water that has metal in it)
Regardless of why your stainless steel is discolored, the easiest way to get rid of it is to use a weak acid such as oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is a natural acid found in nature (e.g., you can find oxalates in spinach and potatoes), but that doesn’t mean you should eat a lot of it. Thoroughly rinse out any cookware you wash, regardless of whatever cleaning agent you use.
- Oxalic acid is commonly sold in canisters of Bar Keepers Friend Powder
, which is affordable, doesn’t take much space, and never expires. Just add it to the pan, add a little water to make a paste, and scrub lightly, letting the chemical do most of the work.
- There is also Bar Keepers Friend Cookware
- Also, you could also buy pre-made Bar Keepers Friend paste, but that’s less economic if you don’t mind adding your own water.
- You could also use citric acid, such as lemon slices, but those tend to cost more and not keep as well as canisters of BKF. Similarly, you could use white vinegar, but it’s usually sold in bulky jugs at 5% acetic acid concentration that take up a lot of space.
In my experience, a large canister of BKF lasts for several months and never expires. I like to use concentrated BKF, so I add only a small amount of water to a pan (just enough to cover the surface), mix in some BKF, let the chemical do its thing for a minute, and then scrub with a Scotch-Brite Non-scratch Scrub Sponge
Whatever acid you choose to use, don’t use a strong acid like sulfuric acid or undiluted hydrochloric acid, as those can corrode and etch stainless steel.
FOOTNOTES
In-Depth Product Review: Anolon Nouvelle Copper Nonstick
THE COMPANY
Meyer Corp. is one of the largest cookware manufacturers in the world. Meyer owns the Anolon brand all by itself, but Meyer makes a lot of stuff for celebrity chefs like Paula Deen, too. Typically, the brand owner and Meyer agree to specifications in a contract, and Meyer then makes the cookware and slaps the brand owner’s name on it.
THE PRODUCTS BEING REVIEWED
This review is for Anolon Nouvelle Copper, of which I have several other pieces. They are made in Thailand. I bought the 8, 10, and 12-inch skillets, as well as the 5-quart (12 inch) saute pan, but this review is applicable to the rest of the product line, too.
Anolon Nouvelle Copper features some of Meyer Corporation’s best technology. These are beyond a doubt some of the sexiest pieces of cookware I have ever seen, due to the curved handles, copper bands, and slick, black interior surfaces that are not marred by uncoated, bumpy rivets that can collect food particles and grime. Every time I cook with them is a joy, as is every time I clean them up in seconds with a splash of water and Scotch-Brite 3M Non-Scratch Sponge
In-Depth Product Review: Williams-Sonoma Thermo-Clad (Thermo Clad or ThermoClad)
The short story: This cookware is an All-Clad Stainless type of design, but with more comfortable handles, nicer, double-walled lids. Performance is within the ballpark of All-Clad Stainless in terms of even heating.
The long story: Thermo-Clad (ThermoClad or Thermo Clad) is a decent All-Clad Stainless knockoff, but the bang for the buck is poor for this cookware when you consider the alternatives, and Thermo-Clad marketing is potentially misleading (below). [Read more…]