Roland’s environmentally friendly Goodbye Detergent Original Spaghetti Scrub: Made with recycled corn cobs, this nifty scrubber looks like pasta, cleans soaplessly, and has the flexibility to reach tricky spots.
THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT MEAL Just as the wrong glass can botch a cocktail, the wrong pan can wreck a recipe, Brough says. “It’s the most common mistake I see,” he says. Cook two boneless chicken breasts in a 14-inch-wide pan and the
liquid will evaporate, he says. Five pounds of pasta will clump if it’s boiled in a pot that’s only large enough for one, he says. “Each pan is designed to cook certain things,” he says.
Sautee pan
Sauce pan
Stock pot
Rondeau (braiser) pan
Wok
Sauce pan
Cylindrical with one long handle
Good for heating soup, they’re short to discourage burning, Brough says.
Dutch oven
Thick-walled and cylindrical, with a tight-fitting lid
Great for pot roast; lets you cover food that’s taller than the side of the pan.
Roasting pan
Wide, shallow and lidless
Allow food to cook evenly in the oven, Brough says.
Stock pot
Tall and cylindrical with two handles
“They’re designed to cook liquids,” says Brough.
Rondeau (braiser) pan
Have twin handles, but they’re shorter and wider than stock pots
They let you cook thick things such as stew, without scorching the bottom, Brough says. “You can cover it with foil and finish it in the oven,” he says.
Flared
The large surface area facilitates reduction, says Weiser.
Sautee pan
Have sloped sides, allowing chefs to flip food using wrist action
Covered, they retain moisture for things like chops or stew, Brough says.
Frying pan
Have cylindrical sides.
Ideal for high-heat foods such as bacon and burgers. “With sautéing, the pan cooks the food; with pan frying, the fat cooks the food,” Brough says.
Large with sloped sides and double handles
Preserves nutrients by cooking things fast, says Weiser. “It’s the most versatile pan in the world,” says Brough. “You can stir-fry, steam, boil or deep-fry.”
Saucier
Wok
timesunion.com/lifeathome | 37
Photo courtesy Amazon.
Cleaning up