How to choose the right cookware

by Mark R. Vogel

What factors entered into your last cookware procurement? Price is always a consideration. But were you influenced by the color, the neat little glass lid that allows you to see inside, or maybe the free utensils it came with?

Much to the delight of purveyors, emotional inclinations and aesthetic trappings produce impulse purchases. I just had to have that red, (my favorite color), tea kettle, even though I own a perfectly functional stainless steel one.

Not that there is anything wrong with these yearnings. We are human and indulging our impulses makes us feel good. But if you're a serious cook, you will need much more than your desires to guide you toward the proper equipment.

The primary consideration in choosing cookware is the material it is constructed from. Copper is the most expensive but also the best heat conductor. Superior heat conduction allows for even cooking.

For example, you will find pans on the market made from stainless steel, a fair conductor, with a thick reinforced bottom containing aluminum, a better conductor. The problem here is the heat conduction is not evenly dispersed throughout the pan and the bottom of your food will cook at an unacceptably disproportionate rate.

You cannot braise food efficiently in such a pan. A pan with thorough and even heat conduction also eliminates "hot spots". These are sections of the pan that are hotter than others, which render browning your food uniformly a frustrating challenge.

Finally, a pan with good heat conduction rapidly responds to increases or decreases in temperature, thus allowing quick control over the heat level. This attribute is necessary for successful .

The problem with copper cookware, (beside the price), is reactivity.Copper, aluminum, and to a lesser extent cast iron, are "reactive" metals. That means they will chemically combine with certain foods, usually acidic ones, and alter the flavor and color of your preparation.

Not to mention that you will be consuming unwanted levels of the metal. Copper discolors and scratches easily as well. I recommend having at least one copper bowl for beating egg whites. For reasons scientifically complex involving copper ions, (which I will not bore you with here), copper is superior for beating egg whites to maximal volume.

Aluminum is a good heat conductor but as stated, reactive. Aluminum is also a soft metal and eventually deteriorates but remains popular because it's inexpensive. There are anodized aluminum pans, which are chemically treated to prevent reactivity. If you insist on aluminum, anodized is the way to go.

Cast iron is also a superb heat conductor and inexpensive. However it has drawbacks as well: rusting, pitting, reactivity, and sticking to food. For all of these reasons cast iron pans must be "seasoned."

This means coating the entire pan, inside and out with oil or shortening and baking it to seal the fat into the pan. This will thwart rusting and reactivity, and give you a non-stick surface.