Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]2003-07-25-23:29:18 Mark Rabiner: > Oh and I got into the German company Berndes for more than one non stick stuff. > They are the Leica of non stick. > http://www.berndes.com/us I thought so, a few years ago. Pleasingly heavy aluminum pans, seem well made, nice to look at. But after a year or two, the softish nonstick coating began to come down with some sort of dermatitis. Little patches started flaking off. They have a nice warranty, and if I get around to shipping my frypan back they'll presumably re-coat or replace it. But I've moved on. The less-fancy Anolon[1] pan (the older, cheap-looking line) I was given around the same time by a cooking-wise girlfriend has worn like iron. And so far (fingers crossed) the non-stick All-Clad[2] LTD frypan I've gotten to try and find something pleasingly weighty and exuding apparent well-madeness yet with that handy modern slippyness for the eggs hasn't come down with scurf. Of course, there's nothing like a real cast-iron pan, and I treasure the one I inherited from my paternal grandmother. Somehow, I've never been able to season one as well myself. I'm a little timid about what I cook in it, though, as I don't want to screw it up -- so I mostly just fry up good greasy meats in it. Cowardice, I suppose. For letting something bubble quietly away on the stove with good temperature stability and absolutely no hotspots, though, I love the copper Bourgeat[3] pots. Heavy copper, but breaking with tradition by having a bonded stainless-steel inner layer -- so you don't have to keep getting them re-tinned every few years. The cast-iron handles seem to resist getting as hot at the body to a useful extent. These are my workhorses. There's no need to keep the copper shiny, and I don't generally bother, but you do need to hand-dry the handles after washing. [1] http://www.anolon.com/index.html [2] http://www.allclad.com/ [3] http://www.bourgeat.fr/produit/cuivre.htm [3a] http://www.bourgeat.fr/us/produit/cuivre.htm - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html