Kitchen Hardware

Essen Classes are based on the premise the freshest ingredients, combined with the best one knife and pan you can afford and solid cooking techniques, will put a quick and delicious meal on your table day after day.

Winter is definitely our major "pots and pan" season, when I receive the most questions about how to select cookware. Every pot and pan in your kitchen should do at least three things:

• Conduct heat evenly without hot or cold spots. Pans made of copper, aluminum and cast iron, at least 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick are the best heat conductors. If the heat conducting metal is sandwiched between other materials, the conductor needs to come up the sides of the pan, not be just a disc on the bottom.
• Protect your food from discoloring or developing off tastes. Stainless steel, enamel and tin work best here.
• Go from stove to oven thanks to heatproof handles. This is key to minimizing the number of pans you need to use and speeds cleanup. I also prefer those pans whose handles stay cool on the stovetop. Major convenience and fewer burns.

Yes, there's an overwhelming selection out there. Best thing is to shop live and actually touch and feel the cookware. This is a major investment, meant to last decades. Get out and handle some pots this week. You won't be sorry.