Even with nice "good" pans -- do you ever find yourself reaching for that old beat-up one?

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
I bought better pans, nice pans, long ago. I love my saute pans and such. However I still seem to reach for my mom's old copper bottom revere ware pots when it comes to using one of those. I love the size and weight of the smaller one for making cereal, or opening a can of soup. The 4qt one I use all the time, plus it has a double boiler pan that fits on top. My nicer "good" pans just sit there getting pushed further and further back to the dark section of the cabinet.

I don't know if it's sentiment, or just being use to them because I grew up cooking with them. Do you have any old favorites you reach for again and again?

 
Maria, I love those old Revere Pans too. But my sister, who is an

engineer, made me throw them all out. She said when the bottom of the inside of the pan starts to look worn, they become dangerous to use. She went through all the pans my mom had and we threw most of them away. She has probably had them since the 50's or 60s. Hands down, my favorite pans. Sad day to see them go.

 
I also have an old revere copper bottom pan that belonged to my mom that I love. A day doesn't go

by that I don't use it.

 
Yes, my sister's old heavy (sturdy) avocado-green electric frying pan. She had it in a

garage sale for $3, and I grabbed it and asked her if she was nuts. She said the color didn't go in her kitchen anymore. It regulates the temperature to the nearest 5 degrees F, so I just love it, and it was a lifesaver a couple of years ago when our stove died.

She doesn't really cook much at all, so I guess I understand.

That, and my mother's pressure cooker from the 40's. Love it.

 
Humm, mine aren't worn looking inside and I don't scour them.

Did they look like the stainless inside was wearing through or something?

 
Along those lines... does a "non-stick" pan lose it's Teflon after a while?

I bought it in a garage sale (again, nice and sturdy for the price!) in the summer and now I'm noticing areas where food sticks. It still looks fine, but could there be areas of microscopic "bareness". Does that mean I ate the missing Teflon? ;o)

 
Dawn, I admire that you use the pressure cooker, they scare me. I recall as a kid, my grandparents

would make corn in them. It was a huge deal. Listening to the sounds, etc. BUT, everyone scared the grandkids out of the room because it could "explode!".... While I have the original pot in the basement, it scares me. It has not been used. Somehow, the micro or grill for the corn seems easier and less stressful.

What do you use your pressure cooker for?

best,

Barb

 
I use my shower gift Revere pans from the late 50's. I've replaced some of

the handles along the way but they are in fine shape. My children covet them. I have my large All Clad saute pans and one sauce pan but the smaller Revere ones are my day in, day out pans. The copper bottoms have not been shined since my stepmother died, many moons ago.

 
Both my wok and my cast iron skillet went through a house fire 20 years ago. Still reach for them,

still use 'em regularly. I shopped very carefully for cookware (I used to sell it) when we got married and with the exception of throwaway non-stick fry pans, pretty much still use the same stuff. (The wok actually goes back to my college days so it's older than my marriage by 10 years.)

 
I also still use my revere ware pots and they are fine. MY ? is what kind of a frying pan should I .

purchase now- I am looking for a small one for
omelets, crepes, etc. and am quite confused.
Does anyone use Arcosteel? Do you have that in the States? I have a small cast iron so I am not looking for that.

TIA

 
I am still such a teflon fan. I have 2 crepe pans going at a time, since the process is slow.

I keep them only for that, or an omelet that is very plain in flavour. I just like some pans and spoons to be reserved for neutral flavours.

Since I live alone now, I find lots of use for the small teflon pan with the grid pattern on the inside. I think it lasts longer and takes more abuse. Small is maybe 7" inside bottom. And I have 2 of them. I compromise on the weight of the pan for the pure nonstick and easy cleaning.

But I think teflon is essential for crepes. The 10" shallow pans.

For serious grilling, I have 2 really heavy used-to-be-nonstick pans. Since the heat is high, the nonstick feature is not critical.

 
I buy an inexpensive non stick and at the first sign of the coating wearing off

I replace it. I usually get a couple of years out of one. You can buy a fairly heavy one for about 10.00 here.

 
They looked fine to me, but she was adamant that they weren't...

They were a bit pitted inside, kind of small dots in the bottom of the pan. She also said that you should take your pans and spin them..if they spin around easily, they are bowed on the bottom which means they have been heated at too high a temperature and they also can't be used. I do what she says...she was in the appliance field and knows her stuff. But broke my heart to lose those Revere Pans!

 
I have 1 non-stick pan - a calphalon crepe and I should do an ad for them...I left it on the stove

for 3 days! Not noticing it I'd left the burner on after making some eggs, dumping water in the pan, which of course dried out...and it was completely fine. This was about a week ago. I thought for sure I'd ruined the pan, but I barely had to rinse it and no warping at all. Perfect.

 
I still have iron skillets I bought in college because they were so cheap. I use them constantly,

more often than my All-Clad.

 
Mostly a quick way to steam vegetables. Actually, that's the only thing! ;o)

It only takes a minute or 2 for broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc. but 10 minutes for potatoes. I prefer them that way to baking (so long!) or boiling.

 
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