Re: Cookware Set Suggestion For Grandaughter Pleas... - Page 2

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

Curtis Stone. Great stuff. I have a set and both deep and shallow multipans and use them regularly. No degradation in nonstick or discoloration.

The 13-piece set is on sale on HSN right now, but if she's new to cooking, I'd go for the 5-piece Essentials set that's also on sale right now. It's got good basics.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

All-Clad fry or saute pan, 10 or 12 inches; Le Creuset dutch oven 5 quart size; stainless steel stock pot; 2 or 3 quart sauce pot from All-Clad.

The All-Clad 4 quart essential pans are great too! Tell her to learn how to cook in stainless steel--lots of information on the website and cooking sites. DON'T cook with the heat too high; don't try to turn meat and chicken before it has seared and is ready to turn loose.

The Le Creuset book on cooking in cast iron is wonderful! Not to expensive on Amazon. Maybe Martha Stewart's cooking school cookbook. It is necessary to learn how to cook with cookware. Cookware alone won't make you a great cook. But poor quality cookware can make about anybody a bad cook.

(Oops. Had copied another post on here--by mistake! Sorry)

ID2 · ‎06-25-2012

Unfortunately all the cookware brands mentioned are so inferior. Except for All Clad. If the OP wants her grandaughter never to have to buy anymore cookware her entire life then get her All Clad. I have tried all the other brands throughout my 40 years of marriage and have only gotten a few years out of them before I had to throw them away. I've been using my All Clad stainless for many years now and they still are like brand new. Nothing ever happens to them! They are quire an investment but its forever.

"Pure Michigan"

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

@Sooner wrote:
@noodleann All-Clad fry or saute pan, 10 or 12 inches; Le Creuset dutch oven 5 quart size; stainless steel stock pot; 2 or 3 quart sauce pot from All-Clad.

The All-Clad 4 quart essential pans are great too! Tell her to learn how to cook in stainless steel--lots of information on the website and cooking sites. DON'T cook with the heat too high; don't try to turn meat and chicken before it has seared and is ready to turn loose.

The Le Creuset book on cooking in cast iron is wonderful! Not to expensive on Amazon. Maybe Martha Stewart's cooking school cookbook. It is necessary to learn how to cook with cookware. Cookware alone won't make you a great cook. But poor quality cookware can make about anybody a bad cook.

@noodleann wrote:
Curtis Stone. Great stuff. I have a set and both deep and shallow multipans and use them regularly. No degradation in nonstick or discoloration.

The 13-piece set is on sale on HSN right now, but if she's new to cooking, I'd go for the 5-piece Essentials set that's also on sale right now. It's got good basics.

I've never used All Clad, so I can't speak to that. I have a set of Le Creuset I bought back when it was more affordable. The 5-quart dutch oven is about $300 now and it's not nonstick. That means cleanup with anything except boiling pasta. I'll drag out my 8-quart for oxtails, stocks, etc., when I want the solid heat retention, but know I'll usually face a pot soak and scrub later. I use one of the few Greenpan pieces I kept when I purged, a big stockpot, for things like pasta.

Cleanup is where Curtis Stone has everyone beat, and I think especially with younger people, you want to focus on removing impediments to cooking. That means streamlining the prep and cleanup, as well as having quality cookware that performs well. IMO, the Curtis Stone cookware answers on all fronts, plus he's got some neat prep tools.

As a cookbook, it's hard to go wrong with one of the big America's Test Kitchen master books that include both basic recipes and prep and cooking techniques. The only dishes that haven't turned out right for me were when I made an ingredient substitution or didn't follow directions. I have about 1,500 cookbooks, and while I consult others for specialty dishes, the ATKs have supplanted Joy, Better Crocker, etc. as backbone references.

If the granddaughter is a foodie with a tech bent, though, I'd be tempted to give her "The Food Lab" by Kenji López-Alt.

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

@ID2 wrote:
Unfortunately all the cookware brands mentioned are so inferior. Except for All Clad. If the OP wants her grandaughter never to have to buy anymore cookware her entire life then get her All Clad. I have tried all the other brands throughout my 40 years of marriage and have only gotten a few years out of them before I had to throw them away. I've been using my All Clad stainless for many years now and they still are like brand new. Nothing ever happens to them! They are quire an investment but its forever.

Curtis Stone is not "so inferior." Neither is Le Creuset.

If the OP wants to drop several hundred bucks for premium cookware on what I'm assuming is a new, untried cook, she's welcome to do so. But I think she'd be smarter to stick with a smaller investment and see how her granddaughter likes cooking.

I have a friend approaching 40 who's never really gotten into cooking and muffs everything, even mac and cheese. I'm assembling a gift box for her, but the only thing I'm including in the way of cooking stuff is a timer she can wear around her neck so she doesn't burn the tater tots again.

Pooky1 · ‎12-23-2015

we have rachel rays oval pan set and we love them.

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

what does she like to cook?

I would not get a big set as there might be stuff she will never use.

Let's face it I don't use some of the stuff I used 10+ years ago, and I gave my big round LC to my daughter who was eyeing it anyway

a good frying/saute pan

saucepans

SarahW · ‎03-09-2010

@PattySC wrote:

Cookware Set Suggestion For Grandaughter Please

Great meals are so easy with great cookware, as we all know.

It's been forever since I have purchased a cookware set

Patty--is your granddaughter experienced with cooking at all? A lot depends on your budget. I agree that I would buy separate cookware pieces and not a set. I also recommend All-Clad, but it is an investment. If GD isn't really into cooking, I'd skip the LeCreuset for now and just buy a few basic pieces of stainless plus one good non-stick skillet.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@noodleann SORRY! I just fixed my previous post. I didn't mean to comment to you, was just stating an opinion. I know I am too old to post and talk on the phone at the same time, but sometimes I do and I mess things up.

Just wanted you to know that!!!

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

@noodleann wrote:
@ID2 wrote:
Unfortunately all the cookware brands mentioned are so inferior. Except for All Clad. If the OP wants her grandaughter never to have to buy anymore cookware her entire life then get her All Clad. I have tried all the other brands throughout my 40 years of marriage and have only gotten a few years out of them before I had to throw them away. I've been using my All Clad stainless for many years now and they still are like brand new. Nothing ever happens to them! They are quire an investment but its forever.
Curtis Stone is not "so inferior." Neither is Le Creuset.

If the OP wants to drop several hundred bucks for premium cookware on what I'm assuming is a new, untried cook, she's welcome to do so. But I think she'd be smarter to stick with a smaller investment and see how her granddaughter likes cooking.

I have a friend approaching 40 who's never really gotten into cooking and muffs everything, even mac and cheese. I'm assembling a gift box for her, but the only thing I'm including in the way of cooking stuff is a timer she can wear around her neck so she doesn't burn the tater tots again.

Ooooh what are you sending me and I promise never to burn the tots again my friend! I also promise to stop turning 40 . . .

Great post @noodleann depending on the experience of the cook and what she intends to make should drive the decision of the cookware.