Cookware Choices Are Vital to Great Results - Each Recipe Has Its Own Needs

You've finally decided on what to cook for dinner. You are ready to start except for one thing - selecting the cookware you are going to use. When you started out, there may have only been one choice and if the food fit the pan you were good to go. But now there are more choices, and selecting the right item can make a big difference in the results you put on the table.

Today we have a lot more choices when it comes to cookware. There are pots and pans of all sizes as well as materials - stainless steel, enameled cast iron, copper, ceramic, aluminum, non stick. There are several reasons why different materials are used. Are you going to fry, sauté, slow simmer, make soup, bake macaroni and cheese or finish a sauce. Each one of these turns out better when you choose the right cookware product.

But there is also one not so obvious reason, that food looks and tastes better when cooked with a certain type of cookware. It may sound obvious, but you have to understand that food will make contact with your cookware. There will be a certain synergy and it's up to you to make sure that it works for the cookware and the food.

Copper cookware works exceptionally well for recipes that require you to accurately control the temperature for the recipe such as delicate sauces or sugar based deserts. Plus, because copper is so heat efficient, you can cook food at a lower temperature - no burnt chili beans or pot roast on the bottom of your pot. Never turn your stove top control knobs to high. Great results with lower heat!

Have you ever tried to make caramel without a cooper pan? Did it turn into a rock when you reached for a spoon? For centuries restaurant and home chefs have had at least one copper pan in their kitchen arsenal for these special recipes.

Nonstick cookware works best if you're trying to loose those extra 10 pounds. Low fat or no oil cooking will make your favorite recipes healthier. Perfect eggs can easily be achieved; chicken and fish turn out moist and tasty; and pancakes love non stick grills. Of course, the obvious advantage of non stick is how easily it cleans up. There is also new technology in non stick cookware that answers recent health concerns. Try it!

If you're cooking a cut of meat that requires several hours to tenderize or if you just want to speed up the cooking process for a quick dinner a pressure cooker is a must for your kitchen. It will save you time and be energy efficient. 21st century designs have made these cooking workhorses sleek, safe and user friendly.

Stainless steel cookware is so versatile one sauté or fry pan can be used to sear chicken breasts, cook a frittata, stir fry veggies, or roast nuts. 11 inch stainless steel skillets far outsell all other cookware pans because they can be used for so many dishes. Stainless is a good choice when starting a recipe on the stove top and then finishing in the oven. Quality stainless steel should last a life time.

Enameled cast iron cookware can do almost every kitchen job, but it really shines when you're baking, roasting, or long slow simmering. Your grandmother surely had a black cast iron pot that need "seasoning" and special care to keep it from rusting. She was willing to do this because she loved her pot. But with enameled cast iron that's not necessary. You get the same great results without the need to "season" and it's a lot easier to clean. With a variety of great colors you can match your cookware to your kitchen.

Learning cooking basics is not a lifelong process, but great results takes a little more time, effort and the right equipment. Knowing what to use is half the battle.

Browse a wide selection of Cookware at Your Smart Kitchen

The online location for quality cookware, bakeware, cutlery, appliances and related kitchenware. Quality products at reasonable prices with customer satisfaction guaranteed. Specializing in Paderno, Mauviel, Chasseur, Fissler, Swiss Diamond, Romertopf, Kaiser, DeLonghi and other quality brands.

Terry Retter

10 Signs You Need New Kitchen Cookware.

By M James

If you're currently putting up with kitchen cookware and saucepans that have seen better days then perhaps you're coming round to the idea that you should replace them.

Here's why you should.

1. Perhaps some of your cookware is a bit dangerous, such as if you have a saucepan with a loose handle, then you might struggle to drain pans of boiling water, or to carry food from the kitchen to the table.

2. You might find that your cookware is no longer suitable for your needs. You might want new baking trays, or a stockpot for making soups and for pasta and rice dishes.

3. Modern technology means that newer pans and cookware is more efficient at cooking than ever before. This means that your food will be cooked sooner, and so cooking will take less time.

4. Another benefit of efficient cookware is that it uses less energy. This is much better for the environment and will also save you money on your energy bill.

5. You might want to have new coloured cookware to match your kitchen décor, or to go with your pans, or your kettle. Why should all your cookware be boring?

6. Your old baking trays might have warped a bit, your frying pan might have lost its non stick coating and you might have lost a lid. Struggling with broken or poor products will make cooking harder.

7. Maybe you're enjoying cooking more than you used to, and are cooking more often, and perhaps entertaining friends and family. You might want to have more pans so that you can cook bigger and better meals and show off your talents

8. Perhaps you want to get your children involved in the cooking, so that they can help, and know why it's important to eat meals made with fresh and nutritious ingredients. By using good quality cookware, you'll be able to keep more of the vital nutrients and vitamins in your meals.

9. You might be fed up of cooking ready meals or living off takeaways because your pans and other cookware isn't suitable. Perhaps you inherited it when you moved house, or perhaps you use a shared kitchen in a student home.

10. It could be that your family has expanded, and that you need bigger pans and cookware, so that everyone can sit down for meals at the same time.

Now you know more about why you might need it, perhaps now is the time to replace your kitchen cookware.

Discover a wide range of Kitchen Cookware including saucepans from the leading brands, such as Circulon Pans, Prestige, Analon and more, as well as everything else you need for your kitchen, at KitchenwareXpress.co.uk today. If you enjoy cooking, make sure you've got the right kitchenware.