Specialty Cookware Will Expand You Horizons
Thursday, January 28th, 2010Simple run-of-the-mill pots and pans are great for preparing basic foods: scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, canned soup and rice, to give just a few examples. Every now and again, though, we want to branch out and try some of the world’s more exotic cuisines and dishes. Sometimes this requires a speciality piece of cookware. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Speaking of rice-based dishes, and while we’re on in Europe, Let’s head west across the Mediterranean and get some paella. Spain’s signature dish is all the more festive when made with a good paella pan, which makes a great centrepiece to large gatherings. Scanpan, De Buyer, Paella World and All-Clad all make paella pans that’ll give your cookware collection a great international boost. You need to know that, if you’re interested in mastering paella, a good paella pan is a must. The mark of a successful dish is the crust that forms at the bottom of the pan and this is not going to happen if you don’t have the paella pan’s wide surface area that allows rapid evaporation.
France is famous for its delicious recipes. Crepes, tartines, croissants – the French have it all. To replicate these famous dishes effectively, specialty cookware is paramount. If crepes are preferred, a crepe pan from De Buyer, Scanpan or Jamie Oliver will have you producing those light and fluffy treats in no time. If you prefer something more substantial, a french oven from Le Creuset or Le Chasseur will have you exploring a whole new region of fine food in no time.
Making a big leap to the other side of the planet, the piece of cookware from Asia that immediately grabs our attention is the wok. Stir frys are such a quick and healthy way to break up a week of humdrum dishes. It needs to be pointed out, though, that a wok can also be used for steaming, deep frying, braising and making soup. A frypan simply isn’t up to the all of those tasks. Scanpan, Swiss Diamond, All-Clad, Staub, and Cuisinart all make woks that’ll broadened your culinary horizons nicely.