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Cookware)
Cookware and bakeware are types of food preparation utensils commonly found in the kitchen.
Cookware is composed of various cooking vessels such as saucepans and fry pans intended for use on stove or range cooktop. Bakeware is composed of cooking vessels intended for use inside an oven. The terms cookware and bakeware are not exclusive, and it is possible for a single utensil to be used as both cookware and bakeware.
Materials
Metal
Copper
Classically in Western cooking, the best pots were made out of a thick layer of copper for good conductivity and a thin layer of tin to prevent the copper from reacting with acidic foods. Copper pans provide the best conductivity, and therefore the most even heating. They tend, however, to be heavy, expensive, and to require occasional retinning. They are now available with stainless steel rather than tin linings which last much longer. They are best for such high-heat, fast-cooking techniques as sauteing.
Cast iron
Cast iron provides cookware that is slow to heat, but once at temperature provides even heating. Cast iron can also withstand very high tempratures. Being a reactive material, cast iron can have chemical reactions with high acid foods such as wine or tomatoes. In addition, spinach cooked on bare cast iron will turn black.
Cast iron is a porous material and requires seasoning before use. Seasoning creates a thin layer of fat and carbon over the iron that coats the surface and prevents sticking. Although they can be washed with soap, they should not be soaked or left wet.
Steel
Steel cookware can be made from thin sheets of the material while still withstanding very high heat. This allows for rapid heating, but steel does not distribute the heat as well as other materials.
Aluminium
Aluminium conducts heat well, and is very lightweight, but food sticks easily to it. Neither material rusts or corrodes. Aluminum also has an unfortunate tendency to react with certain foods; this makes them bitter-tasting, or turns them an unappetizing color.
Anodising aluminium thickens the layer of aluminium oxide that naturally covers aluminium. The process was first introduced by "Calphalon", who claim it results in a totally non-reactive surface.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is a material with strength similiar to steel. Cookware made from stainless steel do not distribute heat as well as aluminum or copper, but food is less likely to stick. Stainless steel is completely non-reactive.
Non-metalic
Ceramic
Ceramics cooking utensils can be used in conventional and microwave ovens. Glazed ceramics, such as porcelain, provide a nostick cooking surface. Unglazed ceramics, such as terra cotta, has a porous surface that can hold water or other liquids during the cooking process.
Pyrex
Borosilicate glass, such as Pyrex, are safe at oven tempertures. The clear glass also allows for the food to be seen during the cooking process.
Silicone
Silicone bakeware is lite, flexible, and able to withstand tempertures of 400°F (204°C) or higher.
Coated and composite
Enameled cast iron
Enameled cast iron is a cast iron cooking vessel covered with a porcelain surface. This creates a piece that has the heat distribution properties of cast iron combines with a non-reactive, non-stick surface.
Cladding
Cladding is a technique for fabricating pans with a layer of heat conducting material, such as copper or aluminium, sandwiched between a non-reactive material, such as stainless steel. This provides much of the functionality of tinned-copper pots for a fraction of the price.
Nonstick coatings
Modern cooking pans are frequently coated with a substance such as Teflon in order to minimize the possibility of food sticking to the pan surface. This has advantages and disadvantages for flavor and ease of use. A small amount of sticking is needed to cause flavorful browning (called a glaze); adding liquid to lift the glaze from the pot is called deglazing. Additionally, nonstick pans cannot be used at high temperatures. On the other hand, they are easier to clean than other types of pots, and do not often result in burned food. When frying in pans without such a coating, it is usually necessary to use vegetable or animal fat to prevent sticking.
Nonstick coatings tend to degrade over time, and require vigilant care and attention. In order to preserve the nonstick coating of a pan, it is important never to use metal implements in the pan while cooking or harsh scouring pads or chemical abrasives when cleaning. Also, use of nonstick cookware, such as Teflon and Silverstone, has been implicated in cancer. [1]
Types of cookware
Cooking pans are typically circular, with handles, and come in a variety of sizes
Pots
Small pots with taller sides are called saucepans and are measured by volume (usually 1–4 quarts). As saucepans get larger, they are called sauce-pots or soup pots (3–12 quarts). Saucepots with sloping sides are called Windsor pans, which provide quicker evaporation than straight sides. Large pots that are wide and shallow are called braisiers, ones that are taller than they are wide are called stockpots (12-36 quarts).
Pans
Small, shallow pans are called saute pans or frypans and are generally measured by diameter. Frypans with a gentle, rolling slope are sometimes called omelette pans.
Grills and griddles
A griddle is a flat plate of metal used for cooking. It may be permanently attached to its heat source similar to a hot plate or an electric frying pan.
Specialty cookware
People have used a variety of cooking pans and pots for food preparation throughout history. Other vessels for cooking include woks, double boilers, and bains-marie.
Types of bakeware
Bakings pans
Baking pans encompasses a variety of different styles of bakeware such as cake pans, pie pans, and loaf pans. These are often made from light or medium gauge metal.
Casseroles
Casserole dishes are commonly made of glazed ceramics or pyrex. They have high sides and usually have handles.
Roasters
Roasters are a casserole variant with higher sides designed for roasting of meats. Roasters are usually made of heavy gauge metal so that they may be used safely on a cooktop following roasting in an oven.
Sheetpans
Sheetpans or cookie sheets are bakeware with large flat surfaces.
See also
External links
