When evaluating pots and pans, remember “The Kasper Rule of Three:” Make sure each pot does at least three things well. It should:
- Conduct heat evenly with no hot or cold spots. For this, you need the right metal and the right thickness. The best heat conductors are copper, aluminum and cast iron that are at least 1/8-inch thick. Where metals are sandwiched together, the heat conducting metal must come up the sides of the pan, not be only a disc on the bottom.
- Protect your food from discoloring or developing off tastes. Pot interiors that don’t give off a metallic taste and/or discolor certain foods are stainless steel (my personal preference), enamel, tin or non-stick substances that are scratchproof and inert.
- Work in the oven as well as on the stove. Heatproof handles mean your sauté pan can double as a roaster, and your 6-quart pot becomes a casserole.
Lynne Rossetto Kasper (January 13, 2004), <i>Weekend Kitchen</i>. E-mail Newsletter recieved January 13, 2004, from <a href="http://www.splendidtable.org/" title="MPR's The Splendid Table">http://www.splendidtable.org/</a>.