CookwareAsked Jan 21, 2020 by Timothy M.
I have a set of Commercial Calphalon Anodized Cookware from back in the 1970s. It is NOT non-stick. It is in perfect condition as I took good care of it. I stopped using it about ten years ago when I re-married, except for the dutch oven and stock pot, which I use regularly. For other purposes. I used modestly priced non-stick cookware and my new wife's pots, which were modestly priced cookware. I do most of the cooking in the house, so I want good cookware. I recently started using the Calphalon again, and really like it. However, I have two questions -- Is it safe? And, are today's tri-ply and other sets really that much better? Bottom line, is it time to give up the old Calphalon for good, or do I have a treasure?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi - Thanks for your question! Anodized cookware is simply aluminum cookware has gone through an electrochemical process that makes the material harder, more resistant to corrosion, and more durable making it easier and safer to use. The layer of aluminum oxide in anodized aluminum is not like paint or a coating but is completely fused into the base metal. This means that it cannot peel away or chip off. It's important to note here that this is for anodized aluminum cookware \not\ anodized aluminum *nonstick *cookware, which does have a coating. Therefore, I don't see why it wouldn't be safe to cook with despite its "vintage" status. Aluminum is a great conductor of heat and heats very evenly. Because stainless steel is a poor heat conductor, many manufacturers make tri-ply cookware with an inner layer of aluminum sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. High-end manufacturers (such as All Clad) do this, not just on the bottom of the pan, but up the sides as well. This, as you can imagine, drives up the price. I'd say if you are happy with how your vintage Calphalon is performing, stick with it. It's probably as good as what's out there today in terms of heat conductivity and even cooking and a whole lot cheaper (and probably more lightweight to boot). Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jan 14, 2020 by Tim C.
I don't have a stand mixer, are there techniques I can use?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Tim - You can generally use a hand mixer for most recipes that call for a stand mixer - cakes, cookies, etc. One exception would be when making and kneading yeast doughs. You can, however, do this by mixing the dough together with your hands or a wooden spoon and then kneading the dough by hand on the countertop. If you don't have a hand mixer, you can mix most cookie dough and cake batter by hand using a wooden spoon or whisk, depending on the thickness of the batter or dough. It just requires a little more elbow grease! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jan 06, 2020 by Emily W.
I hope I'm not repeating a previous question but I can't find it on the Q & A list.
What is your preferred method for seasoning carbon steel cookware? I have encountered several different recommendations, from boiling potato peels in oil or water, to heating the pan with oil on the stove on high till lots of smoke is produced, to baking with oil for an hour-plus oven method at 350F, to a 20-minute stir fry with sliced onions, ginger, or scallions. This last method was recommended for the Kimball Wok which I just seasoned and it worked well. Is this what Milk Street recommends for all my new carbon steel pans and skillets? Same with cast iron? I generally use flax seed oil, by the way.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Emily - if you go to the link to this discussion: https://www.177milkstreet.com/discussion/discussion/comment/88#Comment\_88
you can find Chris's favorite method for seasoning carbon steel pans. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jan 05, 2020 by Zimran A.
I've been looking into argentine grills (parillas) and they are quite expensive for what seems like a simple cooking technique (https://www.177milkstreet.com/2019/08/grills-of-the-world). I was wondering if anyone had details on how they actually work -- there may be a cheaper solution.
First, Argentines cook their steaks for hours. How do they keep the meat from becoming a hockey puck? I can only think that it's kept far away from the fire, in which case is there anything special about doing it over embers vs it being in an oven? Maybe the wood embers impart a smokey flavor, but in that case why not just cold smoke the meat first? (I have a smoker). Maybe a smoker has too moist an internal environment for good crust formation, in which case does heating it in a low oven create the same problem?
Heat control in a parilla comes from raising and lowering the grates, but you can also just really offset the embers. Is there an advantage in using height vs fewer embers/embers to the side? And finally, parilla grills as v shaped to siphon off the fat. Does this really work?
I'm thinking I can get the same effect with a simple campfire grill and a wood fire on a grate to the side to generate embers. What am I missing?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Zimran - I think what you're finding is that Argentinian grills are expensive outside of Argentina because they are not common outside of Argentina. For Argentinians this grill style is everywhere and often homemade. I'd say the functionality of a parilla is not all that different from indirect cooking on a charcoal or gas grill. Indirect cooking is when the hot, ashy coals are banked to one side leaving an area without coals. On a gas grill you would simply heat one or two burners on high and turn off the remaining burner. Meat is cooked, covered, slowly farther away from the fire using the ambient heat inside the grill and then moved above the fire to sear or char. In the case of a parilla, the grill is more open so the ambient heat isn't contained, which means the meat will take longer to cook. I think this, combined with the fact that they are usually cooking some pretty large pieces of meat, contributes to the amount of time you are seeing the meat on the grill. Many Argentinians also prefer their meat cooked medium to medium-well. My conclusion is that, if you are already using a two-level fire for indirect cooking on your grill, you're likely getting a similar effect to a parilla. Whether it makes sense to do it on the grill or in the oven is more of a personal, and likely seasonal, preference. Do you want to add some smoke? Do you simply prefer the flavor of charcoal-grilled meats? Do you just want to sit outside on a nice summer day with a couple of beers while your grill cooks your dinner? If yes, choose the grill instead of the oven. If it's particularly cold or windy out you're never going to get enough ambient heat from the grill to cook meat low and slow so, in that case, I'd choose the oven. In any event, we're huge proponents here at Milk Street of grilling using indirect heat for tender and flavorful meat. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Dec 31, 2019 by F3rgus0n
After I read the cai dao article I bought a knife and it is the best knife for chopping herbs and vegetables. And it rusts.
I wash it with a silicon sponge to remove the rust and oil it with mineral oil. It appears clean but when I chop an onion I have faint rust on the onion. The cai dao will have a rusty smear.
Can someone address the use of the cai dao and the use of “rusty onions”!
Answered by Matthew Card
The simple solution is Camelia oil! Used by Japanese cooks to keep their carbon blades rust free, wipe it on. and wipe dry with a paper towel.
For rust spots, use a little coarse salt and neutral oil to scrub the blade clean.
Read MoreAsked Dec 20, 2019 by Elizabeth K.
Hello, my husband is in the military and we just moved overseas to Japan. We live off base and love it, but my kitchen is lacking an oven. I have a three burner stove top. I am looking for dessert recipes for Christmas that can be created on the stove. Any suggestions?
Answered by Matthew Card
Steamed chocolate cake!
Stovetop Chocolate Cake
Gussy up with whipped cream with a touch of brown sugar, vanilla and sour cream for a tangy accent. A few berries would be great too.
Read MoreAsked Nov 12, 2019 by Loozer75
Hi! I am a family of two and am researching a new set of cookware. Things have changed a lot since my last stainless steel set ten years ago. Is there an article or comparison or review for a good set at a reasonable price? Is there a non stick set that can handle metal utensils??
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi - I always recommend, when purchasing cookware, to just buy the pieces you use the most. Generally speaking, cookware sets aren’t cost-effective since they often include pieces you don’t need/use and are missing more useful ones. I would advise evaluating what you use most often and simply replacing those pieces. None of the traditional nonstick pans can handle metal utensils but a carbon steel pan can. Carbon steel, when seasoned properly and regularly, can develop as nonstick a surface as any traditional nonstick pan and is much more durable and resilient. Please visit our store to see some of the cookware we use here at Milk Street: https://store.177milkstreet.com/collections/cookware-by-milk-street.
Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 31, 2019 by Steve S.
Seems like in the videos and recipes, you refer to paddle attachment and to scrape down part way thru mixing. E.g. in the SPECULOOS recipe step 2.
Is there any disadvantage to using the Scraper Bowl Attachment vs paddle attachment on stand mixer? Thanks
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Steve - I don’t see any disadvantage to using a scraper mixer blade. I might stop the mixer once to confirm that it’s not leaving any unmixed bits on the bottom or sides, but these things do a pretty good job of getting the scraping done for you. I think it’s probably going to work pretty well. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 30, 2019 by Richard S.
Can you provide a pressure cooker version of recipes, as applicable. Need to save time on long slow cooked meats, i.e. pork shoulder, chuck etc.
if not, how best to convert
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Richard - Some of our recipes converted to the pressure cooker - plus many more new pressure cooker recipes - will be available in our new cookbook, Milk Street Fast & Slow, due in April 2020. Look for it in the Milk Street Store in early April! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 25, 2019 by Tamara V.
Could you please explain to me when you would choose to use carbon steel in lieu of cast iron. I understand that each of these options can replace a non-stick pan when well seasoned, but am not clear on when to use carbon steal instead of cast iron.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Tamara - Carbon-steel pans are relatives of cast-iron cookware. Both are made from iron, but cast-iron contains slightly more carbon, giving it a rougher surface and more brittle structure. Carbon-steel pans, with more iron and less carbon, are lighter and their surface is smoother, especially the case as compared to modern cast iron pans. Vintage cast iron tends to be smoother and more similar to carbon steel. Cast iron will get a bit hotter than carbon steel but will take longer to heat up and cool down. So, for recipes or foods that require quick temperature changes - maybe a recipe where you're searing skin-on fish and then lowering the temp to finish cooking it through - a carbon steel might be a better bet. Whereas for quick, hot cooking - searing a steak or charring vegetables - a cast iron pan is a little better. Both will behave pretty similarly if used in the oven. A carbon steel pan is great for sautéing vegetables or making stir fries without a wok since it's surface gets ripping hot but it's a bit lighter than cast iron making it easier to lift and shake around. All of that being said, I would say they are pretty interchangeable under most circumstances. Hope that helps! Best. Lynn C.
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