We have a wooden ceiling in our kitchen, which allows me to hang my pertinent pots and pans right above the stove. The less pertinent hangables hover nearby alongside two tall, narrow bookcases, which house my pertinent bowls.
This arrangement allows me to have all the frying pans I need right at hand. Cast-iron, layered stainless steel, saute, sauce.
But this is clearly not enough. Now I have my sights set on a Matfer Bourget black-steel round frying pan, almost 12 inches wide with slanted sides.
This is a carbon steel pan, with the incredible non-stick surface just like that carbon steel wok we all have, or should have.
Goodbye specialty non-stick pans. These carbon steel pans do the job better, they get blazingly hot and are lighter than cast-iron. What’s not to like?
But why do I now want one?
Because I finally used my carbon steel crepe pan last week for the first time. It had been hanging on the side of one of those book cases I mentioned earlier for at least 15 years. I figured it was time. So, I made some quite tasty savory asparagus and mushroom crepes with a sauce. No sticking whatsoever.
The crepe pan worked so well I got to thinking. Which usually translates into dollar signs. In this case the pan I want is $43 and is Cooks Illustrated’s highest rated carbon steel frying pan.
Can’t wait to try it out on some smashed potatoes and seared pork chops.
My wife also will like the fact it weighs a lot less than my 12-inch cast iron.
Oh, the joys of cooking and cleaning.
— LOU
Sounds like a non-sticky situation.
I haven’t bought a pan since I bought a $20 non-stick ceramic pan. Mostly to fry eggs. Nothing makes me crazier than when the eggs stick. With that little pan the eggs fly out of the pan onto the plate. Fly? Yes, fly!
It is now my pertinent pan for eggs. But it does not have a pertinent location. It just hangs out with all the other pans, in the cupboard, regardless of their shape, color or size.
— LUCY