Re: [CH] Off topic some what, but still cooking...

VoodooChile (rael64@qwest.net)
Sat, 4 May 2002 15:20:10 -0600 

>Hi Chilens,
>
>Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes recipe asked for a non-stick skillet.
>
>Just wondering what other peoples experiences have been with these so-called
>non-stick skillets.  They seem to work for such a short period of time!
>I've bought the most expensive, I've kept them in a pillow case in my pan
>cupboard, I've never used any abrasive cleaner nor anything other than nylon
>utensils, and they never seem to work well for more than a year! Baring
>mysterious scratches that can never be accounted for, they look just like
>new.  But try and cook an egg (with chile sauce, to make things more
>on-topic) and it needs to be pried and poked from many different angles,
>center bit sticking and braking the yolk, of course.  This in a non-stick
>pan with a generous glugg of olive oil.  I cook with gas....
>
>Steve
>Wilderness
>South Africa

Okay, i writ half of this, looked at the other replies, and saw that 
others were saying essentially the same thing.  This is a good thing, 
imo.  Anywho, here's what i've got to say for what it's worth...

I've no answer to the problem w/non stick cookware itself.  All non 
stick i've used has been in commercial kitchens and it never lasts as 
people tend to not treat others equipment decently.  Long rant. 
Anyway, I offer alternative suggestions for non-stick.

<1> find a nice cast iron skillet and season it well.  Well seasoned 
equates non-stick.  They work particularly well for eggs and is 
actually the very reason I bought a cast iron skillet.  Don't use 
acidic foods in them if you're doing anything long time cooking (like 
making red sauce, etc.) BTW, the old advice about not ever washing 
cast iron w/soap is horse shit unless you intend on heating up your 
cast iron to incendiary levels each time you cook.  To those who 
don't wash their cast iron, hey, it's your life, your body.  Freedom 
means doing whatever the hell you want to do as long as it's 
consensual.  And I ain't eating at your house.  Go for it.

<2> find some nice aluminum cook wear like Caphalon (my personal 
choice) and use it.  It isn't non stick per se, no, but it's quality 
(commercial, actually, or at least the older stuff was) cook wear and 
can take much (much) abuse.  Heavy as hell though, if that makes a 
difference (pro/con) to you.  So is cast iron tho.  I love my 
caphalon though and wouldn't trade it for anything, not even cast 
iron.

Lastly,

Rael's Insights to Egg Cookery (via experience...no "science" to back it up)

<1> fresh eggs cook up real nice; older ones not as nice.  Use that 
info as you may.  Hard to tell, I know, and "old" doesn't necessarily 
mean "bad", so...

<2> room temp eggs cook up better than straight out of the fridge/cold eggs.

<3> eggs cook best, and stick far less (if at all) in *real* butter; 
some oil (up to half) can be substituted.  My cholesterol level hates 
it, but man, real butter and eggs just go hand-in-hand.  One can use 
ghee (clarified butter) and get the same results, but I can't 
remember if that's any less cholesterol-ly or not...methinks no.  I 
used clarified butter in most of my egg/brunch cooking daze, and 
never a problem w/sticking.

<4> Hot pan-cold fat.  Some argue that one should baby eggs, that 
quick cooking makes for rubbery eggs.  I disagree in that it all 
depends as to how one is cooking the egg(s).  For any variation of 
fried, high temps work fine.  Quiche and such, well, different horse 
there.  BTW, "hot" to me means the pan has gotten fairly hot (medium 
to mid-high), not smoking/etc. hot.

<5> oddly, and I ain't sure i like this bit of "wizdom", those damned 
spray oils seem to work quite well.  I apply and immediately egg the 
pan as these oils also seem to brown quickly too.  Probably some 
funky lubricant in there, which should lead in to my additional uses 
for spray oils, but I'll restrain myself (whooowho!) and spare 
everyone...

There's more "egg rules" and such, but they differ according to end 
result (poached, omelets, etc.) and so on.  Any good culinary text 
(_New Professional Chef_, for example) will give one more info about 
cooking eggs - and everything else - than one may want.  Fairly 
invaluable tho, imo...

Didn't mean to Egg Preach, btw, nor assert that you, or anyone, ain't 
cooking eggs "properly"...just think of myself as the Egg Man at 
times....kookookachoo...

-- 
Peace, Hendrix, and Chiles.......
Rael64

"In he frozen land of Nador they were forced to eat Robin's 
minstrels.  And there was much rejoicing."   -Monty Python and the 
Holy Grail-