Le Creuset versus Tramontina Cookware

I've had more people write to me about this topic than any other. I have to say that in the end I did donate my Tramontina cook-pot to the local women's shelter. It was a heavy pot! It weighed a lot more than the Le Creuset pot of a similar size. When I would have it filled and put into the over to finish cooking the oven rack would have a very noticeable "sway" in the middle. That always made me very nervous.

One of the comments made on the original post (same topic headline as this one) there was a person who said that they had bought a Le Creuset pot at an outlet mall for a seriously discounted price. I too have bought a deeply discounted Le Creuset pot at TJ Maxx, paid about 1/3 of the cost if it had been first quality. You do need to be aware that at outlet malls and discount stores like TJ Maxx the Le Creuset pots and pans being sold there are seconds (they are discretely marked) and the warranty does not apply to them.

Soup warms the Soul on a cold winter day

If it's cold where you are (like it is where I am), well grab yourself the latest issue of Cooks Illustrated and a warm blanket. I have a copy of the Winter 2008 issue and it's HOT stuff! It's all about "Soups & Stews". One word sums it all up "YUMMY". Nothing is more warming to the soul on a cold winter day than a rich hearty soup. Gather your family together for a delicious bowl of home made soup accompanied with a think slice of a warm crusty peasant bread.

Le Creuset vs Tramontina Cookware

I've been wanting a Le Creuset Dutch Oven for ages. I've always told myself that they were too expensive. I went along with the recommendation from Cooks Illustrated on purchasing a 6½ quart round Dutch oven by Tramontina (see the red one...I bought it back in November) and have used it several times and have been VERY happy with it's performance. The Tramontina Dutch oven was a huge savings over the Le Creuset Dutch oven. I paid $60 for the 6½ quart Tramontina Dutch oven versus the hefty price tag of $270.00 for the 5½ quart and $315.00 for the 7¼ quart Dutch Oven. I love this shade of blue (it's called Caribbean) and Le Creuset is running a special on their smaller soup pots. With our upcoming vacation to the Caribbean, I thought that this color was just what I needed to add something bright and cheerful to my kitchen. So I spent my Christmas money on a soup pot...that's okay, I like soup :-) The other thing to keep in mind is that Tramontina is made in China and Le Creuset is made in France. I know that many of us (yes even myself) are trying to avoid buying items that are made in China but sometimes that just can not be helped. When the savings is so dramatic, you really can't help but to buy the less expensive brand...especially when it comes so highly recommended by such a highly respected magazine such as Cooks Illustrated

Chocolate Volcano Cakes

I've been wanting to make these for quite some time. Believe it or not, I was desperate enough to once buy a box mix to make this. Don't ask about it- it wasn't even close to what the restaurants make. So here I am ready to try making them again- this time with a tried and true recipe from where else- Cooks Illustrated magazine! It's in their Holiday Baking issue so hurry up and get yourself a copy! I got mine at Lowe's (hard to believe right?) but hey they give a 10% discount on magazines!

So knowing full well that one really needs to have the right tools to do the job properly I went to the kitchen store (Someone's in the Kitchen-Rapid City) and bought six 8 ounce ramekins/souffle cups. Only to discover that I bought the wrong size and the wrong number (after putting them through the dishwasher)-oh well! So now I need to go back and purchase eight 4 ounce ramekins. I see myself having quite the variety of ramekins when this is all done and over with (as I already have eight 6 ounce ramekins). So why am I going through all of this? I want to make chocolate volcano cakes for my family for Christmas. Now for me to make sure that I have the right kinds of chocolate they call for in the recipe...just thinking about making this is bringing a HUGE smile to my face.

Parchment Paper or heat resistant Silicone Mat?

For years I have used parchment paper for lining cookie sheets, cake pans and spring form pans. I had thought about getting myself a couple of sil-pat liners for years but to be perfectly honest, the cost was holding me back. Sil-Pat is a brand name and it's made from woven fiber glass with a silicone coating. There are silicone baking mats made by many different companies. The silicone mats that I happen to own are made by Wilton. They're fine to use for cookies but they (the mats) do become stained from the oils and fats (it's the butter) in the cookies. This kind of stain is permanent. I've long wondered about the silicone mats retaining residues and if they would effect other items being baked on them in the future. Well guess what...my beloved Cooks Illustrated did a comparison on parchment paper and silicone mats and guess what- my suspicions were right. Silicone mats do retain residues and it does effect the taste of other items being backed on them. For me...my silicone baking mats are only used for cookies, nothing else. But I know many others who use them for everything from fish fillets to baked sweet potatoes. Parchment paper came out #1 in this product test by Cooks Illustrated magazine.
I recently stocked up on more parchment paper at the commissary. Hey that 75¢ coupon brought the price of a roll down to $1.10 and between you and me, that's a horrifically GOOD price! Especially since a box of parchment paper generally sells in the $5 to $7 price range depending upon where you buy it. And there's always something about the winter holiday season that pushes up the cost...as if people don't bake during any other time of the year, LOL!

Cooking Magazines...

Do you subscribe to any "cooking" magazines? I love to try new recipes or recipes that have a different spin on a traditional favorite. I like Southern Living magazine for it's unique recipes- heck I'll buy almost any recipe book created by Southern Living (yes I think that their recipes are that good). But I also like to get a couple other magazines that deal mainly with food. Martha Stewart's Every Day Food is a wonderful publication, lots of great articles and recipes that are out of this world YUMMY! Another publication that I really and truly enjoy reading is "Cooks Illustrated". I've glanced at it a few times but the $5.95 price tag had me putting it back on the shelf. But the other day I was at Lowes and I picked it up and thumbed through it...I was entranced by an article on baking pans ones that do double duty as a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. I found myszelf a magazine that I couldn't put down. I enjoy the product reviews that they do in this magazine and they go into detail with so many things...oh yeah I am hooked!