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Archive for the ‘Waterless Cookware Sets’ Category
Healthy Food Matters – Mark Bittman
I’ve always enjoyed the critical musings, righteous outrage and sober teachings of Mark Bittman (New York Times Food columnist). Cooking with Mark is always about good taste, honest nutrition, and reverence for the organic green of food production and distribution. Whatever the menu, Mark’s aim is always a lesson in balance—serving a balanced meal for whole health, serving a balanced lifestyle for a sustainable Earth.
Cooking green isn’t just a recipe, it’s an attitude. In a previous post, we looked into our cupboards to revisit our food buying habits based on Three Principles of the Pantry: cook from scratch; cook what you have; revitalized your pantry.
Mark lives these principles, and stumbles in the face of change too. If you’re not familiar with Mark Bittman, take a minute to get to know him—he’s personable, entertaining, and a worthy guide for learning what & how best to cook for the health of body & planet.
Take these links:
- his introductory note to “The Food Matters Cookbook” is honest and, as you will see, illustrates a common attitude about healthy eating we all commonly share.
- more recently, Mark’s NY Times column: “Food: Six Things To Feel Good About.” He is purposefully withholding some of his ‘bittman’ spice.
As always, Cook healthy, eat honestly, thrive–use cookware designed to retain nature’s honest efforts—premium Stainless Steel Waterless Cookware, the ultimate in lifelong durability, beauty and performance.
The Maxam Family of Quality Waterless Cookware
Maxam is USA born and bred, and now a family of brands known world-wide as the finest Stainless Steel Waterless cookware you can own–Quality, Affordability, Durability, Performance:
- Maxam®
- The World’s Finest®
- Chef’s Secret®
- Precise Heat®
- HealthSmart®
- Wyndham House®
- Yorkville®
…a family of brands with 60+ years of waterless cookware craftsmanship and innovation. Maxam holds patent for the Steam Control System® (or vented knob) and first to aid stove top baking with the Thermo-Knob System® (internal utensil temperature control).
Maxam Cookware employs the highest American standards for material quality and fabrication in the industry–that’s a given. But what sets Maxam apart from all brands of Stainless Steel Waterless cookware is VALUE—the ultimate in cookware performance at AFFORDABLE price points (see A Lifetime of Value to more fully appreciate the value of these pots and pans).
The reason Maxam cookware sells for @ $250 instead of $2500 is simple and straightforward:
> NO Storefront Markups (stores cost money to operate & you pay for it)
> NO Distribution Middlemen (buy direct from Authorized Dealers)
> NO Demonstration/TV/Celebrity Markups (when you buy on-line)
The costs of doing business on-line are pennies compared to operating stores, hosting home or county fair demonstrations or paying for Wall Street marketing campaigns, celebrity endorsements, etc. Operating this Blog for example adds less than a $1 to cookware represented by our sponsor, ChoiceCookery. And yet ChoiceCookery.com reaches tens-of-thousands more buyers than any storefront or cookware demonstration.
High price is not a measure of quality; it’s a measure of marketing expense, shelf space, and outrageous profit margins. There’s no reason to pay the price. Shop around, become informed, and choose wisely:
- Buy from Authorized Dealers who will service you
- Buy on-line (avoid the mark-ups)
- Speak with dealers, ask questions
- Good representatives will ask you questions too
…about your cooking methods, family size, meal types and help you choose the perfect cooking utensils for you and your family. Contact ChoiceCookery and get to know the source.
Cook healthy, eat honestly, and thrive.
Pantry Principle: “…dinners from scratch are a snap”
When last we saw Leslie Cole (staff writer for The Oregonian FoodDay section), she was on her way home with a stack of new cookbooks under her arm and a story to write. Her hunch was that good taste & nutrition shouldn’t take hours at the stove.
Her aim was to banish the tired, the empty and bland from weeknight meals, and do so in less than 20 minutes (revisit Cooks on the GO). What she discovered were some novel, time-saving and nutritious cooking strategies that quickly and easily relieved the rush and fret of weeknight family dining.
Three common principles in the ‘quick & easy’ cookbooks Leslie reviewed are these:
- Cook from scratch
- Cook what you have
- Revitalize your pantry
The backside of these principles, Leslie now reports, is common to many of us on any given weeknight as we look to our pantry for inspiration: “In their first six years of marriage, Dan and Leah Bader’s idea of a home-cooked meal was opening a jar of pasta sauce to pour over spaghetti.” But that’s not a pantry.
The Weeknight Menu: we all get stuck now & then on ‘What to cook tonight?’ Not to worry. Enjoy Leslie’s latest FoodDay article, “The Pantry Principle—thanks to staples on hand, dinners from scratch are a snap.”
The Pantry Principles: Leslie finds the three principles alive & well in Katherine Deumling’s lusciously informative website Cook With What You Have. Katherine’s practical approach to Good Taste will have you rethinking what you buy and put in your pantry (for all the right reasons).
Katherine’s latest March 8 blog (Winter Squash x 4) reminds us that at least four nutritious and easy meals have been resting in the potato bin since November—not the potatoes, but that Squash. Try Katherine’s simple and timely Onion and Squash Panade for example.
…or our Butternut Squash Soup in “Harvest the Nutrition of Fall Squash.”
Katherine’s Advice: revisit your pantry & review your buying habits—healthy foods don’t come in cans, and fresh foods don’t bulge your budget either. Fresh whole food is the best source of natural balance & nutritive complexity. Remember to use cookware designed to retain the wholesome goodness of nature’s honest efforts—Stainless Steel Waterless Cookware.
Cook healthy, eat honestly, and thrive.
Cleaning Waterless Cookware
In addition to cooking your food more effectively, waterless cookware is also easier to clean than normal cookware. Just follow these simple steps to clean and maintain your waterless cookware:
Wash each piece of waterless cookware thoroughly with warm soapy water before first use.
Do not use metal scouring pads when cleaning, as they may scratch the polished surface.
Cookware utensils can be placed in the dishwasher.
Use a good stainless steel cleaner every once in a while.
Remove minor scratches with stainless steal cleaner and a damp dishcloth.
Maxam Cookware Quality at Affordable Price Points
We sometimes hear from folks who want a hands-on experience when it comes to cookware. And rightly so. For example, this note from Brent:
“I was wondering if there are any local stores to check out your products? I live in the greater Phoenix area.”
Hi Brent,
Thank you for contacting us.
We are not aware of a cookware store representing Maxam Cookware in the Phoenix Area. Maxam products are primarily found on-line which significantly lowers expense for us and for you. You may find Maxam cookware products shown in home demonstrations or at county fairs in your area, but these marketing methods simply add costs which ChoiceCookery prefers to avoid. Our business is to provide the highest quality waterless cookware available at affordable price points.
We of course appreciate the hands-on experience of shopping for products and, for this reason, we offer a Satisfaction Guarantee which simply means if our cookware doesn’t meet your expectations, we refund your purchase in full. We do so with confidence because our customers unanimously delight in the quality, performance and value of Maxam products–cookware originating in the USA 60 years ago. Like many companies, Maxam could not continue to offer affordability without moving manufacturing off-shore. Interestingly, Maxam is now the most popular selling brand in the world—a world of cooks untainted by Teflon.
Multi-ply #t304 Surgical Stainless Steel (18/10 Chromium/Nickel blend) is the industry epitome of material performance. 5-ply (or better) fabrication and precision isn’t found in department or even specialty stores in the US because, at standard brick & mortar markups, this level of quality exceeds favorable customer price points. What you will find in department and specialty stores are ‘tri-ply’ cookware—a fabrication which fails to meet the minimums of waterless cookware performance.
We appreciate the want of quality, as well as the time it takes to become informed about cookware varieties and differences. Our on-line blog hosts lots of information to help customers more fully appreciate the character and value of quality Stainless Steel Waterless cookware. And to that end, I am personally delighted to speak with folks about cookware differences in today’s marketplace and offer insight into the different features within the Maxam family of cookware brands.
Thank you again Brent for your interest in Maxam Quality and Value. We hope to hear from you.
With Respect,
Steve Denning
ChoiceCookery
Pork Loin: Served Sweet & Tangy
A Family Favorite dinner: basket of crispy French Fries surrounded by a bevy of thin cut Pork Loin sautéed in molasses and cayenne, served with a dollop of peach salsa. It’s so easy, and so quick!
Ingredients: frozen crispy French Fries, inexpensive Loin Chops with bone (thin cut), unsulphured molasses, cayenne pepper, peach salsa.
1. Fries: heat as recommended on package (oven is good, but we prefer oil-free stove top).
2. Chops: heat a large waterless fry pan until a sprinkle of water dances on the cooking surface (use no more than medium heat). Lay chops on the hot surface and turn heat to low/simmer—sear chops, covered with a vapor-sealing lid for 3-to-4 minutes (please, no added oil, fat or grease).
3. To Complete: uncover, turn chops over to sear other side, adding molasses and shakes/pinches of cayenne to taste. Turn heat off and cover pan with lid. Chops will take another 5 to 7 minutes—adjust cooking time to your preferred doneness.
The unique heat-retentive constitution of quality 5-ply (or 7-ply) Stainless Steel Fry Pans will complete the cooking process without continuous heating. The quick & easy result: tender Chops with a ‘fried-in’ sweet & spicy sear. Chops are ready when the fries are—8 to 12 minutes in all. Use some of the thinned molasses remaining in the fry pan to sprinkle lightly over fries.
Serve creatively, informally—these fries and chops are kid-friendly finger food at their best. Don’t forget to top the chops with peach or berry salsa, and serve a fresh nutritious citrus beverage too–for vitamins, minerals, fiber, and to help a body better manage those hyper-glycemic starch-laden potatoes.
ENJOY.
Cook healthy, eat honestly, and thrive.
A Question on 7-ply Cookware Construction
We value the questions that come our way. If you have a question about waterless cookware or cooking methods, please ask–here at the blog or using the Contact Us page at ChoiceCookery. We’ll get back to you asap. For example:
| Date: | Wed 2 Feb 2011 |
Name:
D. Brownfield
Comments/Questions:
Is the 14 piece 12 element waterless Chef’s Secret cookware 7 ply construction? Also does the colander act as a steamer? Do the lids seal themselves? Does the colander lid have a temperature gage?
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Mr. Brownfield,
Thank you for contacting ChoiceCookery.
Good questions all: I hope my responses satisfy your specific questions and also a more general understanding of the cookware.
1) The KTLarge14 (12-element) set is 5-ply #t304 Surgical Stainless Steel (18/10 chromium/nickel blend)—efficient, chemically inert, thermally responsive, a truly fine set of cookware—the very set my wife Lorie and I have used at home these last 15 years.
In my experience, 7-plies add little to cooking performance or lifelong durability. 7-plies do add weight and, as you will note, expense. I’ve used all ply variations and 7 or 9-plies (if you will) are analogous to adding yet another blade to a razor—at some point the addition becomes more gimmick than function. That said, our KT17 and KT17Ultra are 7-ply construction and we are happy to oblige for those who appreciate a substantially heavier utensil and the satisfaction of owning the epitome in cookware.
For more information, visit this blog post > What’s in a Ply?
2) The colander is indeed a 2nd steamer that fits atop the steam insert and/or the 8qt Stock Pot. Truly ingenious for a number of reasons, and given your reminder, I should author a blog post on the many ways my wife Lorie and I use the colanders for cooking. Good point! …and yes, the thermo-knob lid of the 8qt stock pot is designed to incorporate the colanders.
3) Lids are fundamental to waterless cooking performance, designed to rest atop the utensil ‘well’. During heating, condensed steam on the inner lid pools in the molded channel or ‘well’ around the inner lip of a waterless pot or pan, forming a seal. At the optimal cooking point of heat + moisture + pressure, the waterless lid will spin freely on the utensil (the vapor seal has formed).
Vented and Thermometer knobs (patented by Maxam) are relatively new features:
- the vented knob whistles when this optimal point is reached—an audible alert that notes it is time to close the vent on the knob and turn the heat to low/simmer or off, depending on what is being cooked.
- the thermo-knob on the KTLarge14 will read 50 C’ degrees internally—visually noting ideal cooking conditions (heat + moisture + pressure) have been reached, the lid will spin freely on the well of water—time to turn heat down or off to allow the cooking cycle to complete.
- 5-ply (or better) Stainless Steel retains heat long after the burner is turned off (unlike other metals). This is efficient, but also a superior cooking experience. Foods stay hot, moist and tender.
- An important feature unique to thermo-knobs is the ability to monitor and manage internal utensil temperature—especially helpful when baking stove top (a much more efficient baking method than conventional ovens and, without dry heat, baking results are much more moist and flavorful).
I hope these responses are specific enough to address your questions and general enough to provide insight into the value of quality waterless cookware. I would of course be delighted to speak with you as your time permits, and personally invite you to visit our informative blog for waterless cookware tips and cooking how-to’s.
Enjoy Each Day,
Steve Denning
1-866-200-1973 – toll free
Maxam, Chef’s Secret, HealthSmart, Precise Heat, Wyndham House, Yorkville–Quality to last a Lifetime–ChoiceCookery
Yam & Ham Bone Soup
Roasting a sliced ham is always opportunity to plan a host of meals to follow. We carve prime cuts from the bone for separate storage–another ham dinner, breakfasts (egg & ham on muffins or omelets for example), lunch plate sandwiches and so forth. We also freeze at least 2 cups diced ham for savory rice, egg and veggie bowls prepared weeks or months later.
During dinner, the ham bone and trimmings slow cook (low heat) in 2 to 3 qts of water. After dinner, bone and grizzle are easily removed and a variety of veggies are prepared and added to the broth. Split the broth for two soups prepared later: navy bean & potato for example, and a tasty yam & ham to include:
- 4 cups chunked yam (sweet potato)
- 1 cup thick diced celery
- 1 cup carrot (thick diced or baby whole)
- 1 cup snapped green bean
- ¾ cup red sweet onion
Allow soup to stew in a covered pot (@ 20 minutes at low simmer) until yam chunks soften slightly—avoid overcooking. The blend of yam and brushed molasses from the ham roast lends a mild sweetness sure to please—especially the kids. The orange colors of carrot and yam are vibrant and inviting.
Be Creative:
Russet or new red, or a more exotic variety and color of sweet potato for change–from a basic recipe awaits a world of tastes to explore using unique vegetable and spice combinations.
Storage:
Stainless Steel bowls are ideal freezing containers—chemically inert, no metal taste to foul foods, easily thawed by simply placing the bowl in or atop a standard Stainless Steel stock pot for quick steam heating. A few Stainless Steel Waterless cookware sets include bowls with lids–the Chef’s Secret KT28 for example, or consider a complete Chef’s Secret Stainless Bowl Set .
The Bottom Line:
Savor the versatile goodness of a single ham over many different meals, over many different days.
Cook healthy, eat honestly, and thrive.
A Lifetime Guarantee
In a previous post, we observed that a cookware warranty is only as good as the cookware it warrants.
A warranty assures that cookware free of defect will outlast the warranted period. It not, then it is replaced. As a measure of this assurance, we heard from users who are enjoying a life-long friendship with their cookware, a friendship with pots and pans they are not about to give up just because a knob or handle has failed after decades of service. (See A Lifetime Of Value)
A lifetime of trouble-free use, it is fair to say, is a true measure of cookware value and a telling demonstration of manufacturer confidence in product durability and quality craftsmanship.
And yet it is no surprise to receive queries like Debbie’s: “Do you still honor your LIFETIME Guarantee? I have a set that I purchased over 30 years ago and it is now time to replace the entire set.”
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January 5, 2011
TO: Debbie
FROM: ChoiceCookery
Hi Debbie,
Thank you for contacting ChoiceCookery.
Congratulations on 30+ years of service from your Stainless Steel cooking utensils, a wise choice those many years ago. Given the years, we are interested in hearing about your cookware.
It has been our experience that knobs and handles eventually wear or break after years of use or incidental mishap, yet the cookware itself continues to perform like new. If this is your circumstance, we can help you contact the appropriate manufacturer for knob/handle replacements. These attachments are usually not covered by warranty but are of little cost and easily attached at home.
It is likely the manufacturer warrants your Stainless Steel cookware against defect in material and craftsmanship for your lifetime. Years of normal wear is not considered a defect but rather a validation of warranty protection against such defect.
If your cookware brand is part of the Maxam family of brands, we will of course service the warranty. Let’s first determine the manufacturer of your cookware (usually engraved on bottom or side of utensil) and move forward. We look forward to your reply.
With Respect,
Steve / ChoiceCookery.
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January 7, 2011
TO: Steve
FROM: Debbie
Hi Steve,
Defects? So in other words there is NOT a LIFETIME Replacement Guarantee if I am understanding you correctly. Is that it?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
…to be continued:
Cook healthy, eat honestly, and thrive.
Are Cookware Warranties for Real?
Cookware warranties generally guarantee utensils to be free of defect in material and workmanship for a period of time. These warranties commonly exclude damage caused by misuse, accident, ordinary wear or product alteration.
In practical terms then:
- What does a cookware warranty really warrant?
- How does this guarantee actually work?
- How is a warranty claim processed?
- Is there a cost?
- What’s ‘limited’ in a Limited Lifetime Warranty?
- What happens if…?
Over the next month or so, let’s explore cookware warranties in the words of real users, keeping a keen eye focused on the actual value of a Warranty—especially a Limited Lifetime Warranty, a type of warranty offered by a few Stainless Steel waterless cookware manufacturers and supported by reputable dealers.
First, it’s important to understand that a cookware warranty is only as good as the cookware it warrants.
It’s of little value, for example, to warrant cookware that’s recycled or simply tossed in a landfill after 3 to 5 years of use (synthetic cooking surfaces like Teflon applied to low grade single ply metals come to mind). If cookware doesn’t last, it’s no bargain in dollars or good sense. Reasonable to assume its warranty (if there is one) has no real value either.
It’s equally important to share a healthy understanding of what cookware value really means. For this reason, we ask you to read or revisit the following article which explores value in the words of life-long users of quality cookware: A Lifetime Of Value …hosted at ezinearticles.com
Reader responses to this brief article have been many, but a consistent theme is cited by Kathleen: “Your cookware article was the first one I ever read that I feel it is not just a sales pitch. I actually know that the facts are true.”
In our next Blog, ChoiceCookery responds to a warranty question from a user (below). The query (from the Contact Us page at ChoiceCookery) begins an informative correspondence between user and company about cookware warranty and value. Enjoy what you learn along the way:
Date: January 4, 2011:
From: Debbie
RE: Do you still honor your LIFETIME Guarantee? I have a set that I purchased over 30 years ago and it is now time to replace the entire set. Thank You.
* * *
In the meantime: Cook healthy, eat honestly, and thrive.
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