When it came to my pots and pans, well, we need those to cook and not eat out every meal of the day. So there was no question in my mind that they would be making the trek to our new home. But upon arrival, I took a good long look at them.
The cookware set is as old as we have been married. It has been a very reliable set over the years. I have gotten used to knowing just how quickly it will take for them to heat up and cook different types of meat. As I pulled them out of the packing paper, the nonstick coating jumped out at me. Almost literally. My more heavily loved pans were showing signs of scraping and peeling. I wasn't planning on serving my dinner with a side of Teflon. Yuck.
So, I was on the hunt for a new set of pots and pans. Not that I really wanted to - but I guess the day had come for our wedding set to hit the road. I began thinking about what type I would like now. If I get a similar set, I will probably be having the same dialogue again in a few years. We enjoy making meals at home (besides the fact that it saves us a bit of money instead of eating out). I want pans that will have a longer lifetime than 5 years and be able to stand up to our everyday use.
It really only left me with one choice - stainless steel. We would be taking a big wallet hit in the beginning but if we took good care - we could have them for 20 + years. No need to worry about the nonstick coating peeling off into my cooking. My other issue was I know need to readjust how I cook. I have always been scared of stainless steel. Everyone warns you about the sticking and the pans warping on high heat. Do I trust myself to not do anything dumb to seriously ruin this investment in our cooking?
After taking a look at a couple of sets, asking some questions (the one salesperson said they are still using the set they bought 28 years ago), and debating it over lunch, we took the plunge. We got a 10 piece All Clad Stainless Steel set.
And seeing as we went all in, why not test my skills doing our favorite - spaghetti and meatballs! I create the sauce in a Le Creuset stock pot but I would be frying up the meatballs in a brandy new and super shiny fry pan. I don't know when I have been more nervous.
As per the salesperson's instructions, I placed the pan on the stove and set the heat (we have gas in our new home that is a whole other challenge to get used to after having electric) to medium/medium high to warm the pan. Once I could feel the warmth from the pan, I lowered the heat to medium-low and poured in some oil. Once I saw the oil shimmering, I said a little prayer and dropped my meatballs in the pan.
And then I waited. I heard the sizzling and got excited. I got a hold of my emotions and remembered - "Do not flip the meat early, it will not brown, and you'll probably be left with a sticky burnt mess." So I waited a bit more. This was Christmas-opening-presents level of anticipation here. I honestly did not know what to do with myself. When I just couldn't take the pressure any longer, I caved and started flipping those balls.
Ugh! Not as nice crispy brown as I normally liked but I did not have any issues flipping. So it was partially a success. Next time, I know to leave them for longer. It is still something I keep telling myself over the past weeks.
But you know what, I am really happy with these new pans. I am also glad that my hubby agreed to take the plunge. It may be taking us a bit longer to make our meals while we adjust but there are no more worries about "Hey, I didn't add pepper to this dish!"
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