581971 Sun Dec 21 20:41:48 -0800 2008 4 41 Cookware 0 4265075 It's embarrassing to admit, but I'm not very accustomed to cooking with stainless steel. For one thing, I'm vegetarian so I have no need for frond (though I love the idea). So mostly i use hard anodized cookware. I was given a couple of nice, heavy, Cuisinart pieces though, and the one things I've noticed already is that things seem to need a much lower cooking temperature. I've burned a few veggie burgers right out of the stall. Is that true, then, that I should use a lower temp? What else should I keep in mind as I cook with stainless steel? Sun Dec 21 20:41:48 -0800 2008 165381 BeckyAndTheBeanstock 1 4265432 Harold McGee, NY Times food science columnist, wrote and article with tips on cooks with SS http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E6DA143BF93BA35753C1A96E9C8B63&scp=1&sq=Harold+McGee+non+stick&st=nyt Mon Dec 22 05:09:09 -0800 2008 4265075 28577 Jack_ 1 4265575 "frond" It's actually spelled/called fond. And it doesn't matter if you're vegetarian or not, fond doesn't only come from meat, it's any caramelized brown bits of food (meat, vegetable, or otherwise) that sticks to the bottom of the pan. Think French onion soup. As for the pan itself: There are no tricks to stainless. In fact, I find it far more versatile than anodized. For one thing, stainless can go into the dishwasher, anodized can't. The lower cooking temps are not a result of the stainless steel, there is probably a layer of aluminum between the two outer layers of stainless steel. There is potentially less aluminum in the stainless pan than you are used to (compared to your anodized pan) and you're getting faster heat transfer through the pan which is causing your food to cook more quickly. So yes, you should use a slightly lower temperature if your food is burning. Mon Dec 22 06:45:03 -0800 2008 4265075 42270 HaagenDazs 1 4265930 Everyone needs the fond! It's where a lot of the flavor comes from! It's not just for meat dishes. Mon Dec 22 08:57:56 -0800 2008 4265075 29811 Buckethead 1 4266782 Keep the temperature lower, and don't leave the stove--otherwise you might be left with a hour of scrubbing the pan to get off burnt bits or having to polish the exterior (if you care). While I love my All-Clad, they can't replace my cast iron for versatility and fearlessness (when it comes to dreaded cleaning). Mon Dec 22 13:18:23 -0800 2008 4265075 224238 Caralien