- At the top, at 12 o'clock, is the 3-quart Calaphon
- On the right, at 3 o'clock, is the 1 3/4 quart Revere ware
- At the bottom, at 6 o'clock, is the 1 quart enameled iron
- Last on the left is a 1 3/4 quart Corning ware.
If I were starting out to equip a kitchen, I would look first at thrift shops and estate sales. Good pots and pans well cared for will last for decades. Only one of my pans is new. The others are 30-50 years old. The Calaphon pan is new because I ruined my old pan by letting it boil dry.
We all get distracted once in a while and leave a pan on the heat. Portable timers are a good way to prevent this. I try to set a timer for 5 minutes and take it with me if I leave the kitchen with a pan on the heat. What do I do if a pan boils dry?
- First I remove it from the heat, and let it cool gradually. I do not put water in it right away. That could warp the bottom. I am careful to use a potholder so I do not burn myself.
- After the pan has cooled slowly, I put water in it and leave it to soak for a few hours or overnight.
- Then, when I am feeling rested, I work at cleaning it. I use the least abrasive cleaner that will remove the residue. I do not want to scratch the surface of the pan. I find Bon Ami to be a good, gentle cleaner.
Happy Cooking (and may you never let a pan boil dry)
Ruth Ann