cookware

Cooking with cast iron can be intimidating — not to mention heavy — but once you try it, it's easy to become a convert. I love my pan for indoor grilling and making skillet breads; it distributes heat incredibly evenly. Cast-iron pans can even help boost your iron intake.

But be warned: you can't treat cast iron like any old pot. To make sure it lasts as long as possible — basically, forever — you have to do some things differently. Before using your cast iron for the first time, you need to "season" it. This process will protect your pan's surface from moisture and rust. Find out how to care for cast iron.

I live and die by my All-Clad d5 Stainless Steel pots and pans, which I use for making just about everything. But the other day, while tackling some stuck-on food that was particularly stubborn, I consulted the computer to verify the correct way to clean my cookware. And guess what? I've been cleaning them all wrong! Cleaning stainless cookware, it turns out, involves a little extra TLC. Put that scouring pad away, and find out the right way to preserve your quality pots and pans, when you read on.

Copper cookware requires upkeep: just like stainless steel, copper pots can become oxidized and dull with use. To get rid of black spots and restore that glossy, golden sheen, you'll need a powerful cleaning product. While you could scrub the pots by hand, sometimes it's easiest to use a cleaning product that will dissolve the caked-on stuff for you. Take a look at these three copper-cleaning products worthy of a gold (or copper) star.

Without sounding totally dogmatic, we have a few rules for when to utilize what pan, whether nonstick teflon, cast iron, or uncoated stainless steel. That said, there's certainly some wiggle room; use what's available to you (in most cases it'll work out just fine), but for the best results, keep these rules in mind.

Use a nonstick teflon pan when: cooking delicate scrambled or fried eggs, omelets, and crepes. Really, that's it. And if you have a beautifully seasoned cast iron skillet, you can skip the category altogether and use that instead. While nonstick pans are slightly easier to clean than their cast iron and stainless steel analogues, they are notoriously bad at browning and may even pose health concerns if used improperly. Additionally, if your nonstick pan no longer lives up to its implied promise, it may be time to replace it, as the teflon coating becomes less effective with use (due to scratching of the surface).

Keep reading to learn when to use a cast iron or stainless steel pan.

Photo: Sara Yoo

Late-night infomercials seem to have the solution to every kitchen conundrum, but I learned quickly that buying into every zealous sales pitch meant cabinets full of single-use gadgets that receive only occasional use. So when I dove into my shelves of dusty equipment for a Spring clean-out, I found that several could go in the donation bin thanks to one multitasking pot: my enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.

Photo: Camilla Salem

While forms of this essential vessel exist in many cultures, the original "Dutch" oven finds its roots in 17th century Netherlands, where it was a way to recreate the effects of an oven when only an open fire was available. My first Dutch oven arrived in the form of a Christmas gift from my mom who remarked, "You need one of these." She's never been so right. That 5 1/2-quart round Le Creuset became a stovetop fixture as I discovered I could use it for everything, from braised duck ragu to frijoles de la olla, to kimchi jjigae. The flat bottom heats evenly, even on my scary, early 90s-era electric coil range, and everything I simmer, braise, and stew takes on flavor depth unmatched by my other cookware. Thanks to the enameled surface, it's a wonder to deglaze, easy to clean, and incredibly durable. Now the proud owner of three of these do-it-all pots (the 5 1/2-quart round, a 7 1/2-quart round, and a 9 1/2-quart oval), I'm armed for dinner for two — or 20.

For a few of the many uses for your cast-iron enameled Dutch oven, just read on

Jchild needs our help! She recently asked the community about cast iron skillets:

"I just bought my first cast iron pan and can't wait to start using it! How should I go about seasoning it? And after I use it, how do you clean it? I would love to have this pan for years to come but want to make sure I care for it properly. Any tips?"

To season a cast iron pan, coat the bottom in cooking oil, then bake for an hour in a 350 degrees F oven. When cool enough to handle, dry with paper towels. As for cleaning, be sure to wash the pan with hot water immediately after cooking. Do not let it sit and soak. Do you have a cast iron skillet? How do you care for it?

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