Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Pots and Pans

I was helping my grand daughter with her homework last evening. She is in the third grade and I can manage that,sometimes. She was working on a word puzzle of sorts. The word she was trying to find was pan but she had filled in pot. The clue was an object you cook with that is shallow and round. After suggesting to her that pot  was not what she was looking for the question arose. Grandpa, what is the difference between a pot and a pan ? I had never really considered the question before. I answered with,well a pot is deeper than a pan. Then she says, oh ok. She moved on. That's the way kids are. Got her answer and she was satisfied. After she left to go home the question nagged at me. So, I did what most people do now days, I googled it.
The answer I got was a pot normally has two handles and a pan only one. Huh, that had never occurred to me but I could see the truth in it. I also found the answer I had provided was correct. Pots are generally deeper than pans. Naturally there are exceptions and nothing is set in concrete. More reading on the subject only muddies the water. I had to quit. I was getting too involved in all of that. I do that at times. I wound up thinking about pots and pans.
The majority of my pans are cast iron. Frying pans, never frying pots,and a skillet. There are those that will argue a skillet and a frying pan are the same thing but I don't agree. Not many use the term skillet any more. I do have a large cast iron pot. It has only one handle but it does have a lid. If you want to make soup,pot roast or chili that is the pot for the job. Everything tastes better cooked in cast iron ! I have had mine for many years and will continue to use them. A side benefit is the exercise you get from lifting them. You could also hang them in the kitchen as decoration.
Pots and pans. Objects we give little thought too. Yet,we use them everyday. I see ads on television for the new styles and types. Stainless steel, non stick, better handles, copper bottoms and all matter of improvements in heat distribution. Make a chef outta you for sure ! Cast Iron is far more forgiving though should you err and get the heat too high.
Did you know some cast iron pots and pans are collectible ? People will pay a good dollar for certain makes.Griswold is the leader of the pack. If you have any old Griswold stuff don't sell it at your yard sale. It is valuable. Wagner is another but still available today,that's what mine is, so determining which are valuable is difficult. You need a expert in the field. Not me.
One more memory about pots and pans. When I was very small my mom would give me a pot and a wooden spoon. Had many enjoyable times beating on those pots. When the Grand children were small I did the same for them.
Silly thing to write about,pots and pans. I wonder why it is always pots and pans and not pans and pots ? It is even awkward to type it that way. A question for the ages.

No comments:

Post a Comment