| and pans make the most essential part of your | | | | rounded or flat bottom. Some varieties of woks have |
| cookware. There are lots of various types available | | | | one long handle, some have two short handles and |
| for each particular cooking method or a few different | | | | others have a long handle on one side and a short one |
| methods. | | | | on the opposite side. The materials used are carbon |
| Skillet/frying pan has a flat bottom with short sides that | | | | steel, cast iron, and metals with non-stick coating. |
| are flared or sloped, which makes it easier to toss and | | | | Stockpot is a deep, tall, straight-sided pot with two big, |
| turn food with a spatula. The pan is usually made of a | | | | loop handles. It is used for simmering large amount of |
| responsive to heat material such as lined copper, | | | | liquid, such as stock, soup and stews, but also works |
| stainless steel with a copper or aluminum core, | | | | well for thick soups, chili and for boiling pasta. |
| anodized aluminum or cast iron. Non-stick surface is | | | | Sometimes comes along with pasta insert – |
| also popular in such pans. They are available in | | | | made of stainless steel perforated insert that fits inside |
| different sizes and generally come with a cover. | | | | a stockpot and acts as a colander for draining pasta. |
| Roasting pan is usually of a rectangular shape with low | | | | Grill pan is a heavy metal pan that consists of ridges |
| sides allowing the heat from the oven to expose the | | | | spaced evenly across the bottom, that closely simulate |
| entire surface of the meat. Roasting pan is generally | | | | the grilling process when cooking various meats and |
| used with a rack to prevent the meat from sitting in its | | | | foods. Can be with shallow sides or with deeper sides |
| own juices and stewing instead of browning. The pans | | | | similar to a frying pan. Many grill pans are made of |
| are available made of different materials including | | | | cast iron and are available in different shapes and |
| stainless steel, aluminum with non-stick surface, clay | | | | sizes. |
| and granite. | | | | Double boiler consists of two pans - one inside of the |
| Saucepan is a round pot with high straight sides and a | | | | other. The bottom pan contains hot water and the top |
| flat bottom, can be used for several purposes, such as | | | | pan holds the ingredients that are being cooked. |
| cooking soup, stewing vegetables, making sauces. | | | | Generally used for making delicate sauces that have a |
| There are a few styles to suit special purposes. A | | | | tendency to separate if cooked on direct heat. Double |
| saucepan known as a Windsor has sides that flare | | | | boilers can be made of stainless steel, enameled steel, |
| out and another known as a saucier has sides that | | | | glass and aluminum. |
| are rounded. There are also different sizes and | | | | Fondue pot is a type of cookware that consists of a |
| materials of saucepans. Most of them have a snug | | | | pot with a heat source such as a portable cooking fuel |
| fitting cover. | | | | or an electrical heating element placed directly below |
| Stir-fry pan is a round, deep pan that may have | | | | the pot that is used for a food preparation process |
| straight sides with a slightly rounded base or more | | | | known as fondues (“fondue” is a |
| commonly a round base that slopes out and upward. | | | | French term meaning “to melt”). The |
| Sizes and handle length can vary to match the | | | | heat source melts or fully warms the contents (usually |
| cooking process. Heat is evenly distributed across the | | | | cheese, chocolate, wine or other ingredients) so that |
| base while the sloping sides make it easier to stir and | | | | food can be dipped into the pot and either cooked or |
| turn the ingredients. | | | | coated with its contents and eaten as an appetizer or |
| Wok is a bowl shaped version of stir-fry pan, best for | | | | part of a meal. |
| quick cooking food over high heat. It is available with | | | | |