| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Shelby |
Posted - Apr 02 2004 : 7:05:44 PM
I am very interested in trying the pop overs, but I have a question. I am always concerned about cooking with anything coated ie teflon etc. I noticed that the pan is a non stick surface. What is the surface? I know that some coatings when heated produce toxins and oders from teflon are enough to kill a bird if it were in the kitchen. Does anyone have more info. I would love to try the skillets but want a little more info. Thanks
Be well
Shelby
Preserve your memories with Scrapbook Mama
www.scrapbookmama.com
affordable web design & hosting
www.thebloominweb.com |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MaryJane |
Posted - Apr 08 2004 : 10:58:08 AM
I just got off the phone with Ian at GSI Outdoors in Spokane, Washington. They produce a line of outdoor fry pans and we sell one of his products for making our backpacking breads. Anyway, Ian has been helping me design/engineer my own non-stick skillets (8", 10", 12") for my BakeOver idea. I want something more lightweight than the Joyce Chen skillets that we presently sell to make one of my BakeOvers. I want it to have a lightweight metal (oven-proof) handle that folds in for storage or for travel. Ideally, I asked that they be produced domestically. That way I can be sure of their ingredients and inspect the facility where they are made.
I'm learning more about metal and what is toxic and at what temperature. As far as toxins go, I barely trust anything anymore. For years, I've purchased only glass saucepans because I've read that stainless steel can have impurities like chromium, and cast iron uses junk metal these days. Not to worry, I was told. Even though they end up melting down lead when they make cast iron, the lead vaporizes and doesn't end up in the pan. So much for our air! And recently I just found out that the company, Dow Corning, that makes the glass pans I love and have purchased for years, has discontinued making them. (No one makes such a thing as a glass skillet.)
So for now, what I can tell you about the Joyce Chen pan is that the metal is a combo of aluminum and carbon steel with an "excalibur" coating. Excalibur is much stronger than the kind of coating you see in most department store non-stick skillets. It's the best for wear and tear. Non-stick coatings (teflon included) do not give off toxic fumes until they hit 500 degrees. That's the problem with the non-stick skillet idea. It's easy enough to get the temperature too high on your stove top, like when you fry meat.
My BakeOver idea calls for lightly/briefly stir-frying the vegetables and then putting the skillet into a 425 degree oven. So, if you use the Joyce Chen pan the way I recommend, you'll avoid the toxic vapor problem. Stay tuned and I'll share with you what I learn as I go along. When the day arrives that I have my own skillets for sale, I'll offer a healthy discount to anyone wanting to switch from a Joyce Chen pan--if purchased from us. Soon, I hope!
MaryJane
Watch for my new book, "MaryJane's Gathering Place - Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook - for the farmgirl in all of us," to be published by Random House's Clarkson Potter/Publishers in Spring 2005. |
| girl_friday |
Posted - Apr 07 2004 : 07:15:35 AM
I'm going to try the original recipe first. That way if there are any problems I can adjust from there. |
| HiDez Gal |
Posted - Apr 06 2004 : 08:39:51 AM
http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-questionId=281241
Here is some info on the subject of teflon coated pans. The problem seems to occur with OVERHEATING an empty teflon skillet - but i can tell you from experience that over heating an empty cast iron skillet can also produce some pretty noxious smelling fumes as well. Don't have any birds in my kitchen so i don't know if it would kill one but the fumes were enough to set off the smoke alarm in the next room and to send me rushing to open windows and doors. If a person is really concerned about using teflon they probably should not do so because how would it be possible to enjoy the food prepared in that pan? If you read the instructions that come with teflon coated cookware there are warnings about overheating, also many caution against using spray on coatings such as Pam but i think that is because it causes problems with the surface - gums it up?
I use the popover pan and don't worry about it because the oven temp is below what might be considered hot enough to smoke but perhaps i am living recklessly :). girl_friday, if you use cast iron i hope you will let us know how it turns out - do you think you will have to reduce the oven temp a bit or will it be the same as the original recipe? |
| girl_friday |
Posted - Apr 06 2004 : 07:06:43 AM
The skillet that MaryJane uses is a teflon coated skillet from Joyce Chen. When cooking with it we've not suffered any ill effects here at the farm. I've been wanting to try it at home with a well seasoned cast iron skillet. Wish me luck. |
|
|
