Is a Big Hunk of Steak Worth Almost 2,000 Gallons of Water?

[Omelet]

Try dehydrating then powdering onions some time and see what you end up with. :-) Mom once put an entire 50 lb. bag into a 2 quart jar.

[Billy]

It does if you have an iron deficiency but then you should rub it down with salt and oil to clean the pan. "No stick" and two large onions are dark brown in 30 min., and a wipe of a sponge on the pot and it's ready to go again.

O.K. I'll bite, what's the difference in onions?

[Omelet]

I grew up with cast iron babe. I know how to treat it. ;-) I own Griswolds...

Try it and see. Quick browning vs. longer, slow cooking to carmelize. Onions are not a low carb veggie.

While I'm all in to saving money on power, (hence my frequent use of a pressure cooker), there are some things that really do benefit from a longer, slower cook.

Onions are one of them.

[Billy]

Not if the tasty bits get stuck to the bottom of the pan.

I've been perfecting my onion browning technique for a long time. No stick and turning every 3 min. works like a charm. If you want to wait an hour, I can live with that ;o)

[Omelet]

That is what "deglazing" is for. :-)

Sorry, I just really love my Griswolds!

[Billy]

I hear ya, babe. But it isn't just de-glazing. You gotta take out that special spatula and run it across the bottom of the pan to pry up all the all those little tasty bits. A tool is a tool, it does a job, but it doesn't do all jobs. Iron is good for spreading the heat for a chunk of meat with veggies or for baking. I just find that I can speed up my cooking time with no loss of flavor with non-stick. God I hope that they solved that teflon problem or . . . .

[Omelet]

I have a pet Cocaktoo.

Using Teflon in the house is out.

[enigma]

Omelet wrote in news: [e-mail]:

besides, a good seasoned cast iron pan *is* non-stick. i have one Griswold & some older Lodge. i also have some old, but unmarked cast iron (we have 3 8" skillets, a 10", an 8" & a

4", 2 Dutch ovens & a spider Dutch oven). 3 non-stick pans came with my set of Faberware, but i don't like them & never use them. lee

[Omelet]

Precisely. :-)

I gave up non-stick (teflon) pans when I started keeping pet birds.

I don't miss them. (the pans)

A properly seasoned Cast Iron pan is, as you say, very non-stick!

[Jangchub]

You should check out the new Green Pans at

My next set of pots will be those. I have a Macaw.

[Omelet]

Cast iron and stainless steel work, but thanks. :-)

And they never wear out!

[Billy]

In article , enigma wrote:

Cast iron is non-stick for browning onions? My old omelet pan is cast iron and it was "nearly non-stick" if you waited for the butter to foam-up before adding the eggs but the clean up on a cast iron pan for browning onions is a daunting task (rubbing with salt and oil). Been there . . .

My favorite cast iron pan is an eighteen inch-er and is perfect for pork roasts and roots (carrots, onions, potatoes, ect.). But for quick and easy browned onions, I've never found anything easier/quicker than a non-stick pot.

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That said.

reader writes the Green Guide:

HSN.com has advertised a new cooking pan called the GreenPan. Could you tell me what the pan is made of and if it's safe to use around birds? Thank you, Nancy R.

Green Guide responds: Thanks for your question. We're usually pretty leery of non-stick pans, because most are coated with a compound called PTFE (short for "polytetrafluoroethylene"), which itself uses a chemical called PFOA (short for "perfluorooctanoic acid") that's been deemed a likely human carcinogen by an EPA Science Advisory Board. And since you mentioned birds, the fumes emitted by PTFE-treated pans can prove fatal to your feathered friends.

However, this new GreenPan cookware, sold through the Home Shopping Network (HSN), doesn't use any PTFE-based coatings or PFOA to keep food from sticking, according to Mark Hosgood at Thermolon. GreenPan cookware, which uses Thermolon's coatings, are made of an aluminum core with a coating composed of oxygen, silicone, carbon, aluminum and titanium. These pans should be safe for use around birds because they do not contain the chemicals that are released from other PTFE-coated pans when heated (GreenPan Premier 6-piece set, $99.90;

Still, as with any non-stick coating, there's the potential for the finish to chip off over time and get ingested, posing health risks once you've swallowed them (the jury is still out as to whether silicone cookware causes health problems; read more here). There are many other types of pans that are certainly safe for both you and your birds, including cast iron, stainless steel and copper, that will also last an eternity. Cast iron pans acquire non-stick properties with age or re-seasoning, so buying used is a good bet. For new cast iron pans, see Lodge Manufacturing

Chantal's enamel-coated copper pots provide you with both a non-stick finish and a non-reactive surface on which you can cook more acidic foods, like tomatoes (which you can't cook in conventional cast iron). They're slightly lighter than cast iron and have a steel band around the rim that protects the edges of the enamel from chipping (2-quart saucepan with lid, $199.98;

For other product suggestions, see "Outfitting the Green Kitchen,"

• * *Important* * *

More than just non-stick pans: When it comes to food, most people associate "non-stick" finishes with cookware, baking sheets and Teflon-lined stoves. But in fact, PTFE-based finishes that contain PFOA are used in other applications as well, from those paper wrappers around your hamburger to the boxes that hold your delivered pizza to microwave popcorn bags. In fact, according to one research chemist at the Food and Drug Administration, microwave popcorn bags release several hundred times more PFOA than non-stick cookware. The next time you crave buttery popcorn, go for the old-fashioned kernels you pop on the stove, not in the microwave.

are some tips from the EWG:

• Phase out the use of non-stick cookware and other equipment that is heated in your home. If you can afford to replace it now, do so. When heated to high temperatures, Products with PFC coatings emit fumes that can be harmful. * Do not use non-stick cookware in your home if you have pet birds. In fact, avoid any kitchen equipment that contains non-stick components that are heated to high temperature during use. Fumes from these materials can quickly kill birds. * When you purchase furniture or carpet, decline optional treatments for stain and dirt resistance, and find products that have not been pre-treated with chemicals by questioning the retailers. Most of these chemical treatments contain PFCs that might contaminate your home and family. * Avoid buying clothing that bears a label or other indication that it has been coated for water, stain, or dirt repellency. Many of these coatings are PFCs. By buying alternatives you will help shrink the PFC economy and the associated global contamination. * Minimize packaged food and greasy fast foods in your diet. These can be held in containers that are coated with PFCs to keep grease from soaking through the packaging. PFCs are used in a wide variety of containers, including french fry boxes, pizza boxes and microwave popcorn bags. * Avoid buying cosmetics and other personal care products with the phrase "fluoro" or "perfluoro" on the ingredient list. Among products that might contain PFCs are lotions, pressed powders, nail polish, and shaving cream.

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OK, OK, no more teflon but since I never go over 500 F in my omelet pan (La Creuset) I'll keep it but I'll look for a replacement for my onion browner.

Thanks to Jangchub for the heads up on the new Green Pans at

Now to find out what-the-hell is "Thermolon" and how can it kill me.

[Jangchub]

I have stainless. The pots I am talking about are non-stick and safe for parrots. I can't use cast iron.

[Omelet]

I have yet to find _any_ pan truly non-stick for eggs! Even teflon. But my well seasoned cast iron cleans up easily and I've recently switched from butter to Coconut oil for frying eggs (and beef).

That has helped and it's very tasty, plus has a really high smoke point. ;-d

I even "buttered" some corn on the cob with coconut oil earlier today. It was wonderful.

[Omelet]

It is possible to season stainless steel as good as cast iron. Iirc, you have liver issues that prevent you from using CI.

Teflon is not allowed in my house. I value Freya too much. Featherbrained brat, but I love her. :-)

It's just that, even tho' that site you posted is neat, I will not likely be replacing any pots or pans in my lifetime as Cast Iron and Stainless are heirlooms. They never wear out.

But thanks anyway!