When my parents got married in September 1950, my mother had just turned 20 years old. She attended college studying to be a teacher, but like most women of her post-war generation, quit school after a few years, got married and started a large family right away. My father was only 21 years old and just starting his career, so they relied heavily on wedding gifts to furnish their first tiny apartment.
By her own admission, my mom was not a great cook. She didn’t enjoy anything about the process - finding recipes, market shopping, food preparation, cooking or serving food was all a tedious daily chore. Dinner at our house (and we all were expected to sit down together precisely at 6pm) consisted mainly of boiled beef or chicken, mashed potatoes from a box, canned vegetables, jarred applesauce and white bread. My mom made one meal and, if we didn’t like it, we could make bologna sandwiches ourselves. I confess… I ate a lot of bologna growing up. And like most men of the time, my father loved to BBQ and grill out on the patio, but couldn’t master making more than a sandwich in the kitchen. So, as the only daughter, it was no surprise that I became the designated cook as soon as I could reach the stove.
Unlike my mother, I loved absolutely everything about cooking. The ability to transform a handful of raw ingredients and spices into a flavorful, tasty dish fed both our family and my creative soul. The menu was still limited, but now I had the freedom to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, introduce “ethnic” dishes like pasta and bake cake or cookies for dessert.
I tell you this story for a reason… as far back as I can remember, I’ve used the same stainless steel cookware that my parents received as a wedding gift. This 14-piece set consists of an 8” omelet pan, 12” fry pan, 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-quart sauce pans and a 4-quart Dutch oven with matching lids. It wasn’t terribly expensive, or even well-made, but after nearly 70 years, these sturdy copper-clad pans still work perfectly and shine brightly in my kitchen.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to cook in some amazing kitchens from Le Cordon Bleu’s culinary school to top fine dining restaurants in Europe to high-end, luxury homes all over the world and now at The Chopping Block’s custom-designed kitchens. I’ve learned a lot about how quality cookware is designed and manufactured – and the luxurious feel of a heavy, well-made pan in my hand.
So maybe after all these years, it’s time to splurge and start a new collection of my own. I’ve got my eye on our selection of All-Clad stainless steel cookware.
Our stainless steel cookware goes on sale in less than one week, so now's the perfect time to upgrade your pots and pans. Save 20% off all stainless steel cookware in March!