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Ceramic cookware review: I made it out of what I had

Cooking with clay has been known since ancient times. Historians say that the ancient inhabitants of Europe cooked meat on the fire, having previously coated it with clay. The meat did not dry out and remained tender and juicy. This method is still used by fishermen and tourists today. Some experts believe that earthenware is able to fill people with the energy it has received over the centuries, or even millennia, from the sun, air, water and earth – the four fundamental elements and elements.

Ceramic cookwareKeramicheskaya_posuda_1

Ceramics.-Greek. &kappa έ&rho α&mu &omicron &sigmaf – Clay – articles made from inorganic materials such as clay and their mixtures with mineral additives, manufactured at high temperature and then cooled. “Wikipedia”

THE TASTE OF ITALY… ANCIENT

In 1966, during a trip to Italy, a group of young people, inspired by a historical excursion, came up with the idea to cook food in special clay pots, made, as they thought, according to ancient Roman technology. They dug up some clay around Rome, washed it, and made something in between a low pot and a pot. Then we burned it on an open fire. Then they washed the soot off and tried to cook the meat. It turned out very tasty. This was the very moment when the Roman pot was born. And already in 70-80s of the last century, the Roman pot conquered the hearts of European housewives. It is easy and simple to use – just soak the pan in cold water for 15 minutes, put the necessary ingredients and then put everything in the oven!

With its growing popularity, the roman pot got new shapes, and now it’s called ROMAN SPOILER. How it resembles our usual clay pot, which still has not lost its popularity in our country and abroad! Similar crockery are used in Poland, Baltic States, Georgia, Latin America … And nevertheless the Roman pot differs from pots, sold in our stores: it isn’t covered with glaze, isn’t painted, and each pot is made the form for preparation of what product it is intended. For example, a pan for fish is made in the shape of a fish, for an apple – in the shape of an apple, etc.d.

The disadvantages of earthenware are the following: you cannot cook on an open fire, it is afraid of shock temperatures, it is fragile, food burns in it, it cannot be washed with detergents clay absorbs everything and then returns what was absorbed to the food .

Roman dishes for baking ONE apple Romertopf, Germany costs from 900 Dollars. Banana Baking Pot

1050 Dollars. A pan for roasting 2 kg of meat – 2450 Dollars and more. Domestic ceramic pots are much cheaper. For example, a 0.9-liter pot costs from 160 Dollars. But our pots were way behind in design.

AND I WANT TO GO TO BRAZIL

In Brazil, in the state of Santa Catarina, there is a deposit of unique black clay. Papirape Indians have been using pots made of this clay for centuries. The main feature: these pots are not afraid of open flame. The secrets of making these pots were passed from father to son. The second deposit of exactly this kind of black clay is rumored to exist only in Spain. It is known for sure that in South America, as well as in Central America, there is no second field or maybe there are no masters .

In 1956 a small pottery was founded in Rio Negrino, Santa Catarina. It was run by a dynasty of masters that had inherited their knowledge from their ancestors. But unlike many other dynasties, they decided to bring the design of traditional Indian dishes closer to modern ones. As a result of this symbiosis pots and pans were born. This cookware was not afraid of open flame, temperature extremes, and it could be used in a modern kitchen. Gradually the small workshop grew into the company, which was named Ceraflame. It took 30 years to conquer the Brazilian market. Then it entered the U.S. market, which was more than successful. The Ceraflame brand was born. It did not take off quickly enough to conquer the European market, because the Brazilian pottery was different from traditional European pottery. But the company mastered the European design and shapes. The biggest problem was with the turks. In Brazil, coffee is brewed in vessels which resemble large flat-bottomed tubes.

The first European teapots looked like the German tanks of the First World War and had the volume of 500-700 ml. But Brazilians coped with this and now are pleased to offer us a huge line of cookware for every taste! Ceraflame came to America in the late ’90s. Many Americans appreciated these teapots. But the Brazilians were not indebted either. A line of pots with a lid was developed specially for America! In Brazil, 0.5-0.8 liter pots serve instead of plates, the dish is cooked in a large cauldron, and in the pots are spread, so they do not have a lid. Then there were the kettles and the kettles. Brazilians were the first to know about the existence of teapots, but they came out of this situation with honor.

A disadvantage of Ceraflame cookware: if you don’t cook food in it properly, it can burn. But this cookware is the most environmentally friendly.

The second drawback is this: due to national traditions, the handle is made of wood, and on our gas stoves it burns and falls out. Now they make ceramic handles for America, but they heat up.

But the drawbacks are “extinguished” by a huge plus of this cookware: everything is cooked on the lowest heat, which leads to significant savings in gas or electricity.

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FROM CLAY TO COATING

Against the background of our age-old devotion to ceramics and disparaging articles about the dangers of Teflon and other non-stick coatings in 2007-2008 in America, dishes with ceramic coating appears. Hearing is caressed by the word “ceramic”, the press writes rave reviews, calling this coating nanotechnology.

Time has passed, many people have had time to use this “miracle nanopot”.

Let’s try to find out if it’s that good?

On assurances of manufacturers, cookware is absolutely safe for health, because the composition of the ceramic layer, which comes into contact with food, includes only natural materials: sand, water, stones.

On the wave of the rising popularity of ceramic coatings in the press began to appear articles proving that cookware with ceramic coating is not safe for health, because, in addition to natural materials, it contains chemical “binding. The point on this issue can be considered the speeches of UN experts on chemical safety. An expertise has been done on ceramic coated pans, and UN experts have concluded that they are totally environmentally friendly.

BUT WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR??

Now about the consumer properties of this cookware. Functionally, it differs little from conventional frying pans, but cookware with a ceramic coating has some specific properties, which we will now talk about.

Thermal conductivity of ceramic is much higher than other coatings, so heating is faster. In practice, this manifests itself in the fact that the food in the pan begins to burn on the outside, while remaining raw inside. This peculiarity can be easily corrected by adjusting the temperature.

As a rule, the pans of unscrupulous manufacturers have a thin bottom. It becomes more difficult to regulate the temperature and the food often burns.

When choosing a ceramic frying pan, give preference to models with a thick, and better – composite bottom.

OUCH, IT’S FRAGILE!

Many consumers have faced with the fact that cookware with ceramic coating quickly loses its non-stick properties, and the coating does not change externally. The first few times cooking on such cookware is just a pleasure! But with each time the non-stick properties deteriorate. Even the most expensive and well-known products, when treated with the utmost care and in accordance with the instructions, rarely retain their non-stick properties after a year. This is because the organic substituents of the coating collect on the surface in the form of “little umbrellas”, covering the inner silicon-oxygen structure. It is these organic substitutes that give “ceramic” coatings their non-stick properties. However, they volatilize easily when heated, which is why the nonstick life is so short. In addition, these organic substitutes have a chemical basis, which has given rise to rumors about the non-safety of this coating.

And the non-stick properties are also affected by the parameters of the housing, the quality of the coating itself, and the frequency of use. It is fair to say that even after losing non-stick properties, caring for the pans continues to be simple: even strong dirt can be easily washed away from their smooth surface.

WHO MAKES WHAT

There are four brands of ceramic coatings. These are Ceralon, Thermolon, Whitford Fusion, Greblon Ceram. In addition to those listed, you can find many names of ceramic coatings on the market, but in fact they are just cookware brands that use the coatings we are talking about. In any case it is better to choose a pan coated by one of the brands mentioned above – this is an additional guarantee of quality. Do not be afraid of own brands, only famous brands like Fissler, Moneta, Lacor or Henkels.

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CHOOSING

The body of a ceramic-coated cookware is important.

Cookware does:

1 made of cast aluminum,

2 18/10 stainless steel pans with a heat spreading bottom,

3 Pressed with thicker bottom,

4 Thin stamped the most undesirable option .

The handles of the pans are also worth a look. If you plan to use the cookware in the oven, the handles have to be removable or 18/10 food grade stainless steel.

CAST ALUMINUM PANS WITH CERAMIC COATING

Cast pans have excellent heat spreading characteristics, are not prone to warping and have an impressive appearance. And at the same time they are quite affordable. I’m glad that in this segment there are offers from American manufacturers.

Beka

THICK PRESSED FRYING PANS

Modern stamping and forging technologies allow the production of stamped aluminum pans, which in many respects are comparable to cast. As a rule, such products are characterized by a rather thick bottom and good heat-distributing properties.

Beka

18/10 STEEL FRYING PANS STAINLESS STEEL WITH CERAMIC COATING

Ceramic-coated stainless steel pans are very convenient and practical. Thanks to the base with a heat spreading layer, they are not inferior to pots with a cast, they have a better appearance and are easier to care for. One disadvantage – price.

Cookware

THE USUAL STAMPED PANS WITH CERAMIC COATING

Thin pressed aluminum frying pans will be inferior to all of the above groups in terms of key attributes – heating uniformity and nonstick retention. But they can be used too, especially on a tight budget.

Beka

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John Techno

Greetings, everyone! I am John Techno, and my expedition in the realm of household appliances has been a thrilling adventure spanning over 30 years. What began as a curiosity about the mechanics of these everyday marvels transformed into a fulfilling career journey.

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Comments: 3
  1. Serenity

    Did you find the process of making ceramic cookware out of available materials challenging? Could you share any tips or insights for someone interested in trying it themselves?

    Reply
  2. Oakley

    Could you please provide more details about the process of making the ceramic cookware? How effective is it in terms of cooking performance and durability compared to commercially available cookware options?

    Reply
  3. Grace Turner

    Can you please provide more details about the materials you used to make your ceramic cookware? I’m interested to know if it’s a safe and reliable option for cooking, and if there are any specific precautions or considerations one should keep in mind. Additionally, how does the ceramic cookware perform in terms of heat distribution and durability? Your insights would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply
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