A frying pan is an integral part of the kitchen, and the right frying pan will improve the foods that you cook. Here are five parts of a pan to look out for when you are choosing the right pan for your needs…
Body – The body of the pan is the main part. It should be chosen based on the types of foods that you are most likely to be preparing, as different materials have different benefits, and some tend to suit certain foods better than others. Some pans also have different layers of metals that make up their body – for example, a metal like copper that is great at conducting heat, may be coated with a stronger metal like steel to get the best of both worlds for example.
Rim – This is the edge of the pan, and there are generally two different styles of rim on a frying pan. A rim that has a rolled edge will be a better type for pouring, whereas a straighter rim makes it easier to keep the ingredients in the pan, like when making a pancake and tossing it or turning it for example.
Surface – This is the part of the pan that the food will be cooked on. A non stick surface makes cooking and cleaning up easier – coatings like this PTFE coating www.poeton.co.uk/standard-treatments/electroless-nickel-plating or a ceramic coating on a pan, mean that you can cook foods like eggs without running the risk of them sticking to the pan. You need to follow the care and cleaning instructions for the particular surface to ensure you keep it non-stick for as long as possible.
Base – The base of a frying pan is the part that comes into contact with the hob. If you have a flat-topped electric hob, go for a pan with a flat base. Be aware of the type of hob that you have, as this will affect how the food is cooked, and it is also worth bearing in mind that some metals cannot be used with certain types of hobs.
Handle – The part of the pan that you hold is important for your own comfort and needs to suit your own needs and the way that you personally like to cook. Some handles, such as wooden ones can stay cooler, but it is worth going to a shop and trying out different handles to see how comfortable they are to hold and use.