There is a lot of misinformation or just bad information regarding non-stick cookware floating about in the Internet.

I see frequent Tweets, Face Book posts and blogs referencing reports from organizations or individuals with vested interests that are poorly researched or with opinion not backed by facts.  It appears that continued use of non-stick cookware will kill a majority of our birds or cause liver cancer for all in the vicinity.  This is mostly inaccurate!

According to the Voluntary Stewardship Program, non-stick coating manufactures have until 2015 to phase out all

products that have resins made with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) but most will be in compliance by 2011 and many have made the switch all ready.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency previously tasked manufactures with reducing their PFOA emissions by 95% before 2010 and they did.

Now, coating manufacturers are taking additional steps to ensure that their products are in compliance or better because consumers are asking for it and because they have the capability to do so now.

Despite slanted reports otherwise and much publicity regarding PFOA, non-stick coating manufacturers have maintained consistently that PFOA is not present in finished cookware product. The curing process effectively burns off any PFOA that may be in the coatings material, resulting in a finished product that if PFOA free.

Supporting this is a 2007 Consumer Reports research task to ascertain the potential release of PFOA from an over heated pan.  The research tested pans from different manufactures and simulate consumer usage of one, three and six months of use.  Researchers then heated the pans to 400o F and measure the air above the products.  Consumer Reports study found very little PFOA in the tested air samples. The highest  level was about 100 times lower that the levels that animal studies suggested are a concern for  ongoing exposure to PFOA.

However, to address the continuing consumer perceptions, non-stick coating makers have developed replacement coatings without PFOA and some have also eliminated PTFE.  According to industry analysts, four major coating suppliers offer coatings without PFOA including Dupont whose brand is Teflon.

Recently release products use silicone and ceramic coating (Swiss Diamond uses a diamond coating without PFOA).  Several of the traditional producers have not been convinced the new PTFE free coatings will perform adequately over time and they tend to have less durability.

From the consumer’s point of view, if there is a significant concern regarding emissions for their non-stick cookware that is more than four years old, these products could be replaced.  But unlike the fear mongers on Twitter, non-stick does not have to be banned from your kitchen.  Non-stick products released in the last year or so are PFOA free.  And so called “green“ products are also PTFE free.

On Iron Chef America and other celebrity chef cooking shows, you can observe them using non-stick cookware often.  It just works best for some applications.  So you can still create those great omelets with you non-stick skillet without endangering birds or anyone in your family.

The International Home and Housewares Show is opening this week end in Chicago.  This event sets that tone for housewares retailing for the year.  After two years of pessimistic participation, this year looks like there will be a lot more optimism.

There are over 500 new exhibitors scheduled to participate in the show this year compared to last (which was one of the smallest in years) and it is anticipated that there will be a significant increase in retailers at the show as well.

What’s that source for this optimism given that the employment situation continues to be dismal, the housing market does not appear to be at the bottom yet and the economy is still struggling to grow?

There are a couple of reasons:  the cookware industry, while not totally recession proof, fared better that most other retail segments over the last year and a half.  There are signs the consumers are starting to buy cookware in support of the trend of families eating out less often and cooking more meals at home.

So many suppliers believe that 2010 is the year that consumer spending will begin to increase and sales will improve.  A question will be whether the retailers will anticipate the same behavior shift.

One thing to note is that suppliers are positioning themselves to be in position to support growth in sales at the retail level without putting additional pressure on retailers.  They are doing this by improving inventory systems and reducing producer margins.  Most retailers will remain cautious and will manage on-site inventories very close to sales expectations.  Thus producers and distributors will become much more efficient in sensing and responding to in store inventory needs – reduced order quantities, more frequent order cycles and faster delivery processes.

As an example, Swiss Diamond, marketer of non-stick cast aluminum cookware, worked with its retailers on promotions and pricing which allowed them to increase sales by more than 10% in 2009.  This is compared to flat sales for the category as a whole.

Key to sales growth was customers response to value oriented product offerings (note this does not just mean lowest priced products) and it is expected that these value trend will continue for some time.

Another key to was the continuation of the celebrity chef trend.  While some names lost that cache, there were several new participants that buoyed sales.  Plus there are a few new names that will be entering the marketplace such as Giada De Laurentis and Cat Cora.

An interesting side note was the impact the movie “Julie and Julia” had on cookware sales.  Not only did Le Creuset get a big jump in interest but the movie increased the overall interest in cooking and French cookware.

The interesting thing to watch will be what comes forth from the Home and Housewares Show this weekend.  It could signal a shift in the market:  a shift away from general brands toward private labels and celebrity chef labels;  a shift from large sets of cookware toward value packs and promotions; and and a shift from a concentration of quality products sold in a few name brand stores toward a wide array of outlets and online retailers.

Regardless this weekend could be the forerunner of what the cookware business will look like over the coming few years and that look will probably be quite different from that of the decade just past.

Now that we can start to think that the last of the snow has finally come and hopefully gone, it is time to start thinking about our garden.  Home gardening will be a growing trend this year.  Even our First Lady, Michelle Obama, has been touting her garden at the White House over the last year.

So what is in store for this year?

According to the National Gardening Association there will be a 19% increase in households growing there own fruits, vegetables and herbs.  54% of households grow their own food primarily to save money on groceries.  But most important, it takes only $70 to plant a garden that can yield $530 worth of produce per season.

That last statement is interesting.  A few seeds and seedlings combined with some planting mix and little water and some continued attention (and we are talking a couple of hours a week) can save you over five hundred dollars in food bills.

The unmentioned side benefit is that fruits and vegetables taken from your own garden not only taste better but are higher in nutrients.  Taste better and healthier - what more could you ask?

So take some time as soon as the last frost is gone to prepare a small garden, plant some squash, tomatoes, lettuce or what ever suits your fancy.  And don't forget some herbs - basel, thyme, and parsley.  Get the kids involved as well.  It may be one way to get them to eat their vegetables if they grow them and pick them and cook them themselves.

And think of the conversations you can have when you discover the zucchini hidden under a bunch of leaves that has grown to two or three feet long.

There are many advantages to having  your own garden, so start planning now.

Have your heard of the "new normal"?    This is the phrase coined to define the ways things will be in the recovery of the recession/depression of 2009.   The inference is that as things recover, they will not recover back to what they were two years ago.  But the new normal will be very different.   Customers will behave differently.   Suppliers will behave differently.  And the new economy will seem much different in many subtle ways.

Behaviors of both consumers and retailers will be different. Cash and capital will not be as plentiful as in the past. And even when people have the money, they will be a quite a bit more studious on when, where and how they spend it.

As the consumer starts to spend again and the economy starts to rebound, the new models will be significantly different and retailers will have to adapt these new behaviors of customers and competitors in order to thrive.

What are some of those differences?

• People will be looking more at sustainable products – in terms of the materials that are used (are they natural, do they use recycled materials, are they produced locally) and also in the way they are manufactured and shipped (are energy efficient processes used, is packaging using recycled materials)
• More than half the people in the world will be living in cities for the first time in history. In addition, people are spending more time at home. Space and time saving innovation will become more important for product evolution.
• The aging population will require designers to develop more ergonomic designs such that products are not only easier to handle but less complex and easier to use.
• More young people are cooking, with men learning to cook as well. Whether this is due to the number of cooking shows on TV or the number of cooking games on smart phones is unclear. But hipper, eye appealing design products will emerge to meet this new market.
• Consumers will become smarter and more discerning. First by become smarter buyers becoming better informed. Second by being more discriminating regarding when, where and on what they spend their money – looking for the best value not just the best price. Third they will be price aware using smart phones to compare both online and off line pricing.
• With more people cooking and entertaining at home to save money, they will want to recreate a restaurant experience and will be looking for better quality cookware so they can replicate those great meals.

While there will continue to be the attitude of “if I buy a set of cookware from the leading vendor, I will have what I need.” Over time, the realization that specific items for specific uses is much more effective. This will evolve to innovative items designed for niches of use and will include different products based upon the unique needs of ethnic users.

So there will be two divergent trends, one toward a common set of cooking tools and appliances and one toward unique special purpose items. Retailers may have to choose which market they want to serve as to do both could be expensive in terms of inventory and marketing.

This will provide an opportunity for online retailers to create specific niches where their expertise matches the unique needs and wants of a subset of consumers. These consumers will tend to be more loyal as they believe they can obtain quality products and superior values. It is then up to the retailer to fulfill those needs consistently over time.

This would seem to be the perfect environment for the specialty online retailer.  They just have to get recognized!

We have been talking about our great cookware for a couple of years or so. But much of the conversation has been based upon research and discussions with others. So to change that, I bought a Chasseur Dutch oven for my wife’s birthday and a Fissler Pressure Pan set for Christmas. Should have done this sooner!

The Dutch oven has been in almost constant use for the last month or so and both my wife and I continue to rave about the ease of use, the fantastic results and the quick easy clean up. We have used it for soups, stews and pot roasts so far. For stews, the even consistent heat makes browning the stew meat quick. Then a quick deglaze with some wine and the vegetables and stock and let simmer until everything is cooked just right.

Probably the surprising thing was not the ease of use or the results but how little heat was needed to maintain the simmer. We used high heat to brown the meat which got the Dutch oven hot throughout. The heat was then turned down after all the ingredients were added. The residual heat in the pot quickly brought everything up to simmer and we only needed low heat to keep it there.

I will have more to say about the Dutch oven.

Our other addition, the Fissler Presure Pan, has been even more amazing in some respects. Just to test is out we tried cooking chuck ribs and they turned out amazing. They were juicy, tasted and tender almost falling off the bone. As this was done in 20 minutes! Using the more standard roasting method the ribs would take close to an hour and a half to get them that tender. Vegetables takes just a couple of minutes. Even a beef stew, which we did in two stages, took only about 25 or 30 minutes from start to finish.

But the key is not just the savings in time but the flavor and color of the ingredients that are retained. We used less than half the seasoning we normally use yet the food turned out equally flavorful and moist.

Pressure cookers are showing up frequently on the Iron Chef competition and you know these chefs would be unwilling to trade off time for quality and flavor. So we will have much more to discuss about them as well.

What we have learned in the last few months is that quality cookware does make a difference and does so in more ways than we would normally think. First, it is just easier to do things with good cookware. The results are better – better looking, better tasting and healthier. And the added benefit is they save time and energy.

We should have done this a long time ago rather than just talking about it.

Happy Thanksgiving from Your Smart Kitchen

As the snow starts to find its way here to Northern Nevada and the Tahoe ski areas, does it seem that winter is arriving earlier this year.  Skiing for Thanksgiving in not usual in the Sierras.  But one thing that normal is the increased activity in the kitchen.  This is a great time to walk in from the cold brisk outdoors into a warm house with the inviting smells of freshly baked bread, cookies and other temptations.  To say nothing of the smells created from the preparations for traditioanl holiday dinners.

Here in our household, holidays are family time. Along with the incredibly fantastic meals created and eaten, there comes laughter and memories that will last a lifetime. Every year and every feast has something different but completely wonderful to offer and these memories are ones that are cherished. There have been many food-related mishaps over the years, including the turkey that was done in 45 minutes instead of the planned 3 hours because I forgot to put the pan of water in the barbecue smoker.  But looking back I can't remember a dinner event that hasn't turned out great. I am pretty sure I'm not the only one who is looking forward to the next delicious holiday feast.

Here's hoping it's a great one. So to everyone out there, who can't join us at our table, have a great holiday season!

Quality Cookware for 20% - 30% Less the Traditional Retailers

Most everyone is looking for value for this holiday season.  Our feeling is that value comes with things that you use frequently and can enjoy for many years. Our French, Italian and American cookware offers superior craftsmanship combined with lifetime warrantees.  Your Smart Kitchen compliments this with great prices and your guaranteed satisfaction.

In a "back to the future" kind of way, pressure cookers have become popular again.  They can frequently be seen featured on the Iron Chef and other Food Network television programs.  These are not the clunky canisters with the screw down wing nuts of our grandmother's kitchen but are easy to use versatile utensils for the modern kitchen.

Pressure cookers can cut cooking times for many recipes by nearly half.  The results are fantastic as the moisture and flavors are compressed back into the meat and accompaniments.  Our Fissler Blue Star pressure pans and cookers are industry leaders in innovation and versatility and are easy to use, easy to clean and totally safe.

Discover Clay Bakers - Get Your Free Clay Baker Cookbook!

If you have not discovered clay bakers yet - then  you are in for a treat!  This time-tested way of preparing meals is quick and easy plus your meals will be healthier and tastier the ever.  Sign up for our newsletter (if you are not all ready a subscriber) while  visiting Your Smart Kitchen and I'll send you our Clay Baker Favorites Cookbook free.

Guaranteed Satisfaction

When you make a purchase from Your Smart Kitchen you can rest assured that you will be pleased.  If you find your cookware is not quite right for you, we will take it back. If it arrives damaged, we will replace it quickly at no additional cost.  And if you cannot find what you are looking for, let us know and we will endeavor to find it for you.

Take a moment and visit YourSmartKitchen.com.  Check out our lines of German made stainless steel and French cast iron cookware or for that special occasion the French copper cookware.  Also, visit our new mini-sites — ClayBakerStore.com and YourFisslerStore.com for some special deals.

Here is a special deal you do not have to wait for Black Friday:  use coupon code "YSK-2009" for 12.5% off on all cookware through the end of the month at Your Smart Kitchen.

Happy Cooking!

Terry Retter
ChefWannabee.com

(Sorry this is late but I had a computer failure which caused a two day delay)

I was going to write a post about preparing your turkey for the holidays.  The closing line was going to be:

"If you do not have time to brine your turkey and do all of the other preparation work, then just go to your local grocery store and get a Butterball Turkey and work from there."

Then I ran across this newsletter from a friend and thought this would be a better post for the time.  So with thanks to John Graham —

Why is the Thanksgiving turkey such a mysterious creature? We eat it with the greatest of ease, but cooking it is another matter. Turkeys frequently come out overcooked, undercooked, and occasionally covered in edible pink glitter and body paint. (Trust me. I saw it on YouTube.)

That’s not the worst of it, though. Butterball hosts a hot-line that fields about 100,000 calls each Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of those calls have been publicly disclosed because they’re just so funny. There have been documented calls from first-time turkey bakers who worried that the bird would rise like a loaf of bread when cooked. There have been frantic calls from harried hosts that cleaned their birds with metal scouring pads, and now needed help getting the metal bits out of the turkey. And there has even been a call from an aspiring cook who wondered how best to carve their bird with a chainsaw, and whether motor oil could be used to make a good baste.

But the following three anecdotes have to be the very best of the worst. They have been confirmed as real calls by the Butterball Turkey-Talk Line and Snopes.Com. As you read them, remind yourself that, no matter what you do, your turkey will probably come out better than the ones listed here!

“Dude, Where’s My Turkey?”

It’s not easy to misplace a turkey. But it happened to a caller from Colorado, who shoved her turkey into a snow bank to store overnight, as she had no room in her fridge. She called the Turkey Talk-Line to ask if it would be okay to eat the turkey after it had been stored thusly. However, she soon found that a heavy blanket of snow had fallen. The white, featureless landscape made it impossible for her to find where she had buried the turkey. We never learned if she recovered the bird. If not, well, at least the local wildlife had a nice buffet once the snow melted.

“What’s that Smell?”

A young mother once shared her tale of turkey woe. Apparently, her kids had been playing in the kitchen while she was stuffing the turkey. These kids were fond of matchbox cars, and had decided that their toys needed a new place to park. Many hours later, the mother discovered that the kids had chosen the turkey for their new parking space. It isn’t clear whether she discovered the toy cars immediately after removing the turkey from the oven, or if they were revealed during carving. Regardless, those turned out to be some hot, melted, and probably traumatized little vehicles. She should have entered a contest for the most creative stuffing recipe.

“Help! The Turkey Ate my Chihuahua!”

Speaking of things stuck in a turkey…

A Kentucky woman called the Butterball Turkey-Talk Line in 1993, asking how to get her Chihuahua out of a turkey. It soon became apparent that the tiny dog had dived right into the carcass and couldn’t get back out. Pulling the dog didn’t work. Shaking the turkey didn’t work. Finally, she was instructed to make the hole a little bigger so that the pooch could escape. It worked! At least she didn’t have to perform a C-Section.

Marge Klindera has been working at the Butterball hot-line for 25 years. She says that callers are usually very grateful for the advice they receive. And what do Turkey-Talk Line employees eat while they’re at work? Usually hot soup. Marge says it helps sooth their throats after all the talking.

HFN (Home Furnishings Magazine), took a look at some of the best products of the year from thousands of products seen at the International Home and Housewares Show in March and the  Gourmet Housewares Show in August and selected winners in each of several categories.http://www.yoursmartkitchen.com/store-products-6732-Covered-Saute-Pan-w-Stainles-Steel-Handle_1095813387.html--escaped_anchor:f6ce9b8c5ce2c45611e5f42ab956b609--

The Aware of Excellence was given to Swiss Diamond for Cookware:  in particular the Model 6732 Saute Pan.  This covered saute pan is not only Swiss Diamond's newest, is the first of a cookware series that adds stainless steel handles to its diamond reinforced non-stick line of pot, pans, skillets, roasters and grills.  Currently this is the lines larget item with a 5.8 quart capacity and measuring 12.5 inches in diameter.

The Model 6732 Saute Pan will ably help prepare meals for families or big gatherings.  The pan features both ergonomic stainless steel handle and pressure cast helping handle for easy control.

Currently for select distribution, the Model 6732 can be found at Your Smart Kitchen

I received a call this week from someone (not a customer) who had a question about their clay baker which had been stored in the cupboard for awhile.  There was some green growth on the inside of the baker and she was concerned about using it.

When she called she said the had been washed with a mild liquid detergent and now there was concern about soap in the food.  I suggested first a good rinse to remove the detergent followed by thorough scrub of her baker with baking soda (maybe twice if she was really concerned) and it should be alright.

What I forgot was my basic kitchen chemistry.

The green growth was from the residual protein left in the clay pours from its last use (not residual moisture as believed by the caller).  So the thing to do is neutralize this by washing the baker with an acid such as white vinegar.  The rinse and wash with baking powder which will neutralize the acid.  Then rinse again and the clay baker is ready for use.

After using, do not wash the porous clay baker with liquid soap.  Rinse it and scrub with a soft bristle brush.  If there is still food stuck to the baker, let it soak for a few hours or over night and scrub with the bristle brush again.  This should remove everything.  Don't  use a metal scrubber as this can damage the surface of your baker.

Simple but consistent care for your clay baker will keep in good shape to last you for years.

As the holidays get closer there are more and more opportunities to grab a quick snack.  Instead of empty calories snacks or candy other goodies that seem to multiply at this time of the year, here are a dozen or so of nutritious and tasty snacks that you can have available or whip up in a flash.

• Popcorn is one of the easiest and offers lots of alternatives.  Sprinkle you favorite flavor on top which could include anything from lemon zest to dark chocolate shavings
• A small cube or hard cheese (such as Gouda or Pecorino) combined with a hand full of dried fruit - apricots, plums, apples, etc.
• A handful of spicy almonds - available at most markets or make your own roasting bulk almonds mixed with your favorite spice mix
• A handful of almonds mixed with dried cherries or blueberries or yellow raisins.
• Rye melba toast or other flat bread spread with low fat cream cheese and cranberries
• Low fat yogurt combined with chopped walnuts and honey
• One cup of mixed cereal - combine bran flakes, oat rounds, wheat chex, granola  but check to see that the cereals have a low sugar and fat content.
• A waffle topped with fruit preserves or honey or fresh berries - make some extra waffles and keep them in the freezer, pop them in the toaster for a quick pick me up
• Sliced cucumbers and a couple of wedges of light Swiss cheese such as Laughing Cow

Of course as a fall back there are prepackaged alternatives, such as:

• A small bag of Glenny's Soy Crisps
• Energy bar containing at least four grams of protein (but watch the fat and calorie content and no candy bars)

This time of year is generally one on of the busiest and snacks can keep you going.  There is more and more evidence that snacking is actually good for you.  There is even one program that suggests that 5 or 6 little meals a day is better tha the traditional three squares taught to us by our grandparents.  But here are some good reasons to snack:

• Research shows that eating three meals a day with two or three snack in between can make your metabolism more efficient.
• If you wait until your are really hungry, you'll frequently eat more calories when you do sit down for supper
• Snacks are a good way to be sure you get all the nutrients in you diet.  Picking the right snacks can add fill in the extra minerals that might be included in regular meals.
• Snacks put you in a better mood

So forget those sayings - "don't spoil your dinner" and others or the belief that snacking will lead an expanding waist line.  Snacking with nutritious and tasty alternatives will control hunger pangs, augment you vitamin and mineral intake and generally keep you in a better mood.