Worrisome thread about Teflon

[Stinky The Clown]

Has everyone seen this thread in LBN?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1144587

Here's an alternative ..... not cheap, but reasonably effective.

http://www.sitramcookware.com/cybernox.htm

I have three sizes of fry pans and they actually work pretty well. To be sure, they're not as slick as teflon. You couldn't, for example, do eggs in the without any fat like you can in teflon, but you can sure use a lot less. The actual material was developed for the aerospace industry and the French government underwrote the development of other uses for it. Cookware is one that seems to be successful. As their literature says, it is not a coating. It is more like the mutli-ply cookware like All Clad, except the material is on the inside only.

[NMDemDist2]

1. all the more reason to keep those loverly cast irons around n/t

[NashVegas]

10. No Kidding

I have an old "Good Health" brand cast iron that I took from my father's belongings when he passed on, 25 years ago. Except that it's not much good for omelets, it's the best pan I've ever owned and still gets plenty of use.

[Eurobabe]

2. I have stopped using my Teflon All-Clad

this stuff is dangerous to your thyroid as well. (teflon residues)

[eyesroll]

3. I have pet birds, so there is no Teflon in my house...

Cast iron does well, as does silicone bakeware.

[Qanisqineq]

4. I have a pet bird and got new pots and pans for Christmas

I specifically asked for non-teflon because of the dangers. I kept only one small frying pan with teflon and I use it rarely -- just for eggs but I make those maybe once every two months.

[The empressof all]

5. Me too!

I got rid of all my Teflon about 8 months ago but I did just get a coated pan for omelette's. I did have a wonderful stainless pan I used for omelets only. Unfortunately, I forgot to hide it one day and husband used it for something -- It was never the same after that.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Here's a VERY viable and reasonably priced alternative to Teflon

This picture shows a crepe pan. In actual fact, it is a carbon steel frying pan. Uncoated, unfancy, unglamorous, enormously capable, very old fashioned. Treat these like you would your cast iron pan. Season it the same (except it seasons a lot faster) and never use soap in it. In short order it will build up a coating of 100% natural carbon that is just about as non stick as teflon. The advantage of this over cast iron is that it is far lighter in weight and faster to respond to heat. While cast iron holds heat forever, it takes a while to get hot. This will heat almost instantly, but won't hold heat very long. It makes the perfect egg pan. You can also do other things in it .... probably anything you'd use a teflon fry pan for, except maybe very high liquid items that might tend to "dissolve" the seasoned coating you worked so hard to build up and preserve. If the "non-stick" ever does stops non-sticking, all ya do is re-season it. The pans are nothing but steel - nothing to break or wear out. Virtually indestructible.

And it'll probably cost all of 15 bucks! The only down side ..... they may be hard to find. While still very much in production, they're not as popular as they once were. Below the picture is a link to an internet site that has them.



http://fantes.com/crepe.htm#steel

[madmax]

8. Husb... the link doesn't work

says: 'Unauthorized to use this site.' :-( You must have connections ;)

[Stinky The Clown]

9. Try this link

I just tried my original link and it was working.

That said, try this link:

http://fantes.com/

Scroll down the menu at the left of the page and click on "crepe". When you get to the crepe page, click on "Carbon Steel Crepe Pans" or just scroll down the page and you'll see them. Note that they are available as normal pans and with non-stick (Teflon).

[madmax]

11. Thanks... n/t

[wildeyed]

12. I saw the small size yesterday at World Market.

It was very inexpensive.

[Stepup2]

7. ditto on the birds in the house

I actually stopped using it before I had birds because it always seemed the stuff flaked off into the food