Utensil Materials

Appears in
On Food and Cooking

By Harold McGee

Published 2004

  • About
Finally, a brief discussion of the materials from which we make our pots and pans. We generally want two basic properties in a utensil. Its surface should be chemically unreactive so that it won’t change the taste or edibility of food. And it should conduct heat evenly and efficiently, so that local hot spots won’t develop and burn the contents. No single material provides both properties.