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270 GUIDES GENERAL COOKWARE TIPS • Before using for the first time, remove all labels and wash in hot soapy water to remove any manufacturing lubricants on new cookware. • Never leave cookware on heat source without food or liquid inside. Overheating in this manner may cause warping or delamination of metal layers and could void warranty. • For safety and to prevent warping, allow cookware to cool before cleaning or immersion in water. • Direct contact with salt can cause pitting. Add salt to boiling water to dissolve it. • Salt solutions, acidic products like tomatoes, disinfectants, or bleaches can corrode cookware. Never store these items in cookware and avoid prolonged exposure. TYPES OF COOKWARE – USE & CARE ALUMINUM - Aluminum cookware is very popular because it is an excellent conductor of heat. Heat spreads quickly and evenly across the bottom, up the sides and across the cover to completely surround the food being cooked. Aluminum is also lightweight, so that even large pans are relatively easy to handle. Use and Care: After use, aluminum cookware should be allowed to cool before washing or soaking in order to safeguard against warping. Acidic foods (especially tomato-based sauces) and undissolved salt may cause pitting of the surface. Aluminum may stain when it contacts minerals in water and foods. Automatic dishwashing may increase the amount of staining due to the high heat of the drying cycle. Therefore, hand washing may be preferable. STAINLESS STEEL - Stainless steel cookware is exceptionally durable. It won't corrode or tarnish and its hard, non-porous surface is resistant to wear and scratching. Stainless steel cookware is usually made by combining stainless with other metals such as aluminum or copper to improve its heat conductivity. Use and Care: Stainless steel is one of the easiest materials to clean and keep clean. Washing and light scouring will remove soil and stubborn burns. As with aluminum cookware, long exposure to acidic or salty foods should be avoided to prevent pitting. COPPER - Copper's uniform heat conductivity makes it a good material for top-of-range cooking because the heat is distributed evenly. Copper cooking surfaces are usually lined with stainless steel or coated with a nonstock finish since foods left directly in contact with uncoated copper may become discolored. Use and Care: Copper can be easily polished with various commercial copper cleaners. INDUCTION - With induction cooking, heat is induced into the cookware, not transferred to it by the cooktop. An electromagnetic coil beneath the ceramic cooking surface creates a magnetic field which heats the cookware and its contents. The cookware must therefore have magnetic properties. Most types of induction cookware consist of several layers of different substances, usually stainless steel for its strength and magnetism and aluminum for its conductivity. Use and Care: As with traditional stainless steel cookware, washing and light scouring will keep the cookware clean and attractive. If the surface is stainless steel (rather than a non-stick coating) care should be taken with acidic and salty foods to avoid pitting. SPECIFIC COOKWARE TIPS NON-STICK COATINGS Allow non-stick coating to cool before cleaning. Hand wash in hot soapy water and dry immediately to preserve appearance. Use a non-woven scouring pad to remove burnt food. Avoid using abrasive cleaners, metal scouring pads, and strong solvents. When stacking pans, place liners between pans to avoid scratching non-stick surfaces. SEASONING NON-COATED ALUMINUM AND STAINLESS STEEL COOKWARE Season cookware before its first use. Clean and dry cookware. Spray the inside of the pan lightly with vegetable oil or use a small amount of shortening. Place cookware on burner at medium for 5-10 minutes, until light smoke or heat waves appear. When the oil/shortening turns a deep amber color, turn the burner off and allow to cool. Pour out liquid oil/shortening and wipe down pan with paper towels until all oil/shortening is removed. Cleaning with a mild soapy solution after each use will not affect the "seasoning" of the pan. O.K. to repeat this procedure as often as needed without doing damage to the cookware. CARBON STEEL COOKWARE Pans are shipped with mineral oil applied to the pan. Wipe down oil and clean the pan using hot soapy water. Dry immediately. After each use, clean and season. Wipe the inside and outside of the pan with unsalted cooking oil or shortening to prevent oxidation. The pan will turn a dark color as seasoning occurs after repeated use. REMOVING DISCOLORATION FROM ALUMINUM COOKWARE Boil a solution of two tablespoons of cream of tartar to each quart of water in the cookware for ten minutes. • All cookware will last longer and look better if washed by hand with hot soapy water. Always scrub in the direction of the material grain. Rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry completely. • Use of plastic, wooden or rubber utensils is recommended. • If label adhesive remains on cookware, wipe off with WD-40 and clean with warm soapy water. • To remove white film caused by starch or water minerals, rub with sponge that has been dipped in lemon juice or vinegar, then wash with hot, soapy water. • To remove food burnt to the bottom of cookware, boil a mild solution of vinegar and water for 10 minutes to dislodge food particles.