project

The frying pan is a shallow metal utensil of rounded form, with curved sides, and a handle that is usually equal in length to the diameter of the pan. The egg and crepe pan has the same features as the frying pan, but has a sloping body and is always smaller in size. Both utensils, typically used for frying and sautéing, are of ancient origin: in fact, the first specimens of similar items were found at the excavations in Pompeii. In its present form, the frying pan probably dates back to the sixteenth century, when it was made of hammered iron. In the following centuries, when its use became widespread, it was fashioned from different metals: first enameled iron, then aluminium, and finally stainless steel. The history of the frying pan is interesting: whereas in European continental cooking it has always been reserved for its prime purpose, Frying, and only rarely for Sautéing (potatoes, vegetables, escalopes...), in Mediterranean cooking, its scope has progressively broadened from the beginning of this century and it has become the typical utensil for Sautéing any kind of meat, fish or vegetable (fillet steak, pork chops, veal escalopes, trout cooked in butter and sage, tossed spinach...). One important functional difference between this pan and the low casserole with two handles has already been explained: it has curved instead of straight sides, making the casserole more suitable for certain kinds of sautéing. Pierre and Michel Troisgros helped us to establish the right bending radius for the side, which is indispensable for cooking certain dishes to perfection, and particularly for folding omelettes. Our pans are available in two versions: - The classic model in black iron, the metal originally used for frying pans. Apropos of this, we must remember that food is fried by immersing it in boiling fat, but it is very important that the fat does not reach “smoking point” because when it starts to smoke it begins to break down, producing among other things acrolein which is an irritant and most harmful to the stomach. When a thick layer of iron, which is a poor heat conductor, is adopted it regulates the heat transmitted by the flame, thus preventing a sudden rise in temperature which immediately causes the temperature inside the pan to increase. - The new version in mulitply (steel coating + thick layer of aluminium + 8/10 stainless steel lining), which has fewer professional features than the previous one but more varied uses, due to its capacity for heat conduction, and has the added advantages of being much easier to clean and functioning on electric hot plates. The EGG AND CREPE PAN, as we know it today, originated as one of a range of kitchen utensils used in France during the Second Empire. A small utensil, it is very useful for several cooking techniques such as frying eggs in butter, making crêpes, small omelettes and escalopes of foie gras.