I first went to Gourdo's. The store personnel, Ryan, was very attentive and listened to my rants (though I overstayed in the store). It just takes me too long to decide anything. I actually found the perfect size and shape of skillet at the right price - unfortunately, it was coated in Teflon, the very thing I wanted to avoid and the main reason I decided to shop for a new pan. I also found the cast iron cookware that they had very interesting (and the price was lower than I expected!), but they were just too heavy to haul back home.
Omelettes, frittatas, pancakes, crepes....In the end, I bought an 20 cm (8 in) frying pan, branded Green Pan which is supposed to be heat resistant up to 450°C or 850°F and uses Thermolon non stick technology instead of Teflon. Apparently it's ideal of shor high heat searing, frying, or flambeing. One has to be careful when using it though: warm it first (don't let it get too HOT), then pour in the oil, then wait about a minute for the oil to heat. The pan shouldn't get too hot. I bought this pan thinking it would be convenient for omelets and pancakes.
A wok, which I found out later has the same diameter at the bottom as my other smaller frypan! Oh well, I think it would be great for saucy/soupy dishes.I couldn't find the perfect skillet at Gourdo's so I went to Landmark instead and ended up with a 26cm (10 in) wok from the maker Neoflam. It's made with ceramic so apparently it's non-toxic and heats evenly. I really wanted a saute pan, but I figured a wok is versatile enough, and I'll be searing meat in batches either way. (I still wish I had an 11" skillet, but alas it is not to be). I find it strange though, that the pan recommends low to medium flame (and I thought woks require high heat?). Oh well, at least this means I don't burn my food.
Other new gadgets that I found myself having: a Microplane(!) and a set of smallish knives and kitchen shears.
The thought has been simmering at the back of my mind for a while, but this was definitely an impulse purchase. Do I really need to grate that much? O_o; But yeah, it would be great for zesting.I really hope these new pans and gadgets (that I paid a tidy sum for) would help push me to the next level.
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I ate lunch at New Bombay Greenbelt 4 (didn't realize they had a new branch there). The paneera and spinach was good though I'm surprised the chef didn't make it spicy enough! The lassi was GREAT. The naan was so-so. The best naan for me can really only be found at Pokhara....
For dessert, I went to the new French Patisserie called Bizu. It's only now that I fully realized that Japanese pastry shops are different because they follow the French style! I skipped the luscious-looking Operas and other mini cakes and opted for the Macarons instead (Php 35 each). I'm interested to know what all the hype was about. I had the mint, chocolate, and pistachio. It was sweet, but not in-your-face sweetness of local stuff, which was good. I think I should've stopped at the 2nd macaron, though. The sugar was starting to overwhelm me by the third piece. The chocolate flavored one was divine.
