The Appeal of Enamel

You can add style to your kitchen by adding trendy enamel cookware. However, don't let this glitzy cookware fool you into thinking that it's just a pretty face. The appeal of enamel goes beyond skin deep and will help you improve the quality of your cooking.

Porcelain enamel is a glassy coating that's applied to the outside of pans made from cast iron or aluminum. Enamel is made when tiny pieces of colored glass are melted and then fused at temperatures above 176 degrees onto the outside of the cookware materials.

The enamel process is actually a thousand years old, although earnest experimentation didn't begin in Germany until the 18th century. Eventually enameled cookware found its way to the American Colonies. It wasn't until the late 19th century that demand began to grow for these unique pots.

Enamel cookware includes the following benefits:

• Easy cleanup: An enamel coating on a pan makes cleaning a snap over other surfaces. Rub with a hot, soapy sponge followed by a clean rinse. That usually does the trick. If that's too much trouble, most enameled cookware is actually safe to put in your dishwasher.
• Even heat temperature: One of the most important reasons cooks prefer enamel cookware is because of the way it provides even heat distribution during the cooking process. Foods baked in enamel-coated casseroles and Dutch ovens, which are often used for low-temperature baking, are more successful because of this feature.
• Flexible: Enamel cookware can be rotated quickly from the stove top or oven to the table. Its flexibility also includes seamless adaptability to electric or glass stove tops. You won't have to worry about an enameled pot scratching any cooking surface.
• Durable and sanitary: It's hard to beat a surface that won't rust and is stain- and scratch-resistant. Throw in the fact that enamel won't retain food odors or harbor germs, and you can see why more and more cooks are buying enameled cookware.
• No special care: Unlike cast-iron cookware that needs to be "seasoned" periodically, enamel coatings require no special care.
• Updated style: Enamel cookware comes in variety of colors and designs to enhance any kitchen decor. You can buy colors that match your place settings for oven-to-table service.

Add a piece to your collection and discover for yourself the appeal of enamel. Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse even sells his own line called "Emerilware."