FlyerTalk Forums - NYT Article on pans and cooking

Pretty cool semi-scientific experiments on various frying pans. Worth the read for the home cooks among us:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/08curi.html

Quote:

Pots and pans have a straightforward job: to deliver heat from the burner or oven to the food, and release the food to us neatly and cleanly when we want it.

Are the differences in how pans heat and release really significant? Would I improve the odds of getting my favorite potato galette to slip intact from the pan if I used something other than my usual stainless-coated aluminum?

To find out, I experimented for a few days with a dozen or so different pans, some old and some new. I learned that metals and surfaces do matter, but so do fat and heat management.

I was somewhat surprised by the results of the tests on cast iron pans (they're the worst), but then again, I don't use mine much, so that's probably why.

I do love my various non-sticks, but back when I cooked in restaurants, I always preferred the regular aluminum ones. (Of course it helped that I didn't care as much about the quantity of oil I used or how tough it would be for the dishwasher to clean them... :D )