There are some pots/pans designed specifically for gas burners. Turbo Pots I wouldn't want to have to clean them though. This design increases the efficiency of a gas burner. I have doufeu from the 40s that has ridges on the bottom for the same reason. It was also made with a flat bottom for electric stoves. If you have some pans you like keep them unless/until you find something better. skillets/frying pans- There are two considerations for me. If I need high heat, I use cast iron. It conducts heat poorly and is prone to hot spots but it also holds a lot of heat. Great for searing steaks and stir fries. Your choice is machined smooth surface vs sand cast surface of newer ones like Lodge. It will become nonstick with use but requires a little care. The smooth surface seasons a little quicker in my experience. I like the short handles and the ability to use it in the oven as well. Some of the vintage pieces seem a little lighter to me. My favorite is a Piqua "favorite" in 12 inch that I got at a roadside sale. I also fry chicken in it and cook bacon and eggs. Great for cornbread when preheated in the oven. When I need a very even heat, I like something in a heavy aluminum. I have a couple of commercial 14 inch non stick cast aluminum pans my son got somewhere but my favorite pan is Calphalon anodized aluminum pan with two loop handles. It is called a braiser and is 13 inches across I think. It pops in the oven too. It seasons to become nonstick as well although it requires a little more patience than cast iron.. My favorite saucepans I have a couple of wide 2 qt old Revere Ware pans that I use all the time. These have the full amount of copper on the bottoms. In the 60s the copper was cut in half and the new ones are just flashed with copper. I also have a 4 qt like this. The handles are comfortable and don't get hot. I have used these for candy making. which requires even heat. Last year I also bought some Baumalu copper from TJX stores for about 15 cents on the dollar. One of my best buys ever from those stores. They have cast iron handles that don't heat up as quickly and are 2mm which is the minimum thickness for cookware. A couple are the splayed sauce pans. 3mm would be better but also heavier. They are tin lined. dutch oven/soup pot - I have a 6 and 8 qt all clad that I have had for years and years. They have never warped and I could not be without them. I also have an 8qt Revere Ware pot with a bail handle and helper handle. One thing I don't use since I have my Wolf range is a double boiler. The burners go so low, you don't need it. Some other random cookware I like- AC 16 qt stockpot great big Le Creuset blue enamel pot, maybe 7 qts but a little wider than most a set of 3 light blue white speckled enameled cast iron skillets, mostly used for casseroles but you can start on the burner and move to the oven big cast aluminum roaster, like magnalite but made by "Forever" I am a cookware junky and have many other pieces that get used too. The only pans I have now that I am not enamored with are my Debuyer carbon steel skillets. They have seasoned nicely and cook ok but the handles are just too long. None of mine goes in the dishwasher. Even the AC is the LTD so a dishwasher will ruin the finish. My sister does put everything in the dishwasher but she doesn't care if finishes are ruined or oxidized. We are both happy so that is all that matters. I have had a couple of larger pans warp so they were rounded on the bottom. I wacked them with a rubber mallet a few times and they popped probably the other way but it isn't noticeable. They seem flat now from the cooking surface perspective. I had a pan one time that was higher in the middle and it was actually good for some things- fat cooked off and drained away. I'm not really looking for that anymore though!

I found the following blurb on how to use the drip coffee maker in my vintage Revere Ware pamphlet "Revere's Guide to Better Cooking." Rinse the lower part of Drip Coffee Maker with hot water, place upper part in position and remove the combination water spreader and measuring rod. Place in basket of upper part one slightly rounded tablespoon of drip grind coffee for each cup. Replace water spreader and pour boiling hot water to level desired on measuring rod. Cover. In approximately 7 to 8 minutes (for 8 cups) hot coffee with the most delightful aroma, taste and clarity will be yours for serving. Remove upper part and transfer cover to lower section. Revere Drip Coffee Makers will make 8 to 10 actual servings of coffee. Here is a link that might be useful: Revere's Guide to Better Cooking

Clare...if comfort and performance is what you're after, go for the Italian-made Piazza cookware! Here's the website of one of their distributors. (Where I bought mine.) http://www.silverspoonweb.com/Catalog.aspx?sm=4_4 Piazza cookware is mostly marketed to professional kitchens, but individuals can buy pieces as well. The cookware performs really well, and it is THE MOST COMFORTABLE cookware I've ever used. Piazza offers saucepans (with long handles), but they also offer what they call "cookpots" (two short handles). The handles are BIG -- made of tubular steel, and welded onto the sides. There's absolutely no comparison with other brands like All-Clad when it comes to comfort. The only downside I see is you don't often see these pans in stores catering to home cooks. If you have a restaurant supply house near you, you might be able to see them there. Otherwise, you can buy them online like I did.

Rachael: " California Black Flies ". That's where they are from. I told my Niece in Laguna Beach, Ca. that. She said how did I know they were from CA.? I said," I asked one of them, it answered, I'm from Ca." so I smashed it with a hammer. - - - - - - - - - - - Here is an Article. I Googled " California Black Flies " - - - - - - - - - - - Black Flies Vector Services & Information Black flies are small, menacing, biting flies that are a nuisance to people and animals living, working, or playing near running rivers and streams. These small flies are commonly called "buffalo gnats" because of their humped back appearance. They are typically dark in color and appear in a variety of neutral shades from light gray to black. They belong in the order Diptera (Flies) and in the family Simuliidae. The Bite The painfully itchy bite of the black fly is created when the female cuts a hole in the skin to suck blood from animals and people. Females will attack incessantly around the eyes, ears, scalp and occasionally on the arms and exposed legs. The pain and swelling of the bite are due to allergic reactions to foreign proteins and toxins that the female injects when feeding. Black flies transmit diseases in the tropics, such as River Blindness. Fortunately, they do not transmit any diseases to humans in California, but can cause extreme discomfort and irritation due to their biting habits and/or great numbers. Black Fly Life Cycle Black flies breed in flowing water from rivers and streams to irrigation ditches. After mating the female deposits the fertilized eggs on rocks or other substrate in swift flowing water. Larvae emerge from eggs and develop aquatically, feeding on algae and organic matter flowing by in the moving water. In 7-10 days they develop into pupae. Adults emerge from the pupal case through a slit and float to the surface on a bubble of air. Emerging adults live from 2-3 weeks. They are usually found from spring through fall, with the greatest numbers appearing in the late spring and summer. They are active during the day, with peak activity in the morning and early evening. Personal Protection Avoid areas where black flies are active during the day. Wear (long pants and long sleeves) light colors, especially whites and tans. Wear a light colored hat. Apply insect repellent when outside. If you are bitten, avoid scratching and apply topical products to reduce itching. Black flies are sensitive to weather conditions. They are most active on cloudy, humid days with low wind. GLACVCD's Black Fly Control Program The District controls black flies along an 18-mile stretch of the Los Angeles River - from the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley to the junction of the 5 and 110 freeways, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The black fly control program began in 1994 as a result of a severe black fly infestation along the river corridor that affected horse owners, golfers, and even baseball players at Dodger Stadium. The black fly population that breeds in the river is composed primarily of Simulium vittatum. In 1997, the District created a special benefit assessment zone to fund the black fly control program. An annual assessment of $0.15 was levied on all properties located within two miles of the Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco, a small adjoining tributary. Smaller black fly sources within the District, such as creeks and streams are treated on an as-needed basis. GLACVCD's black fly program includes: Monitoring for black fly larval occurrence and abundance. Applying Bti when larval numbers get above predetermined thresholds. Monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. Control Agents Used to Combat Black Flies Black fly management is accomplished by applying a natural soil bacteria called Bti to water sources where black flies breed. Bti stands for Bacillus thurigiensis israeliensis. Bti is a special formulation of common soil bacteria that is highly effective in controlling Black flies and mosquitoes. Because it is extremely specific, Bti is considered one of the safest insect control agents ever developed. Other insects, birds, fish and mammals (including humans) do not have the stomach chemistry to be affected by Bti. If you have a black fly problem, please contact the District at (562) 944-9656 and schedule a free inspection. What would you like to learn about?What is a Vector?MosquitoesMidgesBlack FliesMosquitofishWest Nile Virus West Nile Virus Statistics Tips to Protect YourselfSubmit Service Requests There are a number of Mosquito Species and Mosquito-Borne Diseases known to occur within the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. Click here to learn more. Copyright 2008 GLACVCD. All Rights Reserved. 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