All-Clad Stainless Steel Reduction Pan, 2 1/2-Qt.

This is kind of a funny little pan, but it’s heavy and it’s beautiful and it’s got volume markings on the inside so you can tell how much something has reduced. Very neat.

“Chefs favor this type of pan for reducing and concentrating liquids for sauces. Its wide base hastens boiling, while flared sides increase surface area to speed evaporation. The pan is constructed with nonreactive stainless steel interior and exterior surfaces that surround a pure aluminum core. Distributing heat quickly and evenly with no hot spots, the core extends across the bottom and all the way up the pan sides. The stay-cool handle and lid are made of stainless steel. 2 1/2-qt. cap.; 7 1/2″ diam., 4″ high. A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.”

You’ll appreciate the speed and surety these measuring utensils bring to measuring ingredients for baking and cooking. Like All-Clad’s exceptional cookware, the cups and spoons are made of heavy-gauge stainless steel with a polished finish. Each is a miniature version of the manufacturer’s saucepan with an extra-long handle that’s a pleasure to hold. For standard measures, choose from our sets of four cups and spoons: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup; 1/4 tsp., 1/2 tsp., 1 tsp. and 1 Tbs. For recipes that call for quantities that vary from standard spoon and cup measures, we offer sets of three handy cups and spoons in odd sizes: 2 teaspoons, 1 1/2 tablespoons and 2 tablespoons; 2/3 cup, 3/4 cup and 1 1/2 cups. Save on special sets that include both the cups and spoons in standard and odd sizes. Dishwasher safe. A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

These are the best measuring cups and spoons. There is no substitute. I want both sets, including the “odd-size” measures.

Williams-sonoma

#1: Fitness – I know, I know. It is everyone’s perennial resolution, but this year I mean it. Really. It’s not a weight thing. I’m heavier now than I’ve been in a bit, but more than that, I am less fit, less conditioned. Since returning to medical school, and a schedule that is not particularly flexible or under my control, my ability to motivate myself to get to the gym has dwindled. At this point I wake up too early to work out before I start my day, and when I get home in the evening, I have trouble mustering up the energy. What is the solution? A goal without a plan is futile. Do I wake up earlier in the morning in order to workout before the start of the day? How early will that be? 3:30? 3 am? Is that what it takes? Or is the better plan to wait until the end of the day and drudge through it then? The morning seems like a wiser plan, but can I honestly say that I’m going to wake up that early? Really?

Resolution #2 will wait until tomorrow, but for a quick, and somewhat ironic preview, I’ll say that it involves writing more.

And on an unrelated preview, let me say that I’m planning to try sous vide at home, using a crock pot and zip lock bags. Look out world.