All-Clad's Open House

During a summer afternoon in June, I was invited to the St. Lawrence Market Kitchen for All-Clad's preview and cooking demo. Being someone who loves to browse cookware and look at shiny things, I went to the media release.

I was warmly received and given a nice welcome, drinks and snacks were laid out by the entrance. I could see that the group before me was still lingering near the demo, so I went to check out the products.

Placed around the room were new All-Clad pieces that were coming out this fall for the holiday market. Above, a 6-piece gadget set. I wasn't sure that the pair of oven mitts and kitchen towel counted as "gadgets" but the set also included a can opener, garlic press, peeler, and pizza wheel. No doubt it would make for a nice housewarming or holiday gift!

A waffle maker has been on my wish list for the longest time. So I'm not surprised that I gravitated towards it. I seriously think my weekends would be better if I started the mornings with waffles. Howard may or may not agree.

Again, more in line with my love for weekend brunch, the electric griddle!

In our new home, we don't own a slow cooker, but I met Cynthia from DelectablyChic! who told me that she roasted a whole chicken in one before. Looking at the slow cooker with renewed interest, I'm thinking that I might have to look into this.

Sitting all pretty on the island was the d7 stainless steel slow cooker, meant to preform like Dutch ovens and other slow cookers. It was explained to me that d7 represented their 7 layers of metal, alternating between stainless steel and aluminum. Some of the perks of this cooker compared to the cast iron/ceramic/clay Dutch ovens is that it's lighter in weight, heats up faster, and doesn't have an enamel layer that chips.

I don't own a slow cooker or Dutch oven, but there appears to be lots of competition now as other well-known brands that produce these are also coming out with their own stainless steel editions.

The All-Clad lineup of 8-inch stainless steel, d5, and Copper Core pans.

As for the food demo utilizing All-Clad products, Chef Tony Cammalleri from Pusateri's was on hand to showcase a few fresh ingredients and how to cook them.

Searing scallops looked like a breeze.

A delicious sample of seared scallops with Peruvian Ají sauce and salsa.

Next up, assembling the Chimichurri flank steak with peppers and asparagus.

Just a little seasoning before serving. This was rather large for a bite-size sample, but had great flavours.

When I first saw TK, I thought of our publishing industry shorthand, to come. So I was curious as to what was to come. Then it was revealed to me as the All-Clad TK collection. A collection inspired by Chef Thomas Keller. If you have a large budget for cookware, this is probably the set for you! To make it even more exclusive, there will be 100 limited edition All-Clad TK sets available in Canada.

The TK lid that raised the spirits of the chefs in the room.

TK lid in action. Probably not a huge concern for home cooks, but lids seem to be the talk of the professional cook. A few cooks raised the point that they rarely use the designated lids, in the rush of the moment, they grab pans to cover their cookware. And this lid allows for stacking because of it's flat top. The TK lid comes in three sizes to fit and cover the cookware in this line. So one of the practical reasons is storage, you might just need the two lids instead of five.

The discreet copper trim detail that distinguishes the TK editions from the others. I obviously won't be able to gather round a set to use at home, so I look forward to reading reviews of those who are getting one!

Disclaimer: I was invited to the media preview and was gifted with an All-Clad d5 stainless steel reduction pan with measuring tool. I have used it a few times, mostly for making caramel, pudding, and creams - can you tell I'm a baker? Thank you to Brittney from Butter Public Relations Inc. for the invitation!