Stainless Steel Saucepan

Item Purchased: Stainless Steel Saucepan
Location Purchased: Sunlight Kitchen & Hardware Supplies Inc. / 2334 S. Wentworth Ave. #104 / Chicago, IL
Price: $7.95 + tax

Review: I took a late morning walk into Chinatown today to gather up some more essentials for my dinner party tonight. One of the things I am going to be cooking is French fry sandwiches with a homemade garlic-lime aioli sauce. The last time I made these delicious heartstoppers, I used a large crock pot. This time, I wanted something that would conserve oil and be a little bit easier to clean.

Chinatown is a great place to get authentic Asian dry goods and cookware, due to its localized concentration of several people who specialize in the same thing. Whenever I find myself near Wentworth Ave. and Cermak Rd. in Chicago, I tend to wander into Wok's 'N' Things, Inc. They have a helpful staff and a large selection of cookware displayed elegantly in their large store space. Today, I took a little more time exploring the side streets of Chinatown and came upon Sunlight Kitchen Supply. The address of this great little store can be a little misleading because the unassuming entrance is actually located on 23rd Pl. and not Wentworth. Once you step inside, you are greeted by a tight and narrow store with three tighter and narrower aisles one must slide down sideways at times. Stacked from floor to ceiling and wall to wall are all of the cutlery, cookery and cafeteria essentials you will ever need. Most of the items in this store are of the utilitarian ilk, geared toward restaurant owners and industry people, but there are a few gems hidden in the tightly packed shelves. If I keep hosting dinner parties, I have a feeling that this place will quickly become my favorite shop in Chinatown. With nearly everything that Woks 'N' Things offers at a better price, I soon forgot about the claustrophobia one might feel inside of this place. The shopkeepers were friendly and helpful and didn't fall mysteriously silent when I walked in like most of the shopkeepers in Chinatown.

At only $7.95, this steel was a steal (forgive me... I'm tired and punny) and will allow me to have a deep bath of cooking oil without using as much as I have during previous frying escapades. Despite the handle being made of steel as well, I was also able to move the pot without gloves throughout its use. The heat just didn't seem to transfer fully to the end of the handle. Simple, but effective. Good stuff.

See, I get excited about shopping when it is for tools I will use to create something. Especially food!

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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