St. Louis Homes and Lifestyles has an interview with Anne Cori, president of Kitchen Conservatory, in their January issue on which cookware to use on which stove.

SLHL: If I am looking for new pots and pans, what are my options? (nonstick, cast iron, copper, etc.)

Anne: Since some electric cooktops require certain kinds of cookware, find out what pots you can safely use on your stove. Gas cooktops can use any cookware: aluminum; copper; stainless; cast iron; enameled cast iron; carbon steel, and nonstick.

SLHL: What are the advantages and disadvantages to each option?

Anne: The best cookware is made from an aluminum core clad in stainless. Aluminum conducts heat beautifully, and the stainless interior does not react to food and is super-easy to clean. Copper cooks great, but it is heavy and expensive. Cast iron is not expensive and it is easy to maintain, but it is very heavy. Every kitchen should have one good non-stick skillet for sticky foods. At Kitchen Conservatory, we use All-Clad stainless, Le Creuset enamel cast iron, Lodge cast iron and Swiss Diamond nonstick.

SLHL: Should I buy them as a set or individually?

Anne: Companies put together sets that sound great – 10-piece set! – but sets usually include pots that are never used. Buy pans in the size that you will use on a regular basis, and avoid wasting money on sets.

SLHL: What pieces would you recommend for the average weeknight family cook?

Anne: A 12-inch and 8-inch stainless or nonstick fry pan, a 4-quart and 2-quart stainless saucepan, and an 8-quart stainless or enamel cast-iron stock pot.

SLHL: What would the culinary connoisseur appreciate most?

Anne: Pans for special occasions: Asian carbon steel wok; Moroccan ceramic tagine; Spanish carbon steel paella; French enamel cast-iron Dutch oven; large aluminum roasting pan, and carbon steel crepe pan.

SLHL: Do you need to use a different type of cookware for gas cooktop, electric and induction?

Anne: Most definitely. Any pot can be used on a gas cooktop, but electric cooktops only heat where the pan is in direct contact with the surface. I recommend pots with flat spun-disk bottoms because they are less likely to warp. Cast iron cannot be used on glass tops. Induction cooktops require pans that are magnetic, such as cast iron or stainless. Aluminum pans will not heat on an induction stove.

SLHL: What is one item people don’t typically buy, but you find necessary to have?

Anne: I love my pressure cooker and use it several times each week. Dinner is ready in one-quarter the time.

SLHL: Can you give some cleaning tips to make your pots and pans last longer?

Anne: All quality pots can be cleaned, no matter how badly abused. Use a stainless scrubbie with a paste of stainless cleanser for cleaning stainless and aluminum pots. Enamel and copper cleansers are available. Cast iron and carbon steel pans are designed to be seasoned. Clean off any rust or particles, but don’t soap those pans – just re-oil and they are ready to use!

The right kitchen tool can make all the difference in the pleasure of cooking. Learn how to use these incredibly useful tools in these upcoming cooking classes:

Stovetop Smoker on January 14 in “What the Cluck”

Fondue Pot on January 18 in “The Tastemakers”

Sushi Mat on January 20 in “Wake Up, Little Sushi”

Pressure Cooker on January 28 in “So It Steams”

Cast Iron Cookware on February 2 in “For Frying Out Loud”

Carbon Steel Wok on February 4 in “Use Your Noodles”

Vita-Mix Blender on February 5 in “Haute Vegetarian Tasting Menu”

Register Now for a memorable cooking class!

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Orders must be received by noon Central Time on Wednesday, December 17 to arrive by December 24 by standard ground delivery.

Second-Day Air orders must be received by noon Central Time on Monday, December 22.

Next-Day Air orders must be received by noon Central Time on Tuesday, December 23.

Unsure what to buy? Then Gift Certificates are the perfect solution. Gift cards can be purchased online and printed immediately from your own computer. Be sure to create and log-in to an account so you can access your new gift certificate with its unique 16-digit number.

Start the holiday season with a glass of cheer and delectable goodies at our free open house this Sunday, November 23, from noon to 4 pm. Start your holiday shopping with our complimentary gift-wrapping with beautiful handmade bows.

Thanksgiving Day — the ultimate cooking holiday — is next week and we offer all the tools you need. Check your pantry and stock up on these Thanksgiving necessities:

• Turkey Roaster
• Turkey Lifter
• Turkey Stock
• Gravy Separator
• Large Brining Bags
• Cheesecloth
• Turkey Lacers
• Twine
• Baster
• Probe Thermometer
• Carving Knife
• Potato Ricer
• Pie Dish
• Pastry Blender
• Bench Knife
• Pastry Rollmat
• Flour Duster
• Pastry Brush
• Cream Whipper

Conquer any fear of making a pie by signing up for our Thanksgiving pie class on Wednesday, November 26. Everyone will make-and-take an apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies.

The art of cuisine is in the making of sauces. A delicious sauce elevates a ho-hum dinner to a sublime feast. Our favorite sauce is tomato chutney, also known as ketchup when it is pureed until smooth. Originally created by Brenda Vanden Bos, this sweet-and-sour chutney with six ingredients is a staple in our refrigerators. Get the recipe here. As a bonus, the recipe includes Brenda’s roasted red bell pepper ketchup, another staff and customer favorite with only five ingredients and packed with so much flavor.

To see and taste Tomato Chutney, sign up for “Down By the Bayou” on November 22 or “A Wealth of Wellingtons” on December 17.

We’ve completed the countdown of our Top Thirty Recipes Celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of Kitchen Conservatory. What a delicious ride; all these recipes are wonderful. Since we host 800 cooking classes each year, we have hundreds of other irresistible recipes. Check back frequently as we post new recipes here.

What a great line-up of cuisines and chefs for our next cooking class schedule. We offer classes in American, Brazilian, Cajun, Caribbean, Chinese, Creole, English, French, Gluten-Free, Greek, Hawaiian, Indian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Low-Fat, Mediterranean, Mexican, Middle-Eastern, Moroccan, New Mexican, Paleo, Spanish, Thai, Vegan, Vegetarian, and Vietnamese. Surely we have the perfect menu for you among our 200 new cooking classes!

We are repeating some all-time favorite classes, including building your own gingerbread house with our extensive supply of candies in December. In February, we spend ten days celebrating Valentine’s Day, with a different luxurious menu each night. Couples are already signing up for their special night.

Exceptional chefs are returning to teach on this schedule, including Josh Allen, Jean-Pierre Auge, Bob Colosimo, Jay Dedkard, Pete Fagan, Helen Fletcher, Josh Galliano, Adam Gnau, Margi Kahn, Mickey Kitterman, Adam Lambay, Christopher Lee, Jon Lowe, Jack MacMurray, David Molina, Bernard Pilon, Naam Pruitt, Lou Rook, Vito Racanelli, Maria Sakellariou, and Kirk Warner. Join their fan clubs and become groupies, because every one of these creative chefs teaches memorable and delicious cooking classes.

And, yes, our newsletter is funny; who can resist these classes: “Does This Make My Halibut Look Big”, “Sake To Me With Sushi”, “Build-a-Barely Resistible Chocolate Dessert”, “Girls’ Night Out: Just Girls and Po’ Boys”, and so many more.

Register Now.

Are you a pie person or a cake person? The world is divided between the two kinds of desserts. For those who choose pie as birthday dessert, then this pie is for you! Flaky crust and luscious caramel apple filling combine to make a dreamy dessert. Kitchen Conservatory is proud to be the epicenter of pie-making: every year, on the day before Thanksgiving, we hand-make 72 pies for the feast, including hand-making the most incredible pie crust you have ever tasted. Sign up for this memorable cooking class and take home apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies for your family’s celebration.

The secrets of perfect pie are revealed here. Apple Pie is Number 2 on the countdown of the Top Thirty Recipes celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Kitchen Conservatory.

To make a perfect pie, you will need this equipment:

• Pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour
• Gravy separator for adding the ice water
• Rollpat mat for rolling out the dough
• Rolling pin to roll out the dough
• Bench knife to turn the dough
• Flour duster to sprinkle the flour
• Pie plate for gorgeous presentation
• Pastry brush to brush off any excess flour and to glaze the egg wash
• Potato Starch Flour is the perfect fruit thickener

Saint Louis may be the birthplace of gooey butter cake, but our most popular dessert is Bread Pudding. Nearly every restaurant offers a luxurious version of leftover bread baked with custard and topped with bourbon sauce. Diners save room when bread pudding is on the dessert menu. Our bread pudding has been re-pinned hundreds of times on Pinterest!

Vanilla Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce will be made in these upcoming cooking classes:

• “It’s Miller Time” on November 4
• “Weekend Dinner Party” on November 15
• “Down By the Bayou” on November 22
• “One If By Land, Two If By Sea” on December 30

Vanilla Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce is Number 3 on our countdown of the Top Thirty Recipes celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of Kitchen Conservatory. Get the recipe here.

The flavors of Thai food — lemongrass, limes, and chile peppers — pair beautifully with fish and seafood. Use these fabulous flavors in western dishes, like grilled fish, for a memorable dinner. Thai native and Saint Louis resident Naam Pruitt bridges her two worlds by combining a homemade green curry sauce with salmon.

Green Curry Grilled Salmon is Number 4 on our list of the Top Thirty Recipes celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of Kitchen Conservatory. The recipe is available here.

To see and taste this recipe, sign up for Naam Pruitt’s class, “Let’s Get Curried Away” on Saturday, November 29.

This luscious dessert is the best of both worlds: pumpkin pie with a creamy cheesecake layer. This make-ahead dessert is perfect for an autumnal dinner party. Pastry chef extraordinaire Helen Fletcher created this delectable dessert, one of her hundreds of sensational desserts that she has composed and published. Helen is the pastry chef at Tony’s Restaurant and we are so fortunate that she teaches cooking classes at Kitchen Conservatory once a month every month. She attracts a loyal following. Helen has written several excellent cookbooks, including her most recent, European Tarts: Divinely Doable Desserts with No Baking.

Don’t miss Helen Fletcher’s upcoming cooking classes: European Butter Cookies on November 13 and Party Planning on December 4.

Pumpkin Mousse Torte is Number 5 on the list of Top Thirty Recipes Celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of Kitchen Conservatory. The recipe is available here.

To see and taste Pumpkin Mousse Torte, sign up for Haute Vegetarian Tasting Menu on November 20.