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I never felt the need to buy a "set of pots" becaus half the time you only use a few of them.....Invest in just a few good pots based on the way you cook. My best pot investment ever is the Le Creuset 9 1/2 quart. I think we paid on sale $270 (it was reg. $350) before tax at Williams and Sonoma. The only negative is that if you like that sleek modern look, which I do, they don't cut it as far as look.....BUT aside from that, once you have this pot you can never go back to just an ordinary stainless steel pot especially when it come to braising say osso bucco or Lamb shoulder! (It comes out amazing). I also like that you can use it both on top of the stove and in the oven. Be careful not to use any metal utensils on them because they scratch easily. You also have to be very gentle when you wash them so they don't scratch. They stay like new if you follow those rules. It is amazing I waited all these years to own one.Since I typically cook large quantities at one time I find the bigger the better as far as size. I actually would have bought the next size up for the Le Creuset but the saleswoman at the store said that the only negative is that when you go to wash it it never fits in a standard sink. Good point.

Second favorite: All-Clad 6 QT. saute with cover.

Third is my Lagastino spagetti pot with strainer . I got it when I was in Italy. I am sure they sell them here I have just never seen them. It is the strainer that fits within the pot ...It also comes with a top pot as a double broiler. I like it because its functional, sleek and I always use it.

Last but not least is my All -Clad Panini pan with cover...great!!!!!

The only olive oil that stands out in my mine is the "true" first press from an olive grower that I had when I lived in Italy...a few drops of true first pressed olive oil drizzled and your pretty much in heaven....I am always trying new "extra virgin" olive oils here and can't say I have EVER found that taste here manly because the mass produced kind is never really a true first pressed, at least that is my understanding, although some of the greek olive oils are good too if you like dark green and heavy. I found the store Titan which is located in Astoria Queens carries a few decent ones but they change brands often so sometimes you go back and shelf looks different:) often. The island of Crete in Greece makes some good ones too, which Titan carries. Actualy my understanding of olive oil is that a lot of the oils made in Italy are actually olives shipped in from Greece...ironic, so don't discount olive oils made in Greece. French "extra virgin" is much lighter than say Italian and Greek extra virgin because French, except mainly the south of France use more butter to cook..and are not used to the heavy heavy oils at least I grew to love.

I would cut them in large cubes, with skin on. Put in a large bowl and add 1 cup of skinned pearl onions, 1 red peppers cut large squares, 1 yellow pepper cut in large square, 2 red onions cut in large squares Toss with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and add generous salt (kosher) and pepper. You can even shave some garlic cloves with a truffle cutter as an option if you like garlic. Mix contents of bowl with your hands. Make sure its mixed very well. Pour on to two large baking sheets. Turn oven on to 400 degrees and bake exactly 35 minutes then shut off oven . Don't open oven and just let sit in hot oven for at least an hour. take out of oven, pour contents on a platter and serve. OR AS A SECOND OPTION, You can also use this on top of a toasted thinly sliced baguette and serve as an appetizer. ......very good as an appetizer. Baking the eggplant as opposed to frying you use much less oil.
It's always a hit.