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Here are my criteria for cookware:

* Stainless Steel or Porcelain-Covered Cast Iron
* Riveted Handles (or one piece construction)
* Sandwich construction that includes copper, heavy bottomed for even heat distribution.
* Pourable lip. I don't think any of the All-Clads have this and it drives me crazy to have a saucepan that dribbles food down the side whenever you try to pour out the contents.

I'm not a pan snob nor a knife snob. The Wolfgang Puck set now available in Sam's Club served me very well at my little restaurant and I beat the crap out of it. It does include a somewhat large stockpot.

Wow - this is certainly an esoteric field. I can only suggest you apply at cooking magazines, cookbook publishers and/or any magazine that might include recipes as part of each issue (i.e. Woman's Day - but the food will be a LOT better if you work for Saveur or Gourmet).

This doesn't surprise me in the least and I'm very envious of cooks who have relationships with different purveyors (a la my mother). However, in this multi-tasking, one-stop-shopping world, you sometimes need a pound of butter AND a basin wrench - and that's how stores like Wal Mart stay in business.

As everyone knows I call bullshit on HFCS.

Jerz - I don't think HFCS is dangerous in and of itself. The problem is that it permeates everything from jarred tomato sauce (which is bleah anyway) to soda to canned soups to you-name-it. There's no way to get "moderate" amounts of it because it shows up in everything.

Pepsi is in enough trouble because of GMA's expose on the Appalachian kids' rotten teeth. The condition is so closely linked to Mountain Dew, they call it "Mountain Dew Mouth."

Have you ever stored them in a top cabinet near the stove? A nasty film usually forms because even if you have a vent hood, grease still rises and attaches itself to pans and dishware in those high cabinets.

For LeCreuset - I spray with EZ Off oven cleaner OUTDOORS and lay the pans on newspaper. An hour or two later, take an gently abrasive scrubber i.e. Dobie (that doesn't scratch), hose off the pans and scrub them. If you do this on the INSIDE of the pan, you need to wash liberally with soapy water multiple times to eliminate traces of EZ Off.

For Glasses, and Dishes - I use straight ammonia on a sponge. I kid you not. The grease comes off instantly. I then run the dishes and/or glasses through an entire dishwasher cycle to remove any and all traces of ammonia. OR hand wash them all. I know this sounds extreme but it works like a charm and if you are very careful to wash everything THOROUGHLY when you're done, there is no danger. WARNING: If using on plates that might have a "stamped" pattern on them, test in an inconspicuous place on the plate to make sure the design is very sound. (i.e. possibly a cup saucer.)

You can totally find speck in Costco or Sam's - I always have a hard time remembering in which one I found what. I remember it being right near the prosciutto.

When I make thick pizza, I bake it almost all the way without the mozzie. I really despise burned mozzie and those conveyor ovens are the worst thing to happen to pizza since the opening of Dominoes.

Here's my recipe for Spinach Pizza and the dynamic behind par-cooking it before adding mozzie.

Crap! My answer didn't post! :(

I love stuffed anything.

Woman's Day Encyclopaedia of Cookery. But I have a good excuse.

Growing up, in my teen, culinary-formative years, it was my mother's main source of "cooking reference." Whatever she didn't know from her head, she grabbed from WD.

I now have my mother's WD collection and, every now and again, I'll whip something together from it.

Another one that would surprise people is the Friends cookbook (you know, after the show). It's got stuff in it like Cheesecake ("Could this dessert HAVE more calories??"). I don't remember buying it so I must have gotten it as a gift.

A fun, sort of "fluffy" cookbook I have is by Vogue. Sometimes like, food through the ages... or something like that. What I like about it is that the recipes are in chrono order - like what was popular in the 30's, 40's, etc. It's fun to thumb through, if only for the culinary history lesson.

Yes!!! Sorry, Remy...Didn't mean to omit you - add Ratatouille to my list!

I don't do restaurants on Mother's Day or Val Day. The first Val Day I spent with my present BF, he insisted we go out. I relented. Favorite restaurant. Entree served not-so-piping-hot. He admitted that less-than-perfect entree at a generally top notch restaurant proved my point. At least I know I won't get any arguments!!

Unfortunately, we will not be in the same place on Val Day this year :( :( :(. I'm in Clearwater continuing to pack and he's in ATL working like a demon. He did send me this beautiful bouquet yesterday. Pardon the makeshift "display" it's a quilt thrown over a humongous roll of bubble wrap.

Chorizo is going to make it a meat dish so you might want to think about that.

I think a dice of red onion, maybe some diced poblano or red bell (or both) but not much more than that :D.