T-fal and the Hot Spot
You’d think that I knew how to cook with all my posts on recipes and food. Small things like having a professional cook for a father, growing up working in restaurant kitchens and working as a camp cook at 15 would lead you to believe I know my way around cookware. And yet the T-fal Sensorielle pan had me completely confuddled.
As part of the Canadian Beef Brand Ambassadorship, each of the Ambassadors received a wonderful non-stick T-fal pan with Thermo-spot Technology, and a batch of Hamburger Helpers. This was to be a part of our Big Batch Beef experimentation and I was eager to get started. (Since between you and me, I’m a little behind on my beef posts.)
I washed my pan in warm soapy water, reviewed the directions on how this cool Thermo-spot worked, and followed them to the letter waiting for the pattern on the bottom of the pan to disappear and show me it was ready to cook.
I waited. I waited some more. I turned up the heat. I waited. I smelled smells. I heard noises. The pattern was still there, clear as day. I waited.
Let me share with you the exchange I had with some of my Beef Buddies when I attempted to use this new pan for the first time.
Publicly I said
@kitchenfrolic @chancesmommy @nugglemama @heathertravis sent you guys a DM w/ a question. any answers greatly appreciated Google not helping
— Alexa Clark (@alexaclark) March 1, 2013
Privately I asked
have you used the T-fal pan? Is the red spot supposed to go away? it’s hot, I’m getting a WEIRD smell, & it’s making noises — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark)
—- Christine says publicly —-
@alexaclark @kitchenfrolic @nugglemama @heathertravis Just DM’d youback, Alexa! 🙂 — Christine (@chancesmommy) March 1, 2013
—- Christine says privately —-
Really?? I used it, but had no weird smell or noises! So odd!
I don’t think the red dot is supposed to disappear. I think it’s supposed to change once heated through? Let me know what the others say! — Christine (@chancesmommy)
—- Lex says privately —-
AHA!!!!!! thank you! I think I figured it out… pattern INSIDE red dot changes, not the entire patten in pan. ARGHballs.
I suspect the smell was smoke from the handle and the metal-like piece on it – it was getting soft.
I’m a techno-gal, but geeze… if the pan isn’t supposed to be on med-high, TELL me in BIG letters. thanks! — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark)
—- Christine says privately —-
🙂 Ahhh! Alexa! Too funny! Yes, that’s it. Just the red dot changes. 🙂 xoxox
Maybe they should have letters so when heated it says “HOT” in red or white or something! LOL! — Christine (@chancesmommy)
—- Lex says privately —-
I love that idea – HOT when it’s ready, WAIT! When it’s not. ;->
And maybe TOO HOT before the handle melts
I waited like 20 minutes for the pattern to go away! And my trusty cast iron (which never sticks) was right beside it laughing at me. — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark)
Then things get public and kind of meta (a very very shallow definition of meta, but meta non the less)
@alexaclark I was going to DM, but did @chancesmommy answer your question? — Stephanie (@kitchenfrolic) March 1, 2013
@kitchenfrolic @alexaclark I think so. Maybe? Didn’t answer the red dot part though! lol Do you know? — Christine (@chancesmommy) March 1, 2013
@chancesmommy @alexaclark Think it goes solid when the pan is hot. My old ones work that way. Haven’t used the new 1 yet. Maybe it changed? — Stephanie (@kitchenfrolic) March 1, 2013
@kitchenfrolic @chancesmommy Solid – yes! I read & understood the entire pattern inside the pan would disappeared, never happened. — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark) March 1, 2013
@kitchenfrolic @chancesmommy but I did get the handle to start smoking and getting soft.ah… heat. — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark) March 1, 2013
@alexaclark @kitchenfrolic almost like when ppl were putting their Talking Meat Thermometers IN the oven and melting them by mistake 🙂 — Christine (@chancesmommy) March 1, 2013
(this is the part where I desperately try and justify my technical pan-ineptitude through deflection. )
@chancesmommy @kitchenfrolic Now that kind of tech I’m a whiz at… did they think the talking thermometers were beef whisperers? “cook” — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark) March 1, 2013
@alexaclark @kitchenfrolic Well, you certainly put it to the test! 😉 — Christine (@chancesmommy) March 1, 2013
@chancesmommy @kitchenfrolic That’s what I do ;-> — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark) March 1, 2013
@alexaclark @kitchenfrolic omg!!! Alexa…Can I thank you for the Friday laughs? Your tweets cracked me up! xoxo — Christine (@chancesmommy) March 1, 2013
@chancesmommy @kitchenfrolic Happy to help. Besides it’s only fair. We were laughing pretty hard here too. — Alexa Clark (@alexaclark) March 1, 2013
@chancesmommy @kitchenfrolic note – my (late) post may just be a rehash of these tweets.
— Alexa Clark (@alexaclark) March 1, 2013
@alexaclark @kitchenfrolic Bwahaha! That would be awesome!
— Christine (@chancesmommy) March 1, 2013
@chancesmommy @alexaclark My fave part was the pan was “making noises”. I’m not that great of a cook, but even I know pans shouldn’t do that
— Stephanie (@kitchenfrolic) March 1, 2013
note: these DMs shared with permission, and a lot of giggling on the part of my Canadian Beef Ambassador co-horts.
For your reference:
no giggling!
NOT HOT T-Fal Thermo-Spot looks like this:
HOT T-Fal Thermo-Spot looks like this:
Note: only the dot in the middle has lost it’s pattern! And it should not take 40 minutes unless your stove is a dud.
Another useful tip:
- You shouldn’t use these pans over high heat because it can damage the non-stick coating. Oh and using high heat for, say, 20-30 minutes can cause some meltiness in the handle.
Note: this post is part of my Canadian Beef Brand Ambassador series. For more information on my relationship with Canada Beef Inc read about my Foodie Adventure: I’m a Canadian Beef Brand Ambassador. #LoveCdnBeef and my disclosure statement
Bwahahahahaha! Ohhh! I LOVE this post! I remember when you tweeted us! I was dying of laughter 🙂 BEST Twitter convo ever!
Signed,
A fellow #loveCDNbeef ambassador xo
chancesmommy I was just very happy you guys were there with me. Gerry just stared and wondered why exactly lunch was taking so long.
alexaclark kitchenfrolic HeatherTravis Tfal_Canada FUNNIEST post EVER!! http://t.co/TzxLFLDIuvIuv
chancesmommy so very glad you like it… especially since you wrote a chunk of it. You and kitchenfrolic cc HeatherTravis Tfal_Canada
chancesmommy kitchenfrolic and thanks again for letting me make all that silliness public!
alexaclark kitchenfrolic HAHA! I’m happy to be silly with you in public. See you at #FBC2013!!!
Thought some of you professionals might get a giggle out of this Diane McConnell, Matt Kantor, Chef Ilona Daniel, Jason Bangerter.
I know I had a good laugh! You’d better STICK to the old cast iron. Even those shouldn’t be turned up too high.
Oh Lex, to have been there.
You know Lex, I would’ve probably done the same thing as I’ve never cooked with one of these pans, I have my trusty omellette pan, then my cast iron, then my paderno..I know it’s rough right.
I thought you guys might get a kick out of that, and possibly relate. I appreciate the validation Di!
And overheated nonstick ware gives off toxic gases… Signe L. accidentally killed her two budgies (in the next room) by doing that. Can be dangerous to people, too.
PatAndersonI had read that but hadn’t confirmed the new nonstick used in these pans had the same off gassing. (I had some troubles getting onto the t-fal website yesterday — http://www.t-fal.ca/Enviro.htm)
AlexaClark PatAnderson That’s great to read! Glad to see it. Thanks for the link, Alexa!
not to mention Lex, I’m honored to be included in the same sentence as those inspiring chefs…thank you
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