Eighth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Research indicates that home cooking habits have diminished in the United States. Any strategy charting a path to a sustainable food future requires that individuals are knowledgeable and confident with simple cooking techniques. This allows individuals to take control of food sourcing, maximizing biodiversity and minimizing transportation, storage, packaging and disposal. Additionally, families and communities are strengthened when these skills are developed and used regularly. One of the simplest and most energy efficient ways to cook is on a stove-top with a skillet, but the material choices of skillets available to consumers make this decision difficult. This research focuses on the thermodynamics and sustainability of skillet materials. From an expensive solid copper to an affordable traditional solid cast iron skillet, the material properties, including conductivity, specific heat and emissivity make a difference in the sustainability, success and enjoyment of these basic tools. Using infrared thermography and other diagnostic techniques, these thermal properties are compared. These results are combined with other non-thermal considerations such as cost, longevity and ease of use to develop guidelines for successful skillet selection. These results can be applied to commercial and residential kitchens to encourage the selection of skillets that will result in the optimal final results with minimal environmental impact. Using the results of this research, outreach efforts are under way to encourage resurgence in traditional home cooking. This is intended to revitalize the cultural importance of cooking and the family and community resiliency that evolves from the re-establishing these critical skills.