If you're still looking for gifts for your loved ones, this might be what you've been looking for.
Yesterday, Chef's Classics by Sunnex Products Limited Hongkong released their new line of high-quality cookware called the Sampaguita series.
A splash of color
One look at the image above would explain so well what makes these pots so excellent for celebrating Christmas. They perfectly capture the characteristics of Filipino celebrations: colorful, bright, festive -- and overflowing with food!
Take a closer look at those colors on the pot. They're not just decorations; they're actually the names of Filipino dishes you can cook in each pot or pan.
So if you run out of ideas on what to cook for your guests (or for everyday lunch), all you need is look at your pot and there you have suggestions galore! Pork asado, chicken pastel, sotanghon, halabos na hipon, kare-kare, tortang talong -- not only do the pots and pans give you ideas on what to cook, they also let you know which pot or pan is the right tool for cooking your desired dish! How's that for a great idea?
These pots are so tastefully designed, you can serve your dishes right in them and your Christmas table will be all the better for it.
They're easy to clean too, because they are all lined with nothing less than the original DuPont Teflon. Non-stick linings can't get any more durable than that.
Proper care
Incidentally, during yesterday's media launch, the host taught us the proper way to prime the non-stick coatings of your pots and pans so that they last much longer:
- Before first use, gently wash the coating with liquid soap and water.
- Wipe the interior of the pot or pan with cooking oil.
- Set the pot or pan on the stove and heat until the pan emits smoke.
- Put the pan aside for 24 hours. You can use it the next day.
Of course, you should also remember to use the proper utensils with your Teflon-coated pots and pans. No metal spoons or spatulas, please. Use only wood or silicon spoons and turners to keep from damaging the Teflon.
Avoid using scrubbers when washing. Steel wool, of course, is a no-no. Just soak the pot or pan, then gently soap away the debris. The non-stick coating will do most of your work for you.
Quality and price
Because the Sampaguita line of Chef's Classics is made by the same Sunnex brand we have known and loved for twenty years in the Philippines, we can still expect the same high quality and durability that Sunnex has always been known for.
The colored designs are made of high quality decals, similar to what fire fighters use on their trucks and fire helmets. They are highly heat resistant.
In fact, some have observed that the longer you use these pots and pans for cooking, the brighter the colors get. Like Teflon, their only enemy is steel wool, so keep those things away from them.
The bottoms of these pans are made of highly conductive serrated metal, so even if your stove top fire only hits the middle of the pan, the heat quickly spreads evenly throughout the pan's bottom. The serration, on the other hand, keeps your pan from slipping on the stove top.
The vented glass lids make it easy for you to check your food as it cooks without needing to lift the lid, letting precious heat escape. The lids are made with tempered glass and the edges are lined with metal, so they are difficult to break; and in the rare event that they do break, they only split, not shatter, so no dangerous glass shards scatter all over the kitchen floor.
You can get items from the Sampaguita series for as low as Php599.95. If you want to get the full seven-piece set as a gift for a very special someone (or for yourself!), you can do so for just Php4,299.75 at any major department store in the Philippines.
Disclosure: The author attended the media launch of this product. She has not received, nor will she receive, any monetary compensation for this review.
