Sometimes It's the Little Things...

Sometimes in life, it's the little things that really make the difference. For weeks now, I've been looking for the little non stick skillet that I can make my favorite frittatas for two in. I love frittatas, that perfect, fluffy egg dish, started on top of the stove and ending in a hot oven. My problem is that my pans are too big for just the two of us and our frittatas come out looking like pancakes. Not that they taste bad, just that...well if I wanted an omelet, I'd make it on top of the stove, flip it and voila! See how skinny...and this is a "fat" one.
So lately, I've been making "scrambles" - just sauteing whatever I fancy like this Diner Scramble that I make often. In fact I just made it last weekend.

And so lies the seeds of the story...

I need a nonstick 8" pan that can withstand 400F/200C. Not easy to find. Most of them seem to require 350F max! I did find an All Clad one that even on sale was $59 at Cucina Moderna and so over my budget. Since I was in a mall, with Stokes - mid range kitchenware store, always with bargains/sales of one product or other. In fact, this week it was 20% off (of course I didn't read the fine print that said "over $50, but hey) even so The Remy Olivier 8" ceramic coated pan that can stand a 400F oven was only $25! Naturally, I snapped it up.
Sunday came and it was time to use it...I realized as soon as I picked it up that perhaps it wasn't heavy enough. I usually go for heavy bottomed pans -even heat and no burning, so I was leery. But it was fantastic. No burnt bottom, no sticking to the pan, and wonderful. In fact, my Honey kept telling me how fantastic it was. When I told him, we had exactly the same thing as a scramble the week before and a flatter frittata version not long before that...he was surprised.
See what a difference a little thing makes? What's your favorite "little thing makes a difference" item?