In article >,
Jim Elbrecht > wrote:

> I apparently don't do a lot of 'reducing' in my kitchen as I just ran
> across a recipe for reducing 1 cup of mashed strawberries to 1/4 of a
> cup.
>
> As I was stirring them in my 1 qt saucepan I was thinking a smaller
> saucepan might be nice--- then I wondered if my little saute pan would
> have been a better choice.
>
> Then I had time to wonder if they make a nice little pot with some
> sort of makings on the inside so I'd know when half or 3/4 of my
> original volume was gone.

How about you know how much you start with (say four cups) and when it
*looks* like maybe you're down to a cup, you pour it into a measuring
cup and look at how much is in there? I think you're trying to
complicate this, Jim. :-)
>
> I know for sure that the next time I do this, I'll be reducing 4 cups
> of mashed strawberries to 1 cup- that's a lot of stirring for 1/4
> pound of strawberry butter.
>
> But in general is there a preferred pan or method for reducing things?

Anytime you're evaporating something, the more surface area you have,
the faster it will go. I'd use a skillet.

>
> And is there a pan with markings on the inside?

I've never seen a skillet with inside markings. My 6-quart pressure pan
had a 2/3 mark on the inside.

>I can pour 1/4,
> 1/2, or 1 tsp of spiced into my hand with 'good enough' accuracy, but
> I so misjudged the amount of liquid in that pan as to make myself
> laugh -- twice!
>
> Jim


--
Barb,
http://www.barbschaller.com, as of June 6, 2012