2 Person Cookset for a Gourmet Cook

[Sapelo]

My better-half insists on cooking backcountry gourmet meals. We are looking for a lightweight cookware system that distributes the heat well.

[grayfox]

If I were buying for someone who wanted to cook for me--I would look at the Jetboil systems and the other brand (?) that has heat exchanger fins on the bottom of the pots. Get a pot and frypan and lids for both. Great pot stability with clip on legs for canister, which you need when you use larger pots. Auto ignition is good too. There are lots of good cook sets and stoves out there to mix and match but it would be hard to bet the Jetboil for ease of use and chef friendly operation.

[Mountain Mike]

Have you considered an Outback Oven. They come in 8", 10" & ultalite where you use your own pot/pans. It consist of covered frying pan w/fibergass dome allows for baking in backcountry. The scorch buster plate also helps when trying to simmer when just cooking with a regular pot. I use mine combined with titanium pot(s) for a great cooking system. Pizza just isn't in town stops anymore!

[Snowleopard]

Get some cookbooks or read online recipes from WB members Sarbar, dicentra and Laurie Ann March (I think she's on WB):
http://www.trailcooking.com/
http://www.trailcooking.com/store/fr...od-made-simple
http://www.onepanwonders.com/
http://www.onepanwonders.com/buythebook.htm
http://www.wildernesscooking.com/fork/samplerecipes.htm
http://www.wildernesscooking.com/fork/buyingthebook.htm
Have her start reading those websites and reading up on dehydrating food. She might decide that a food dehydrator would be a better purchase than heavy pans.

There are two tradeoffs here:
Time spent preparing meals before the trip vs. time spent cooking on the trail.
Once you decide to do the cooking on the trail, there's a tradeoff between weight of cooking gear and suitability for real cooking.

I like hard anodized aluminum pans like this: http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___82435 They're a little heavier than the lightest but distribute the heat better. For a stove, it's no contest, get a canister stove such as a snow peak: http://www.rei.com/product/643058. Perhaps look for a canister stove that is less likely to tip. I haven't used the jetboil, but the pots look tall and narrow and not so suitable for some kinds of cooking.

[Sapelo]

Thanks for the info. I already have a pocket rocket stove and a MSR Dragonfly that I use in winter conditions and mountaineering trips. Budget won't allow purchase of another stove. I also have an outback oven that a buddy of mine who leads Noles trips turned me onto. My research has found that titanium cookware does not distribute heat very well. I agree the anodized aluminum pans seem to cook better. I am thinking about splurging and buying the GSI Microdualist or the Pinnacle. Any thoughts on these two choices?

[Snowleopard]

Your stoves are fine; in fact it's a nice combo, pocket rocket for summer and dragonfly for winter (assuming the dragonfly really does simmer).

[grayfox]

Thanks for the info. I already have a pocket rocket stove and a MSR Dragonfly that I use in winter conditions and mountaineering trips. Budget won't allow purchase of another stove. I also have an outback oven that a buddy of mine who leads Noles trips turned me onto. My research has found that titanium cookware does not distribute heat very well. I agree the anodized aluminum pans seem to cook better. I am thinking about splurging and buying the GSI Microdualist or the Pinnacle. Any thoughts on these two choices?

I have a pinnacle fry pan--I like the finish of the non stick surface and it seems durable. I do not like that the detachable handle has a plastic latch so I can't use the pan on a fire. And it did not come with a lid so I use a pie plate. For the money, it wasn't worth what I paid for it. IMO

[will1972]

GSI, dualist. economical, easy to find, versatile.

[pcasebere]

I like my SP1400 set; recently added a BC700 to the mix.