A skillet, also known as a frying pan, is a type of pan used for frying, searing and browning foods. They are usually made from metals that conduct heat, such as iron, aluminium and stainless steel. Sizes vary between 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) across and generally do not come with a lid.

Evidence of copper frying pans date back to Ancient Mesopotamia in Western Asia. Ancient Greeks and Romans also used similar pans. Frying pans as we know them today evolved during the 19th-century when cooking stoves became popular. The pans needed a flat bottom to sit on top of the stove.

Whereas the the word 'pan' derives from the Old English word 'panna', 'skillet' comes from the Latin word 'scutella', meaning 'platter'. In Ancient Greece, frying pans were called 'tagēnon', from which we get the word 'tagine'.

Non-stick skillets were developed in France by Marc Gregoire in 1954. In 1956, he marketed his non-stick cookware items under the brand name 'Teflon'. Non-stick pans are created by applying the synthetic polymer Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to aluminium. This helps prevent food from sticking to the pan.

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