I freely confess to being a burner, both from inattention and impatience.

Burning the food is bad enough, but what to do about burned pots?

metal pots and pans

1. Lift as much of the food out of the pot as you can without touching (let alone scraping) any burny bits. The unburned food is probably still edible and may even benefit from a certain smokiness.

2. Splash some water into the hot pan and scrape the burnt bottom and sides with a scraper -- a pancake turner with a sharp metal edge or a metal spatula. Scrapings can go into the compost heap unless they contain meat or fish. Sometimes this is enough; if not, go to the next step.

3. This may sound insane, but add some more water to the pan and put the pan back on the flame. Use the heat and your scraper to work away more of the burnt bits. Sometimes this is enough; if not, go to the next step.

4. Soak the pot in abundant water, draining, scraping, and soaking again. This phase can go on for days. Sometimes it's enough; if not, go to the next step.

5. Scrub the pot with a pot-scrubber. I favor the kind that's a nubby yellow cloth (marketed as a Golden Fleece or Chore Boy, or in my family called, ecumenically, a Golden Boy), but there are many other useful kinds including steel wool. Sometimes this is enough; if not, go to the next step.

6. Use a scrubbing cleanser, like Ajax or Bon Ami, with your pot-scrubber. Sometimes this is enough; if not, go to the next step.

7. When all else fails, use a modern oven-cleaner, like Easy-Off Fume Free Max. What you're looking for is a cleaner that doesn't emit noxious fumes and is safe to touch with your bare hands. Don't use the old-fashioned industrial strength killer cleaners -- they're much too strong. Spray the pot and put it away in a high, obscure corner away from inquiry (spouses can be so cruel about burning pots). Let it sit for 2-3 days, then clean it off. If the burns come off, great. If not, repeat.

enameled metal

Le Creuset is the canonical enameled metal pan, but there are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of similar kinds.

Follow the steps above with the following modifications:

1. Lift as much of the food out of the pot as you can.

2. Splash some water into the hot pan and scrape the burnt bottom and sides with a silicone scraper. Do not use a metal scraper on an enameled pot.

3. Add some more water to the pan, put the pan back on the flame, and use the heat and your scraper to work away more of the burnt bits.

4. Soak the pot in abundant water, draining, scraping, and soaking again. This phase can go on for days.

5. Scrub the pot with a non-metal pot-scrubber. Never use steel wool on an enameled pot.

6. The manufacturers will tell you never to use a scrubbing cleanser on an enameled pot. But if the only way you're going to be able to use the pot again is to abrade the enamel, so be it.

7. When all else fails, use a modern oven-cleaner.

clay, ceramic, porcelain, china

Follow the steps above with the following modifications:

1. Lift as much of the food out of the pot as you can.

2. Splash some water into the hot pan and scrape the burnt bottom and sides with a silicone scraper. Do not use a metal scraper on a clay, ceramic, porcelain, or china pot.

3. Never put a clay, ceramic, porcelain, or china pot on a flame.

4. Soak the pot in abundant water, draining, scraping, and soaking again. This phase can go on for days.

5. Scrub the pot with a non-metal pot-scrubber. Never use steel wool on a clay, ceramic, porcelain, or china pot.

6. The manufacturers will tell you never to use a scrubbing cleanser on a clay, ceramic, porcelain, or china pot. But if the only way you're going to be able to use the pot again is to abrade the surface, so be it.

7. When all else fails, use a modern oven-cleaner.