What’s the difference between the kitchen tools, kedayrah (קדירה) and an alfas (אלפס)? TB Nedarim 51

Today’s daf TB Nedarim 51 is of great interest for all cooking aficionados. It continues describing the meaning of words related to cooking during Talmudic times in order to clarify a vow. One Mishna discusses two different cooking utensils, a kedayrah (קדירה) and an alfas (אלפס).

“It is taught in a baraita: One who vows that that which enters into a dish (kedayrah- קדירה) is forbidden to him is also prohibited from eating that which enters a stewpot (alfas-אלפס), as it has already entered into a dish before it enters into the stewpot. Food would be cooked in a dish and then it would be cooked some more in a stewpot. However, if one vowed that that which enters into the stewpot is forbidden to him, he is permitted to eat from that which enters into a dish, i.e., food that is cooked only in a regular dish. If one vows that that which is cooked in a dish is forbidden to him, he is permitted to eat that which is cooked in a stewpot, as he referred only to foods whose main preparation is in a dish. Similarly, if one vows that that which is cooked in a stewpot is forbidden to him, he is permitted to eat that which is cooked in a dish.” (Sefaria.org translation)

A kedayrah was a large cooking pot usually without a cover. 

An alfas was a smaller clay pot with a lid. The walls of the alfas were thinner than the walls of the kedayrah. People used it like a kedayrah to cook different foods together; however, its primary use was to cook something quickly or to reheat the food after it was cooked in the kedayrah. Here is a picture of a modern alfas.