I also like to do "real cooking". I find that for frying (like fish) a stove that has a larger diameter burner ring works better. I mostly use my very light SnowPeak but it has a tiny ring that does not work as well for larger pots or frying pans. As for "fussing" with white gas, it really is not that hard. The nice thing about white gas (or alchohol) is that you take exactly the amount of gas you need whereas with cannister you only have three choices - small (2-3 days for one person, actually cooking), medium (5-7 days), large (8-9 days). The spent cannisters also bother me- I have two large boxes with cannisters that have about a day or two fuel left!).

Be sure your pots have tight fitting lids. You waste lots of fuel trying to boil water without a lid. And use a "cozy" - an insulated pot wrap, because most cooked meals can be taken off the stove when about half done, and then finish "cooking" in the cozy. This really saves fuel. Another real fuel savings is to solar-heat your water. The FIRST thing I do when I get into camp is fill my Playtapus 2.5-liter bottle and set it facing the sun, with a black stuff sack behind it.

And lastly, be sure you have a good wind-screen or some means of protecting the flame from wind. The snow-Peak does not come with a wind screen but you can buy one separately.