The best place to buy french cookware is in France. However, if you can not travel to Paris, do not fret, you can start your French cookware collection by surfing ebay for le-creuset pots both old and new. Do not be put off by purchasing a second hand le creuset pot, because they last and last and last.
Better still when you search on ebay keep an eye on items listed incorrectly spelt "le crueset". Lots of people do not spell it correctly and you can nab yourself some fabulous bargains. Because le creuset pots are incredibly heavy it is a good idea to consider where the item being sold is located as postage and shipping can add up. Copper pots also last and are worth looking for on ebay as well.
There is a lot more to French cookware than ramekins, gratin dishes and copper pots. Good quality French cookware not only boosts your cooking skills it is also an incredible joy to use. What makes French cookware so irresistible is that it is made for a lifetime. It is not about disposable products. It is about buying products you can use for a lifetime and then pass on to your children who can then pass it on to their children. The founder of Williams-Sonoma, Chuck Williams, loves French cookware.
If you are lucky enough to make it to France, the top restaurant supply store is the most famous cookware store Dehillerin pronounced "Day-le-ran" which is the top restaurant supply store for all Parisian chefs. It is located in the area called Les Halles. Its address is 18-20 Rue Coquilliere, First Arrondissement, Paris 75001.
When you holiday in France next, pack lightly and with an additional suitcase inside your main one. Allow yourself a few hours to drop in at Dehillerin in Paris and buy some wonderful French cookware that you will be able to enjoy and that your children will get to enjoy when you are long gone pushing up daisies.
Here you will see heavy-duty pots, great quality knives, and sturdy baking pans that really really work. Wooden shelves are piled high with every conceivable kind of tart pan, square, round, oval big and small. There are white porcelain baking dishes and Le Creuset pots in every colour and size. The range is unbelievable.
American visitors often comment that you can get better kitchen utensils than you can get at Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table at half the price. And remember you can claim your VAT refund. If you can not get there you can order online at e-dehillerin.fr.
Visiting the store is a truly memorable experience. It is poorly lit, cramped, typically quintessentially Paris, and wonderful. All the help in the world is there if you are willing to speak a little French, or your best Franglais. People in the know think no trip to Paris is complete without a visit to Dehillerin. You will find kitchen utensils items you see in cook books and that you have only dreamed about.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Kitchen Cookware And Accessories
Stainless steel is made from iron and other metals, which is strong and resists against wear and tear. It is inexpensive, long lasting and is most popular in North America. The metals used in stainless steel or iron, may produce health effects such as iron, nickel and chromium.
Ceramic pottery, enamel or glass cookware is easily cleaned and can be heated to fairly high temperatures. Ceramic is glazed; similar glazes are applied to metals to make enamelware. These glazes, a form of glass, resist wear and corrosion.
For cooking and storing food, plastic is lightweight and nearly unbreakable. Many containers have been made for use in microwave ovens, where metal cookware is not suitable.
Stainless steel cookware should be washed in hot, soapy water or a warm ammonia and water solution, thoroughly rinsed and immediately dried to avoid water spots. Use mild, stainless steel cleaners or light scouring with a plastic or stainless steel scouring pad to remove most stains; don't use steel wool, chlorine bleach or alcohol
Cast iron cookware is usually pre-seasoned coated with unsalted fat and heated to prevent rusting, unless porcelain coated. It should be washed in warm, sudsy water and frequently treated by coating the cast iron interior surface with unsalted shortening, left until its next use, and then wiped out. To re-season, scour the pan completely, rinse and dry; then coat the inside with unsalted fat and leave in moderate oven for two hours. Remove and wipe off excess grease
To remove copper cookware discoloration, use commercial cleaner or a mixture of flour, salt, lemon juice and ammonia applied before regular washing. Wash chrome cookware with warm water and soap or detergent. Do not use abrasive cleaners.
Stainless steel cookware should be washed in hot, soapy water or a warm ammonia and water solution, thoroughly rinsed and immediately dried to avoid water spots.
Ceramic pottery, enamel or glass cookware is easily cleaned and can be heated to fairly high temperatures. Ceramic is glazed; similar glazes are applied to metals to make enamelware. These glazes, a form of glass, resist wear and corrosion.
For cooking and storing food, plastic is lightweight and nearly unbreakable. Many containers have been made for use in microwave ovens, where metal cookware is not suitable.
Stainless steel cookware should be washed in hot, soapy water or a warm ammonia and water solution, thoroughly rinsed and immediately dried to avoid water spots. Use mild, stainless steel cleaners or light scouring with a plastic or stainless steel scouring pad to remove most stains; don't use steel wool, chlorine bleach or alcohol
Cast iron cookware is usually pre-seasoned coated with unsalted fat and heated to prevent rusting, unless porcelain coated. It should be washed in warm, sudsy water and frequently treated by coating the cast iron interior surface with unsalted shortening, left until its next use, and then wiped out. To re-season, scour the pan completely, rinse and dry; then coat the inside with unsalted fat and leave in moderate oven for two hours. Remove and wipe off excess grease
To remove copper cookware discoloration, use commercial cleaner or a mixture of flour, salt, lemon juice and ammonia applied before regular washing. Wash chrome cookware with warm water and soap or detergent. Do not use abrasive cleaners.
Stainless steel cookware should be washed in hot, soapy water or a warm ammonia and water solution, thoroughly rinsed and immediately dried to avoid water spots.
Dangerous Cookware - How It Can Affect Your Baby's Food
When preparing homemade baby food, we parents are always careful to ensure that the foods we choose are healthy and appropriate for our babies. Something that many of us overlook, however, is the suitability of the pots we're cooking in -- yet the fact is that cookware made from certain materials may not be ideal for the preparation of baby food.
* Unlined or uninsulated copper pots should not be used to cook your baby's food. This is because copper destroys both vitamins C and E and also the folic acid in the food. In addition, acidic foods cooked in copper pots can contain toxic levels of copper.
* Aluminum pots are also believed to be unsafe for cooking your baby's food. Acidic foods cooked in aluminum pots can dissolve very small quantities of aluminum, which may then be absorbed into the food. Anodized aluminum cookware is a safer alternative, because the the anodizing process "locks" the aluminum into the cookware.
* Stainless steel cookware is made up of a mixture of different metals. It is generally considered to be very safe -- but you shouldn't use it to cook your baby's food if it is particularly pitted or dented. You should also avoid scrubbing your stainless steel cookware with an abrasive substance, because this can cause small quantities of nickel and chromium to be released into food.
* You should avoid cooking your baby's food in non-stick pans because the non-stick coating may chip off and end up in the food. It is also believed that toxic fumes can be released by heating a non-stick pan to a very high temperature.
No one knows exactly how hazardous these types of cookware are to health and research has yet to come up with any conclusive evidence. Some experts think that the risk is very low, or that only people who are sensitive to certain materials will react unfavourably.
But what would be considered a small risk to an adult may be significantly greater to a baby, so it's probably a good idea to look to safer cookware alternatives when cooking for your little one.
* Cooking with iron cookware is actually beneficial to health. When you cook acidic foods (like tomatoes) in iron pots, the foods actually "pull" the iron from the pot. This boosts the important dietary iron in your baby's food.
* The FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition consider ceramic, glass and enameled cookware to be safe. You should avoid using older enameled cookware, though, because it may contain cadmium. Cadmium is a toxic substance which is no longer used in the manufacture of cookware in the US. You should also be careful of glazed ceramic cookware from overseas, where the regulations for the inclusion of cadmium and lead in cookware may not be as stringent.
For the sake of your baby's health AND your own, always make sure that your cookware is kept in very good condition - and don't use pots that are cracked, peeling, chipped or pitted.
* Unlined or uninsulated copper pots should not be used to cook your baby's food. This is because copper destroys both vitamins C and E and also the folic acid in the food. In addition, acidic foods cooked in copper pots can contain toxic levels of copper.
* Aluminum pots are also believed to be unsafe for cooking your baby's food. Acidic foods cooked in aluminum pots can dissolve very small quantities of aluminum, which may then be absorbed into the food. Anodized aluminum cookware is a safer alternative, because the the anodizing process "locks" the aluminum into the cookware.
* Stainless steel cookware is made up of a mixture of different metals. It is generally considered to be very safe -- but you shouldn't use it to cook your baby's food if it is particularly pitted or dented. You should also avoid scrubbing your stainless steel cookware with an abrasive substance, because this can cause small quantities of nickel and chromium to be released into food.
* You should avoid cooking your baby's food in non-stick pans because the non-stick coating may chip off and end up in the food. It is also believed that toxic fumes can be released by heating a non-stick pan to a very high temperature.
No one knows exactly how hazardous these types of cookware are to health and research has yet to come up with any conclusive evidence. Some experts think that the risk is very low, or that only people who are sensitive to certain materials will react unfavourably.
But what would be considered a small risk to an adult may be significantly greater to a baby, so it's probably a good idea to look to safer cookware alternatives when cooking for your little one.
* Cooking with iron cookware is actually beneficial to health. When you cook acidic foods (like tomatoes) in iron pots, the foods actually "pull" the iron from the pot. This boosts the important dietary iron in your baby's food.
* The FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition consider ceramic, glass and enameled cookware to be safe. You should avoid using older enameled cookware, though, because it may contain cadmium. Cadmium is a toxic substance which is no longer used in the manufacture of cookware in the US. You should also be careful of glazed ceramic cookware from overseas, where the regulations for the inclusion of cadmium and lead in cookware may not be as stringent.
For the sake of your baby's health AND your own, always make sure that your cookware is kept in very good condition - and don't use pots that are cracked, peeling, chipped or pitted.
What is waterless cookware
Waterless cookware is usually made from a high grade stainless steel or surgical grade stainless steel (T304). Waterless cookware is insulated with aluminum or copper along the bottom and sides or even the lids of each piece making it conduct heat very well. You only need low stove settings for this cookware to operate. The term “waterless” means that you only need a small amount of water to ensure that your cooked foods retain a lot more minerals and vitamins. The lids of the cookware should be able to create a semi vacuum so air is kept out and heat is retained. The lids do this with a valve on top that you can close and shut, sort of like a pressure cooker. Because you are cooking with less heat, water and air most of, if not all goodness of your food is retained. Remember the hotter you cook your foods the less goodness you are getting out of it. Boiling, steaming and micro-waving are not good for retaining minerals especially vegetables. Because the type of stainless steel used, these types of cookware are very strong and durable. Waterless cookware is available in some department stores or you can find them online. You might be luckier enough to see a waterless cookware company at a home show or similar. Waterless cookware can range from $500 to $5000 for very well made cookware. But before you purchase waterless cookware thoroughly read the guarantee. Some guarantees are a lifetime with catches such as it does not cover the lids or normal wear and tear. You can pretty much tell how good the cookware is compared to how good the guarantee is, so when shopping play close attention to the guarantee.
Check out www.ritecookware.com.au for good waterless cookware.
Check out www.ritecookware.com.au for good waterless cookware.
Cookware Buying Guide
There’s more to cooking than recipes, ingredients and the cook’s talent, the quality and type cookware plays a significant part. The success of a dish, including the speed and thoroughness with which it is cooked can depend to a great extent on the choice of cookware. Furthermore, in today’s society, there is an ever increasing choice of cookware on the market which not only gives you an excellent choice, but also allows you to choose according to the design and feel of your kitchen.
With this in mind, below is a concise guide to the strengths and disadvantages of materials used in the pots and pans available in today’s market.
Cast-Iron Cookware
Cast-iron cookware will last you a lifetime, probably remaining in good condition for your next generation too. It is an ideal heat conductor, and the saucepans and casseroles are coated with an enamel primer to seal rims. It can be used both on the hob and in the oven making it extremely versatile. The woks, grills and frying pans facilitate virtually fat-free cooking and are excellent for healthy low fat cooking, something we all need today. Food glides over it. It doesn’t warp and cleaning it is effortless and is dishwasher safe. For the frying pans etc to achieve optimum performance you may have to season it. Cast iron cookware has an excellent, heavy feel to it and with two of the leading brands, Le Creuset and Chasseur you have an range of colours to choose from to suit your kitchen. Whilst viewed as a more traditional product to fit traditional kitchens, a wider range of colours, including pink and kiwi, have recently been released.
Copper Cookware
Copper has been a favoured metal for cookware over the centuries. A remarkable heat conductor, copper utensils perform excellently, distributing heat evenly. They are durable, resisting denting and warping. However, they tend to react with acidic food if the coating is too thin. They may also get scratched or discoloured and it is not recommended that that they used in the dishwasher. But most of all, copper ensures quick cooking, and in comparison to cast-iron they are lighter to handle and are attractive to have hanging in the kitchen.
Stainless Steel
Extremely durable, good looking and easy to maintain, stainless steel cookware is dent and scratch resistant, and is safe to cook any kind of food. It is popular because it has an attractive smooth finish which comes in many styles including mirror finished and is easy to clean (most stainless steel cookware is dishwasher safe and many on the Blueshoots website has been approved by Finish) making it a favourite in many households. Although it might lose colour or become prone to pitting resulting from salt or brine exposure, it still holds water due to its non-porous quality. When looking to buy stainless steel cookware look for it to be manufactured with high quality heavy gauge stainless steel and to have hot forged bases with a good thickness between 5.5mm to 6.5mm which provide more even heat distribution. Any heavier and it can make the saucepan and frying pans too heavy. Key players within the stainless steel market are Stellar, Judge Vista and Meyer.
Tri-ply
Soft metals such as copper and aluminium are, in some cases, susceptible to tarnishing. To combat this, tri-ply cookware has recently come onto the market, making a significant impact. To put it simply, the whole pan is made with a sandwich of materials, with stainless steel on the inside and outside and either copper or aluminium sandwiched in the middle. This helps increase the durability of soft metals whist retaining their quality as superb heat conductor. In short, Tri-ply cookware heats the pan more quickly and retains the heat longer, so much so that in some instances the performance is so energy efficient that the heat source can be turned off before cooking is completed, making it very economic on the hob. In some instances, they are priced higher because of their superior functionality and appearance. Some of the key brands in this market are Le Creuset, Stellar Lamina and In-range.
Hard-Anodized
Non-stick interior, long lasting durability, ability to evenly spread heat across the base and safe to cook any kind of food, the advantages of hard-anodised cookware are plenty. Twice as strong as stainless steel, hard-anodisation process hardens the cookware structure, making it highly abrasion resistant. It is good looking; often oven safe and many ranges are suitable for induction cookers. Brands include Jamie Oliver, Analon, Stellar and In-range. Hard anodised cookware is one of the fastest growing cookware products today
Each cookware type has its own set of benefits, ranging from heat retention, heat distribution to weight and their look and feel. Ultimately, good quality cookware will cost more than you standard day-to-day cookware, it will enhance the meal you are cooking will be a pleasure to cook with and most likely easier to clean. Furthermore, with the increasing choice of cookware available, you now have a greater choice to buy the type of cookware that not only reflects your needs but also the style of your kitchen and what type of statement you wish to make.
With this in mind, below is a concise guide to the strengths and disadvantages of materials used in the pots and pans available in today’s market.
Cast-Iron Cookware
Cast-iron cookware will last you a lifetime, probably remaining in good condition for your next generation too. It is an ideal heat conductor, and the saucepans and casseroles are coated with an enamel primer to seal rims. It can be used both on the hob and in the oven making it extremely versatile. The woks, grills and frying pans facilitate virtually fat-free cooking and are excellent for healthy low fat cooking, something we all need today. Food glides over it. It doesn’t warp and cleaning it is effortless and is dishwasher safe. For the frying pans etc to achieve optimum performance you may have to season it. Cast iron cookware has an excellent, heavy feel to it and with two of the leading brands, Le Creuset and Chasseur you have an range of colours to choose from to suit your kitchen. Whilst viewed as a more traditional product to fit traditional kitchens, a wider range of colours, including pink and kiwi, have recently been released.
Copper Cookware
Copper has been a favoured metal for cookware over the centuries. A remarkable heat conductor, copper utensils perform excellently, distributing heat evenly. They are durable, resisting denting and warping. However, they tend to react with acidic food if the coating is too thin. They may also get scratched or discoloured and it is not recommended that that they used in the dishwasher. But most of all, copper ensures quick cooking, and in comparison to cast-iron they are lighter to handle and are attractive to have hanging in the kitchen.
Stainless Steel
Extremely durable, good looking and easy to maintain, stainless steel cookware is dent and scratch resistant, and is safe to cook any kind of food. It is popular because it has an attractive smooth finish which comes in many styles including mirror finished and is easy to clean (most stainless steel cookware is dishwasher safe and many on the Blueshoots website has been approved by Finish) making it a favourite in many households. Although it might lose colour or become prone to pitting resulting from salt or brine exposure, it still holds water due to its non-porous quality. When looking to buy stainless steel cookware look for it to be manufactured with high quality heavy gauge stainless steel and to have hot forged bases with a good thickness between 5.5mm to 6.5mm which provide more even heat distribution. Any heavier and it can make the saucepan and frying pans too heavy. Key players within the stainless steel market are Stellar, Judge Vista and Meyer.
Tri-ply
Soft metals such as copper and aluminium are, in some cases, susceptible to tarnishing. To combat this, tri-ply cookware has recently come onto the market, making a significant impact. To put it simply, the whole pan is made with a sandwich of materials, with stainless steel on the inside and outside and either copper or aluminium sandwiched in the middle. This helps increase the durability of soft metals whist retaining their quality as superb heat conductor. In short, Tri-ply cookware heats the pan more quickly and retains the heat longer, so much so that in some instances the performance is so energy efficient that the heat source can be turned off before cooking is completed, making it very economic on the hob. In some instances, they are priced higher because of their superior functionality and appearance. Some of the key brands in this market are Le Creuset, Stellar Lamina and In-range.
Hard-Anodized
Non-stick interior, long lasting durability, ability to evenly spread heat across the base and safe to cook any kind of food, the advantages of hard-anodised cookware are plenty. Twice as strong as stainless steel, hard-anodisation process hardens the cookware structure, making it highly abrasion resistant. It is good looking; often oven safe and many ranges are suitable for induction cookers. Brands include Jamie Oliver, Analon, Stellar and In-range. Hard anodised cookware is one of the fastest growing cookware products today
Each cookware type has its own set of benefits, ranging from heat retention, heat distribution to weight and their look and feel. Ultimately, good quality cookware will cost more than you standard day-to-day cookware, it will enhance the meal you are cooking will be a pleasure to cook with and most likely easier to clean. Furthermore, with the increasing choice of cookware available, you now have a greater choice to buy the type of cookware that not only reflects your needs but also the style of your kitchen and what type of statement you wish to make.
Cookware You Can Depend On
For over one hundred years, Beka cookware has been designing and manufacturing the world’s leading gourmet cooking utensils. Founded during the year 1899 in Betzingen, Germany Daniel Braun and Jakob Kemmler were the originators of Beka cookware. After many successful years in Germany, Beka cookware began to expand globally dominating markets in France, Belgium, and eventually to America.
Today, Beka cookware is categorized in two distinct categories. They are the Beka Classic collection, and the Beka Line. The Beka Classic collection contains the Cook and Fry Stainless Steel, the Cook and Fry Aluminum collection, Tools and Specials, and the Cook and Fry Copper collection. The Beka Line includes the Cook and Fry Stainless Steel collection, the Cook and Fry Aluminum collection, and the Cook and Fry Copper collection.
In the Beka Classic Cook and Fry Stainless Steel collection you will find the Creole, Fortuna, the Gourmet Club, the Juwel, the Krea, the Polo, the Saphir, and the Sully. These stainless steel collections are elegant and will compliment every kitchen. They include glass lids, matt finishes, and decorative handles. Many of the cookware include inside capacity lines to let you cook with precision. Using the Stainless Steel collection offers the cook many advantages. Many have non-stick surfaces, and you should make sure that you always cook with wood or plastic utensils to make sure that you don’t inadvertently damage the surface.
Caring for your Beka cookware involves a few simple preventive methods as well as making sure that you take care of any trouble spots or problems immediately. By taking care of these problems immediately, you will ensure the longevity of your cookware.
You should always wash your cookware in hot soapy water and allow them to dry thoroughly. When using your Beka cookware on a range make sure that only the base of your cookware is receiving direct heat. If the heat is higher than the base of the pan, it could cause permanent damage to the handles.
Taking care of your copper cookware is just as important. Your Beka copper cookware will have a protective film over it. You will need to remove this layer before using it for the first time. You can remove it by rubbing it off with Acetone, be sure to wash the pots thoroughly in hot soapy water to remove all traces of the Acetone. It is best to avoid dishwashers when cleaning your copper cookware. You can however use copper polishing products to maintain the luster and beauty of your Beka copper cookware.
Today, Beka cookware is categorized in two distinct categories. They are the Beka Classic collection, and the Beka Line. The Beka Classic collection contains the Cook and Fry Stainless Steel, the Cook and Fry Aluminum collection, Tools and Specials, and the Cook and Fry Copper collection.
Today, Beka cookware is categorized in two distinct categories. They are the Beka Classic collection, and the Beka Line. The Beka Classic collection contains the Cook and Fry Stainless Steel, the Cook and Fry Aluminum collection, Tools and Specials, and the Cook and Fry Copper collection. The Beka Line includes the Cook and Fry Stainless Steel collection, the Cook and Fry Aluminum collection, and the Cook and Fry Copper collection.
In the Beka Classic Cook and Fry Stainless Steel collection you will find the Creole, Fortuna, the Gourmet Club, the Juwel, the Krea, the Polo, the Saphir, and the Sully. These stainless steel collections are elegant and will compliment every kitchen. They include glass lids, matt finishes, and decorative handles. Many of the cookware include inside capacity lines to let you cook with precision. Using the Stainless Steel collection offers the cook many advantages. Many have non-stick surfaces, and you should make sure that you always cook with wood or plastic utensils to make sure that you don’t inadvertently damage the surface.
Caring for your Beka cookware involves a few simple preventive methods as well as making sure that you take care of any trouble spots or problems immediately. By taking care of these problems immediately, you will ensure the longevity of your cookware.
You should always wash your cookware in hot soapy water and allow them to dry thoroughly. When using your Beka cookware on a range make sure that only the base of your cookware is receiving direct heat. If the heat is higher than the base of the pan, it could cause permanent damage to the handles.
Taking care of your copper cookware is just as important. Your Beka copper cookware will have a protective film over it. You will need to remove this layer before using it for the first time. You can remove it by rubbing it off with Acetone, be sure to wash the pots thoroughly in hot soapy water to remove all traces of the Acetone. It is best to avoid dishwashers when cleaning your copper cookware. You can however use copper polishing products to maintain the luster and beauty of your Beka copper cookware.
Today, Beka cookware is categorized in two distinct categories. They are the Beka Classic collection, and the Beka Line. The Beka Classic collection contains the Cook and Fry Stainless Steel, the Cook and Fry Aluminum collection, Tools and Specials, and the Cook and Fry Copper collection.
Cooking With Copper
Many professional chefs use copper pots and pans for their cooking. If copper pans are good enough for the pros, then they should be good enough for your kitchen... right? As with any type of cookware, copper pans have their pros and cons.
What do you think would look nicer on your shelf... a set of dull, stainless steel pans, or a set of bright, shiny copper pans? The answer is pretty obvious, the copper looks nicer, which is one of the advantages. They brighten up the kitchen, and make a better showpiece than other pans. But copper has other advantages than just good looks.
Copper is an excellenet conductor of heat. A good quality copper pan conducts the heat to the food quickly and evenly. This is copper's greatest advantage over other types of cookware. Many chefs use copper to cook foods that need to be cooked at precisely controlled temperatures. Despite these advantages, there are also some disadvantages to copper.
Copper is a reactive metal, meaning that it readily oxidizes when it comes in contact with acids. If unlined copper pans are used in cooking acidic foods, such as tomatoes, then severe illness can result. This is why many copper pots and pans are lined with a non-reactive surface, such as stainless steel. This prevents the copper from dissolving into the food, and causing illness. Copper pans, lined with stainless steel are considered some of the finest cookware available. Unlined copper is just fine for foods that are not acidic. Many chefs use copper bowls for whipping egg whites. You should never store foods in copper pans though, whether or not the food contains acids. Transfer the food to an appropriate storage container.
When choosing copper cookware, look for thick, heavy gauge pans. If you find some good heavy copper pans at a garage sale, or otherwise buy them used, look at the stainless steel coating. If the coating is scratched and copper is showing through, then you will need to get the pans re-lined before you can use them.
Copper like silver tarnishes. But it is easy to make a tarnished pan bright and shiny again. Simply make a paste of lemon juice and salt, and rub it onto the pot with a cloth, then rinse the mixture off, and the tarnish will disappear. Never use abrasive materials in cleaning copper. Copper is a soft metal, and easily scratched by abrasives. Abrasive cleaners will also scratch the stainless steel lining, which will make the pans unsafe to use unless re-lined.
If cared for correctly, then copper pans will serve you well over the years. They conduct the heat well, and they look good while doing it. Just take good care of the pans, and make sure that the lining remains intact.
What do you think would look nicer on your shelf... a set of dull, stainless steel pans, or a set of bright, shiny copper pans? The answer is pretty obvious, the copper looks nicer, which is one of the advantages. They brighten up the kitchen, and make a better showpiece than other pans. But copper has other advantages than just good looks.
Copper is an excellenet conductor of heat. A good quality copper pan conducts the heat to the food quickly and evenly. This is copper's greatest advantage over other types of cookware. Many chefs use copper to cook foods that need to be cooked at precisely controlled temperatures. Despite these advantages, there are also some disadvantages to copper.
Copper is a reactive metal, meaning that it readily oxidizes when it comes in contact with acids. If unlined copper pans are used in cooking acidic foods, such as tomatoes, then severe illness can result. This is why many copper pots and pans are lined with a non-reactive surface, such as stainless steel. This prevents the copper from dissolving into the food, and causing illness. Copper pans, lined with stainless steel are considered some of the finest cookware available. Unlined copper is just fine for foods that are not acidic. Many chefs use copper bowls for whipping egg whites. You should never store foods in copper pans though, whether or not the food contains acids. Transfer the food to an appropriate storage container.
When choosing copper cookware, look for thick, heavy gauge pans. If you find some good heavy copper pans at a garage sale, or otherwise buy them used, look at the stainless steel coating. If the coating is scratched and copper is showing through, then you will need to get the pans re-lined before you can use them.
Copper like silver tarnishes. But it is easy to make a tarnished pan bright and shiny again. Simply make a paste of lemon juice and salt, and rub it onto the pot with a cloth, then rinse the mixture off, and the tarnish will disappear. Never use abrasive materials in cleaning copper. Copper is a soft metal, and easily scratched by abrasives. Abrasive cleaners will also scratch the stainless steel lining, which will make the pans unsafe to use unless re-lined.
If cared for correctly, then copper pans will serve you well over the years. They conduct the heat well, and they look good while doing it. Just take good care of the pans, and make sure that the lining remains intact.
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