Whether cooking is your livelihood or just an integral part of your life, one thing is for sure: You spend a great deal of time in the kitchen. What’s more, you care about making delicious foods. You have probably spent hours culling recipes from all of your favorite sources and even more time putting your own spin on them. The only jarring dissonance in this picture is your less-than-stellar cookware. It’s time to do yourself, your kitchen, your food, your friends and family and everyone else you cook for the ultimate favor: Catapult your cooking space to the professional level with copper pots and pans.
THE DOWNSIDE
You have to agree that there is nothing more stunning than the sight of gleaming copper pan sets hanging from pot racks in a high-end kitchen. They give the space an unparalleled sense of style, tradition, skill and integrity. However, you also know that buying copper cookware truly is a financial commitment. An entire set of pots and pans can cost thousands of dollars, an investment that might be a challenge to justify.
What’s more, you may be under the mistaken impression that copper is a maintenance nightmare. The idea of spending hours scrubbing and polishing is unappealing to virtually anyone. This is especially true if you’re a busy cook with a full life. Finally, you might be concerned that copper will work its way into the foods you cook, a decidedly unappetizing prospect.
THE ADVANTAGES OF COPPER COOKWARE
There is no doubt that your wallet will suffer a hit after a copper cookware purchase, particularly if you spring for an entire set of pots and pans all at once. Fortunately, you can insulate yourself against a good deal of the sticker shock by only getting one thing at a time. Start with the item you think you will use the most, and work your way from there.
Once you get your first purchase into your kitchen and begin to cook with it, you will truly begin to realize why many of the world’s top chefs prefer copper over all other cookware materials. Because this metal is a terrific heat conductor, your food will cook evenly without hot spots or scorching. In addition, you won’t need to deal with things sticking to the bottom or sides of your copper pots or pans. Much of today’s copper cookware is lined with tin or other materials, a feature that keeps the copper from coming into contact with what you’re cooking.
When the meal is finished and it’s time for cleanup, you will soon find that copper is nothing short of nature’s own nonstick surface. Avoid using any abrasive cleaners or scrubbers on your pots and pans. Their exterior can be kept gleaming with an easy-to-make natural solution of white vinegar, salt and lemon juice that takes only a minute to apply. In many cases, your cookware will be lined with tin, ceramic, stainless steel or other modern materials, giving you a little more leeway. However, remember that if you treat your cookware with gentle, loving care, you can use it for decades and even pass it down as a family heirloom.
These days, copper is all the rage. Because of its appearance, it adds a touch of beauty and class to any kitchen. However, it brings much more than that to the table. If you’re serious about the art of food preparation and want only the best, you need look no further than a set of beautiful, practical and surprisingly easy to maintain copper cookware.
