|
GENERAL INFO ON OUR FRENCH COPPERWARE |
|
This HIGH QUALITY Copperware with a TIN lining is manufactured by “BAUMALU”
(located in the Alsace - FRANCE) |
|
Copper pans have been used in the kitchen for centuries as copper conducts the heat better than any other metal :
copper pans heat up more quickly and evenly (top + bottom) – which results in shorter cooking times and tastier food.
Copper is slightly acidic and reacts with certain foods and is therefore lined with another metal – traditionally TIN.
Today copper pans are often lined with stainless steel, which is more durable, but unfortunately a poor heat conductor.
We choose to sell the traditional TIN lined copperware just for that 1 reason:
tin gives a better heat conduction than stainless steel.
The BAUMALU cookware is still TINNED BY HAND according to traditional techniques !
(brush marks and/or small irregularities are still visible) |
|
We sell the BAUMALU “professional” 2 mm thick – hammered range with cast iron handles :
2 MM THICK
faster heat conduction and much stronger than the 1 mm
HAMMERED COPPER
 beaten with a hammer so that it leaves small dents all over the surface.
The “hammering” is done by hand which is time and labour consuming – but results in a high quality product:
the tiny dents reinforce the copper
air and heat can circulate better
daily wear and tear (scratches) less visible
CAST IRON HANDLES
 don’t heat up as quickly as the copper – so they stay cooler for longer
hand made : handles can differ in shape and length – which give the pans more “authenticity”
RIVETS
hand riveted to the pan with 2 or 3 rivets
 |
|
PLEASE NOTE :
The Baumalu copperware has a protective lacquer which needs to be removed before first use.
With each purchase we supply instructions on how to remove the lacquer + how to care for your copper pans.
These copper pans are NOT suitable for induction hobs
Several stages in the manufacturing process are still done manually
according to the old traditions (tinning – riveting – hammering)
and therefore irregularities can occur on the tinned /copper surface , the bottom or the lids
PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN PURCHASING THESE COPPER PANS ! |
|
Here are some of the qestions people ask us regularly :
HOW TO REMOVE THE PROTECTIVE LACQUER ?
BAUMALU copper pans are shipped with a fine lacquer layer to help protect the external copper surface both from oxidizing and scratching.
You MUST remove this lacquer before using the pans, or the lacquer will burn and leave a nasty black residue that is very hard to remove.
Simply rub your pan with a cloth or cotton wool soaked in acetone.
Rinse the pan in cold water and pat dry with a clean cloth and your pan is ready to use.
Please make sure to rinse + dry well, as aceton is flamable.
If you use enough aceton, the lacquer will come away very easily.
If you don't use enough aceton, the pan will become sticky - just repeat the process with more aceton. You can find aceton at chemists and shops that sell paints.
TIN LINED or STAINLESS STEEL lined copperware ?
Copper is a very good heat conductor and so is TIN (heats up quick and evenly)
Stainless steel is a much slower heat conductor – so what you gain by using copper, you slightly loose again through the stainless steel.
If you prefer to work with metal utensils and you don't care for the slower heating up :
go for the stainless steel lined copper pans
If you don't mind working with wooden & silicone utensils (spoons, whisks) and you prefer the more even + quicker heating up:
choose TIN-lined copperware - as this will give you a perfectly even + quick heating up of the pans and your food. We opted for TIN and therefore we only sell the tin-lined copperware from BAUMALU
If you think you might prefer stainless steel, you can buy the also excellent Mauviel copperware. (although almost 4 times more expensive)
Is there a big difference between 1 MM and 2 MM thick copperware ?
There is a simple answer to this question : YES, there is a VERY BIG difference between 1 mm and 2 mm thick copper.
You might say : it's only 1 mm - but this 1 mm makes an enormous difference !
The 1 mm copper pans feel very light, will easily dent and are not ideal for cooking. (although you can cook with them)
Most of the 1 mm copperware is sold to decorate a country kitchen : a nice display of 5 different sized pans above the AGA or Rayburn.
The 2 mm copperware feels much heavier - is much more robust and the 2 mm copper layer conducts the heat extremely well and fast.
This is also the most used copperware- as well by the enthousiastic home cook as by many famous (and less famous) chefs.
There also exists a 3 mm copper layer cookware range - but these pans are mostly used in professional kitchens.
Although they give the most perfect and quickest heat conduction - they are very, very heavy - which makes them a bit less user friendly.
BAUMALU manufacturers 1 mm and 2 mm copperware - we only sell their 2 mm range.
|
| |
|
