I have recently purchased several items from this manufacturer and would like to know if I have gotten a quality product...I have an opportunity to purchase additional pieces but want to know if they are quality. I am just starting to cook with copper. Thank you J
Baumalu Copper Cookware
- Thread starter jani
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Many people have attested to the quality of this manufacturer's product. I have seen it and hefted it, but never used it. I cook with copper, (Mauviel, Falk, and Lara) almost exclusively and to me (my eyes and hands) Baumalu copper is "home quality" not "restaurant quality" due to thickness of pan sides and appearance of tin surface. (which may just be the pieces I 've seen). I have also seen some of their pieces lacquered and that is pain to get off and makes a pan unusable until you do.
Their prices have been very reasonable, they are French made and they do have a following. But after using the other brands listed above, I won't be buying any Baumalu. But you say you have some. How does it cook? That's the key question.
Their prices have been very reasonable, they are French made and they do have a following. But after using the other brands listed above, I won't be buying any Baumalu. But you say you have some. How does it cook? That's the key question.
Adillo303
Head Chef
What is the advantage of cooking in Copper over something like Allclad?
Jest Askin - AC
Jest Askin - AC
Cooking with copper
to answer Robo...I have not used the pans yet....our home is not finished...and to the other respondent....I think that food cooks faster in copper at a lower temp.......just what I have heard? Anybody else have a reason for cooking with copper?
to answer Robo...I have not used the pans yet....our home is not finished...and to the other respondent....I think that food cooks faster in copper at a lower temp.......just what I have heard? Anybody else have a reason for cooking with copper?
jani,
I have some Baumalu pans I purchased in France way back in 2002 I think. Never had an issue and they are great... except that are really heavy.
Baumalu produces several lines (different wall thickness), if you purchased the stuff that is 2.2 or 2.5 mm thick you have a pan that will last you a long time.
I also have some Falk and Mauviel pans, they are good too but for some reason I prefer the tin-cooper combination over the stainless steel-cooper.
Adillo303, cooper is best commercial material that conducts heat (Silver is better, but too expensive for mundane applications like cookware). Pans made out of cooper are very efficient at heating and don't have hot spots. The main drawback is weight, cooper is heavier than iron.
I have some Baumalu pans I purchased in France way back in 2002 I think. Never had an issue and they are great... except that are really heavy.
Baumalu produces several lines (different wall thickness), if you purchased the stuff that is 2.2 or 2.5 mm thick you have a pan that will last you a long time.
I also have some Falk and Mauviel pans, they are good too but for some reason I prefer the tin-cooper combination over the stainless steel-cooper.
Adillo303, cooper is best commercial material that conducts heat (Silver is better, but too expensive for mundane applications like cookware). Pans made out of cooper are very efficient at heating and don't have hot spots. The main drawback is weight, cooper is heavier than iron.
copper heats and cools quickly so it gives one great control over sauteing and sauce making. One can use less flame, less power on electric, to get results. You can achieve a real simmer and know that it will stay that way for hours without tending. Aluminum, the main conductive metal in allclad and most tri ply cookware is next after copper. Cast iron is slow to heat up and slow to cool off so it has many uses for deep searing and braising.
I agree that tinned copper is excellent, and I've had no trouble with it. My Lara and most of my Mauviel is tinned copper. But it is a softer metal and requires a bit of care. No scouring or scraping.
What's the advantage over other fine cookware? It's the difference or advantage of a BMW over a Chrysler or Caddy. Some will like it, others don't want the bother.
I agree that tinned copper is excellent, and I've had no trouble with it. My Lara and most of my Mauviel is tinned copper. But it is a softer metal and requires a bit of care. No scouring or scraping.
What's the advantage over other fine cookware? It's the difference or advantage of a BMW over a Chrysler or Caddy. Some will like it, others don't want the bother.
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Tin will darken with age and use. That is normal; eventually it becomes a medium dull gray.
Don't scour your pots, the tin will scratch and come off and will need re tinning before its time. Use wooden and nylon utensils.
Wash pots with dish soap and a sponge or soft rag. Let them soak if necessary to loosen stuck on food. Minimize this need by emptying pot into a serving dish and letting it soak while you eat. Or put pans to soak while having coffee and desert.
The copper outside can be cleaned with any copper polish or Bar Keepers Friend. Regular polishing keeps it shiny easily. Many folks like the "used look" of a dark penny color. The pot will still cook fine whichever you choose.
Your pot should not be heated without food in it. Tin melts at 460* Get to know your pan's characteristics. Boil an egg, make mashed potatoes, cook oatmeal or rice, etc.
All that said, restaurants that use copper pots (and many do) put their pots n pans through a lot of "abuse" from the home cook's view point. But they also send them out for re tinning every year or so. (the equivalent cost of replacing your hotel pans and pro aluminum sautees every couple years after they get beat up)
I've been cooking in tinned copper for about 10 years at home and have yet to send anything out for re tinning. I have 3 great contacts for such work when the time comes (Denver, Newark, Brooklyn, but all I've done with them so far is buy some hand hammered pots! (just what I needed)
check out Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop - fantes.com and read up on their cookware section about various metals and specifically copper and it's care.
Don't scour your pots, the tin will scratch and come off and will need re tinning before its time. Use wooden and nylon utensils.
Wash pots with dish soap and a sponge or soft rag. Let them soak if necessary to loosen stuck on food. Minimize this need by emptying pot into a serving dish and letting it soak while you eat. Or put pans to soak while having coffee and desert.
The copper outside can be cleaned with any copper polish or Bar Keepers Friend. Regular polishing keeps it shiny easily. Many folks like the "used look" of a dark penny color. The pot will still cook fine whichever you choose.
Your pot should not be heated without food in it. Tin melts at 460* Get to know your pan's characteristics. Boil an egg, make mashed potatoes, cook oatmeal or rice, etc.
All that said, restaurants that use copper pots (and many do) put their pots n pans through a lot of "abuse" from the home cook's view point. But they also send them out for re tinning every year or so. (the equivalent cost of replacing your hotel pans and pro aluminum sautees every couple years after they get beat up)
I've been cooking in tinned copper for about 10 years at home and have yet to send anything out for re tinning. I have 3 great contacts for such work when the time comes (Denver, Newark, Brooklyn, but all I've done with them so far is buy some hand hammered pots! (just what I needed)
check out Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop - fantes.com and read up on their cookware section about various metals and specifically copper and it's care.
Use of copper pots
THank you for taking the time to answer my question on the care of the pans....just to satify my own curiosity ....is there any danger in cooking with the tin lined pots? No toxic problems? Are there any food that should not be cooked in the tin lined pans and pots?
Jani
THank you for taking the time to answer my question on the care of the pans....just to satify my own curiosity ....is there any danger in cooking with the tin lined pots? No toxic problems? Are there any food that should not be cooked in the tin lined pans and pots?
Jani
jani,
The safest way to polish your cooper is to use a mix table salt and lemon juice or table salt and vinegar and rub it on the cooper surface. The salt acts as an abrasive rubbing the acid and cleaning very fast. A quick wash and drying and you are done.
If have hammered cooper and want a top notch polish finish, then use a mix of baking soda and lemon juice. It will require a little more labor to get into all nooks and cranies but you will end up with a pan looking like new.
As you cook, the tin will get darker. This is normal and will not affect the pan performance. Tin does not react with foodstuffs, it is the material that food cans used to be covered inside. As it was pointed, tin's melting point is relatively low so you should not use metal utensils or extreme heat when using tin lined pans.
The safest way to polish your cooper is to use a mix table salt and lemon juice or table salt and vinegar and rub it on the cooper surface. The salt acts as an abrasive rubbing the acid and cleaning very fast. A quick wash and drying and you are done.
If have hammered cooper and want a top notch polish finish, then use a mix of baking soda and lemon juice. It will require a little more labor to get into all nooks and cranies but you will end up with a pan looking like new.
As you cook, the tin will get darker. This is normal and will not affect the pan performance. Tin does not react with foodstuffs, it is the material that food cans used to be covered inside. As it was pointed, tin's melting point is relatively low so you should not use metal utensils or extreme heat when using tin lined pans.
Bigjim68
Head Chef
No danger, that is the purpose of the tin lining, to keep the food away from the copper. They will need to be retinned when you can see copper through the lining. Get yourself a bunch of wooden utensils and use them. Metal will wear away the tin surface, and hasten the need for retinning. Do not scrub the interior surfaces with an abrasive. Soak them if necessary, The exteriors can be cleaned with any number of products, including citrus juice and salt. I use Wrights as it is cheap and available where I live. I have seen the Baumalu at Tuesday Morning, and they appear to me to be of various quality, even on the same Tuesday shelf. Generally, I would not buy any copper of less than 2 mm thickness. If you like beautiful tools that work well, and are prepared to care for them, you will love copper cookware. In my opinion, most of the advice above is dead on. Check out the Rocky Mountain Retinning site. If you have a spare $250 laying around, the set of 4 saucepans he sells are one of the best buys around. I love mine. Truly top quality. I think he assembles and tins them on site. I have had good luck with his retinning.
