Copper utensils have been appreciated by chefs and lovers of delicious and healthy food for many centuries. Why did the copper cookware deserve such high praise?
Copper cookware has a whole range of useful properties:
- High thermal conductivity. This property allows the copper cookware to heat up evenly, avoiding burning the food. At the same time, the cooking time is reduced by about 30%, and this, in turn, allows you to save more vitamins and nutrients in the finished dish.
- High antibacterial properties. Copper is capable of oxidizing with oxygen molecules, having a detrimental effect on E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus, even without the use of high temperatures. Thus, if you use a cutting board to cut vegetables, copper will show its disinfectant properties. This quality was noticed by people many years ago and was especially appreciated in hot countries - food left in copper dishes could stay at room temperature all day and did not spoil. Therefore, using copper cookware can reduce the risk of intestinal infections.
- Copper does not emit harmful substances, does not corrode, is durable with proper care and can be inherited. When using copper cookware, remember that some vegetables will oxidize during cooking, so choose copper cookware with a tin or stainless steel lining inside. They are safe for health and do not react with food. Uncoated copper is indispensable for cooking cold dishes and boiling water.
- Copper dishes are very beautiful and will be a worthy interior decoration.
How to care for copper cookware?
In order for copper dishes to serve for a long time and retain their unique properties, you need to remember some rules:
- do not heat the dishes in a dry state, before heating, first fill the container with water, vegetables or grease with oil;
- do not pour boiling water into empty dishes;
- add salt at the end of cooking;
- when cooking, use low heat and do not overheat;
- use only wooden or silicone spatulas and spoons, not metal, so as not to scratch the surface, copper is a very soft material;
- for washing, use a mixture of salt and flour or special products without abrasives and chlorine;
- so that after washing the dishes, stains do not appear on it, wipe it with a towel;
- do not wash copper dishes in the dishwasher.
