What Is It About Copper That We Love So Much?
What is it about copper that we love so much? Do you have a collection of copper? Or, have you been thinking about adding some copper pots to your kitchen?
If you’re new here, every Sunday, I share my favorite finds of the week along with my blogging besties, Mary Ann and Cindy. This week, I’m sharing everything related to copper.
Why Add Copper Pots?
Julia Child
There’s nothing like the warm glow of copper in the kitchen. Think of Julia Child’s kitchen. Her famous pegboard with copper pots hanging in her Cambridge kitchen. Whenever I travel and have time to watch several movies, I re-watch Julie and Julia and recently followed it with watching the Julia documentary, available on Prime, which I also loved. In the movie, she’s shopping at E. Dehillerin for copper pots! They have been around since 1820!
Mimi Thorisson
Food writer Mimi Thorisson has them hanging in her kitchen in Medoc, France, where she lives with her husband and their large family, including something like nine dogs. Can you even imagine this kitchen without a collection of copper pots? You’ll see them on the pages of her beautiful cookbooks adding warmth to each page.
French Country Cooking: Meals and Moments From a Village in the Vineyards
Old World Italian: Recipes and Secrets From Travels in Italy
A Kitchen in France: A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse
The Cook’s Atelier
Whenever I see an image pop up on Instagram from The Cook’s Atelier, my heart skips a beat. It’s the copper, the white porcelain, the working glasses filled with fresh from the garden herbs, the crocks filled with utensils, and a spool of kitchen twine. But…it’s the gleaming copper that warms up the room, isn’t it?
I love their cookbook. We didn’t make it to Beaune during our last trip to France, but we certainly, hope to next time! They have a lovely online boutique with all things, French. And they just announced their 2023 and 2024 Seasonal Burgundy Masterclass Culinary Immersion Programs.
The Cook’s Atelier
Copper, crocks of Utensils, Cups with Votives, Apilco, Kitchen Twine & Fresh herbs
Mary Ann’s Copper Pots in her San Francisco Kitchen
This was in Mary Ann’s San Francisco kitchen. The copper was collected from when they lived in Paris, and probably a few were brought home from their yearly trip to Paris. You can read more in this post. I took the above photos a year ago when I visited Mary Ann for her birthday. She took me to Elsie Green in Concord, CA. You can read more in this post!
Seeking Lavender Lane
What Dreams May Become
Elizabeth Burns Has a Collection of Copper at her home in Big Sur
I love how Elizabeth is displaying her copper pots. A shelf or ledge on the wall with a simple rail below the shelf. The pots hang from simple S hooks.
Kelley from Blue Canoe
Kelley has the best style. I had the chance to talk with her in this post, and now she has a shop on Balboa Island called Blue Canoe. I haven’t been, but everyone is raving about it! Follow Kelley on Instagram here.
How to Display Copper Pots?
I searched for the best way to hang some of the copper we brought back from France. I found this rack that I loved at Rejuvenation but didn’t love the price. Then I found this one on west elm. I can use it with my coffee station if I don’t use it for copper pots.
Another option is this one, and it comes with six hooks.
The Best Way to Clean Copper
We used a combination of all-natural and Wright’s Copper Polish.
All-Natural Cleaning Method
Use lemon juice and salt. About 75% lemon juice and 25% salt; just apply with half of the lemon as a scrubber or use a soft cloth. Some of the pots had tape residue that was especially stubborn. I used a little lemon essential oil and cleaned it up beautifully. Rinse and wash with dish soap and dry with a soft cloth.
Another method that people seem to love is to use Ketchup. It did work, but I started early in the morning while drinking coffee, and lemon just smelled better at that time of day! The bottom line, copper is pretty easy to clean!
What’s So Great About Copper?
What Is It about copper that we love so much?
Cooking with Copper
Copper is the best conductor of heat. Copper warms quickly, stays warm, and cooks evenly. No more scalding!
Is it Safe to Cook in Copper Pots and Pans?
Yes! Copper is absolutely safe if it’s lined with another non-reactive metal. Copper is usually lined with tin or stainless. If they are damaged or worn, they can be re-tinned. East Coast Tinning in Rhode Island can give you an estimate here.
Where to Shop for Vintage Copper
- Shop Most Lovely Things – You didn’t think I would write a post on copper and not mention my shop, did you!? We have quite a few single pots and a few sets straight from France. What Is It about copper that we love so much? Everything!
- Elsie Green
- Food 52
Annie, If you haven’t already, watch HBO’s 8 episode 1st season of Julia. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Season 2 is in the works.
Gina! I do not know about this series! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to watch!
xx
AHHHH. This was a wonderful, information-packed post. Such eye candy!
Howard has asked when we are going to hang our copper posts again but there is only one place available on the side of a wooden cabinet. Well, I’m convinced now to bite the bullet and drill the holes…but this time with one of the rods you suggest. We use the pots more when they are out.
Can’t wait to look at your shop. You have such a good eye.
Mary Ann! Once you cook in copper, it kind of spoils you. Does water even boil faster? And butter doesn’t burn, it just browns so beautifully.
xx
I used to have several but I gave mine all to my daughter and son in law. I just found that I wasn’t using them anymore. My mom had a collection as well that they now own! They sure look beautiful displayed though! Love all the links you shared today. So much great inspiration!!
Cindy, I just love cooking in copper; I’m so shocked you don’t love it! It seems like copper would be your thing!
Annie,
Cooks Atelier is one of my favorites, love their cookbook and their story. I have not been to the store but my friends did the week cooking class pre-covid and loved every minute.
As for the copper, it is all beautiful! So many wonderful accounts and pieces.
Someone recently made a copper rail(diy) for their kitchen. I thought it was seeking lavender lane? Here is a DIY from 2014, http://wildlandia.com/diy-copper-kitchen-rail but I know that I have seen more than this!
Have a wonderful week Annie!
Elizabeth,
Yes, I remember seeing it! It was with copper and brass pieces, I think…I tried to find it for this post but couldn’t. Thank you so much for linking the one from 2014!! I appreciate it!
xo
Annie
Hi Annie,
Thank you so much for this post. I also looked at Rejuvenation, and it was so expensive I gave up the hunt for some kind of rail. Now I have ordered the West Elm, and will use it for antique copper pots from Venezuela.
My mother visited there years ago, there were all kinds of copper pots available.
I stayed in an Air BNB in Scotland with some copper skillets in the little kitchen. It made a believer of me, copper is a dream for cooking.
You solved a problem for me!
Yay! Where are you going to hang yours? I’m hoping it’s not a mistake to hang it above my stove. I agree…once you cook with copper, it makes you realize what all the fuss is about!