My iron pan sizzles a chicken breast to perfection. As a chef with years of experience, I look at the pan… I know it will sear dark golden brown markings on the chicken…I know it will heat evenly allowing the chicken to be juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside… and, I know if I don’t clean the pan properly it will be devoured by vicious ruthless rust. Though I know more than most, I found that in the new book, Copper, Iron, and Clay, A Smith’s Journey, my knowledge is just the tip of the iceberg.
Sara Dahmen is one of the only female coppersmith’s in America, and author of Copper, Iron and Clay, A Smith’s Journey. It’s been her passion to craft cookware that has been derived from her vast knowledge of its history and her personal experience making and refurbishing cookware. Dahmen has brought this information to the inquisitive cook and chef.
My cabinets are lined with a variety of different pots and pans, and, yet I find that it lacks true copper. Why? Maybe because when I got married it wasn’t on my registry or that I didn’t want to pay the high price, but now I wonder, after reading Dahmen’s book, maybe the real answer was because I wasn’t comfortable cooking with it and I didn’t know what to buy.
The chapter of copper caught my attention. Dahmen dives into the rich history of how copper came to be over 6,500 hundred years ago and how it pulled us out of the stone age. Followed by her wonderful insight on everything about copper cookware. She also has an in-depth interview with my favorite, Valérie Gilbert of Mauviel. Mauviel is the oldest manufacturer operating in Europe today!
This book is a great as a resource, a gift, or a gorgeous coffee table book. It will help you understand what good cookware is, how to buy it, how to use it and how to take care of it.
This book can be purchased on Amazon for $27.99.
