Have you ever watched an episode of Masterchef or some other foodie programme and had copper pan envy? I have. I have also often wondered why it is that chefs in professional kitchens use copper pans and why copper pans are not so popular in the domestic kitchen. The main reason, I’m sure, is the prohibitive cost. The French have been producing copper pans for generations, but they can be expensive and heavy. So, I was delighted this week to welcome into my kitchen a set of new ProWare tri-ply cookware - copper pans - lighter, reasonably priced, with a copper exterior, an aluminium core middle layer and a layer of stainless steel coating on the inside. Cooking during the festive season, with these on the stove, will be an absolute pleasure.
Professional chefs use copper pans because copper is known to be an excellent conductor of heat and it cools down very rapidly. So, for example, once a piece of meat, poultry or fish are perfectly cooked, taking the pan off the heat will stop the cooking process. But copper is also known to have certain reactive qualities, for example acidic foods do not get along well with copper and so the easy to clean, stainless steel interior of these pans is a wonderful idea. Better still, in the ProWare range, the 14cm Milk Pan, 24cm and 28cm Fry Pans also have non-stick coating.
You can use the ProWare copper pans on all heat sources, except for induction hobs. They are oven-safe to 150°C, so you can do that cheffy thing of searing your meat or poultry in the pan before placing it in the oven to finish off gently or keep warm. As with all copper cookware, these pans will naturally change colour (called tarnishing) over time and if you overheat them they may discolour, but in most cases, you can bring the copper back by using a copper cleaner. The cleaner that has been recommended by two different sources is Brasso, but you can also get good results with vinegar and salt. Unless your copper pans become extremely tarnished, they will continue to look as beautiful and iconic in your kitchen as they do in all respectable kitchens. Here’s how copper can change when heated -
Image credit: ProWare Kitchen
The range I am testing includes a 24cm tri-ply frying pan (with non-stick coating), a 20cm tri-ply saucepan with lid, a 16cm tri-ply saucepan with lid and the most adorable of the bunch – a mini copper tri-ply pan – my new favourite thing in the kitchen.
ProWare Kitchen are a new company launched in 2012, although they have drawn upon their experience in the kitchenware industry to develop this new range. You can connect with them on Twitter (@proware_kitchen) or on Facebook where they run competitions, too.
I’m going to continue to road-test my pans and I’m sure you’ll spot them featuring in many of my posts, as I’m a huge new fan!
How to enter the ProWare Kitchen and Fabulicious Food! giveaway:
Where to buy them
If you are still Christmas present shopping, I know that the foodie in your life would love any one of these. They are exclusively available at Lakeland and at the moment, are on a special 3 for 2 offer. The range at Lakeland starts at £19.00 (for the 9cm mini pan) and goes up to £89.00 for the 20cm saucepan with lid.
Disclosure: I was sent 4 copper pans to test and review and ProWare Kitchen are offering one of my readers a mini Tri-ply pan. I was not required to use any text or specific information in my post and was under no obligation to write a positive review. I contacted the company myself. With many thanks for my set.
Ren Behan
Ren Behan is a British-born food writer of Polish descent. She is a mum to two young children (6 and 3) and spends lots of time with them in the kitchen. Ren writes about seasonal, family-friendly food on her blog www.renbehan.com and about Polish food on her site www.mypolishkitchen.co.uk. She also contributes recipes and articles to online and print food publications. Ren holds a Diploma in Food Journalism with Distinction and has completed a Food Styling course at Leiths School of Food and Wine. Full Profile on Google+
I think some classic French sauces, Bearnaise, Sauce Supreme. But actually, probably EVERYTHING!
They are soooo pretty!
Georgeous poys!
I’d make Ratatouille!
mmmmm I think I would make mushroom sauce to go with steak
I would cook fish,rice and loads of veggie
a beef stew warm me up in this cold weather
a nice fish stew
I’d cook yummy sausage casserole!
I feel that it should be some kind of buttery french sauce, or maybe a custard
They do look beautiful Ren. I have a copper frying fan and it is definitely on the tarnished side!
They look great
I would cook a nice curry.
Copper pan envy I’m green with jealousy! This ProWare Tri-ply Cookware is just beautiful!
I’d cook something mini-eggy — perhaps some tomatoes and red peppers with lots of parsley and then drop an egg on top to finish!
trying again as I don’t think this worked last time.
L
I’d use it to make gravy.
Another reason why the professional chefs use copper pans is that they have skivvies (sorry, “Plongeurs”) to wash and polish them!
All the best for Christmas, Ren. Looking forward to seeing what you write about Polish festive food.
Thank you Mark! Best wishes to you and your family, too
I would cook soup!
I would cook Spaghetti Bolognaise. Lovely Pans
i’d make some sauces
having just decorated my kitchen these would look fab in there x.
Lamb paprika casserole with dumplings,
Cheese sauce
I would make a curry.
veggie soup
I would cook a mushroom sauce
I would cook a lovely warming beef casserole
I would make some Chicken soup – thanks for the chance to win such a lovely prize and Merry Christmas x
How do the pans fare both on and in an Aga?
a white sauce to top my home made lasagne
Just the thing for the wife.
hmmmm, not sure yet, maybe if i won them it would give me some inspiration! Merry Christmas
Cider and cream sauce to go with pork.
bubble and sqeak or leftover soup. yummy.
I’d make an omelette first! Lovely pans.
a cheese or parsley sauce to go with some yummy fish and fresh vegetables
Handy, and so very practical.
I would cook a tasty tikka dish, all from scratch i think!
A nice stew!
Probably a curry
A big pan of corned beef hash I love it
bechamel sauce with truffle oil in
a cassoulet
not a cassoulet in a small pan! A pepper sauce maybe.
Pasta.
Sausage cassorole
A lovely warming boeuf bourguignon
any Indian curry
A beef stew
What a delight to see a lighter weight copper pan set , i have always fancied owning a set but are normaly so heavy for me to use.
i would cook almost anything daily in them and hubbby can buff them after use
I would cook lot’s of Brocolli, one of the superfoods I actually like! xxx
I would cook soups, casseroles and just about everything!!
a stew
Scrambled egg mmmmmmmmmmmm
it would be to warm up some organic milk to go with my fresh brewed espresso
First thing I would make would be a vegetarian chilli con carne.
Chicken soup
Custard or gravy would be my first two
I’d do a nice cheese sauce.
maybe a little individual fritatta for when I have to make dinner for just me – it would be the perfect size!
Definitely a cheese sauce. Good luck to everyone x
I’d cook gravy
a home made soup
A lovely rich chicken stew with dumplings
A lovely chicken curry!!
I would have a go at making a sauce that I have never made before
Tomato and lentil soup. It’s thick, warming and perfect for this time of year and I’m sure the pan would do it justice!
A lovely rich meaty stew!
Baked Beans – I know, I’m so daring …….
Home made soup!
Custard
Marmalade
Jam
A lovely traditional beef stew and dumplimgs!
carrot and coriander soup
Oh anything and everything – these will look fab in my new kitchen.
I would cook a delicious risotto.
Would cook a thai curry I think ….
Potato and leek soup
3 cheese omelete
the family fave!
A gorgeous vegetable soup.
treacle toffee
I’d make my favourite homemade soup – sweet potato, red pepper and chilli.
It’s comfort food, but not stodgy bad-for-you comfort food, healthy good-for-you comfort food!
i’d boil a couple of eggs
I would make vegetable soup thanks
Spaghetti Bolognaise
My mum’s special lentil soup
I like the idea that you can pop them in the oven, so I would probably cook a fritata
I’d cook a chunky vegetable soup!
Spaghetti!
I once did a test; I made risotto with a copper pan and with a good stainless steel pan. The one made with the copper pan was noticeably creamier and better in texture.
I only have one copper pan, but hope to afford a whole set one day.
Ren: I would also like some advice on how to use this spooky sour grey mixture in a bottle that I bought in a Polish shop. I’ve heard you can put it in soup.
A nice curry, Not sure what type but with lot’s of fresh vegetables.
Beef Casserole.
I’d cook a good old spag bol!x
I would make some soup to keep me warm on a cold winters day
Copper pans – I would cook some brandy snap basket desserts
love the colour xx
chorizo pasta sauce
I use small pans a lot because often cooking just for myself so this pan would be ideal for a portion of sprouts or some french glazed carrots.
A carrot and corriander soup
I would start with a beef stew
Definately a beef stew with dumplings bubbling on top as i havent a pot big enough at the moment
A nice chicken curry
Prawn Curry
Everything! Mmmm, I think I would start with a delicious home made pasta sauce.
A nice rich cheese and mustard sauce to go on a lovely fresh cooked pasta dish.
A warming leek and potato soup
Turkey soup
i would make my homemade chicken pathia
They’re beautiful! I’d use some of my homegrown artichokes and make a creamy Jerusalem Artichoke soup – yummy
Cook in it? That would have to wait until I’d finished admiring it
Then I’d probably make a Thai curry sauce in it, because it’s my favourite thing to cook
I would cook soup
Plums from my tree for crumble
a new recipe :0)
Oooh a lovely winter soup – just what I need in this weather! xoxo
i would make a yummy irish stew
xx
I would make a lovely creamy carbonarra sauce
I would use them to cook a creamy mushroom risotto
Absolutely everything
Seafood in white wine sauce to serve with some fresh pasta
Big pot of Irish stew
Creamy mashed potato
Home-made apple sauce to go with roast pork
I would make pasta
I would make some Chilli Con Carne!
I would make my lady a wonderful meal as she worked so hard over Christmas feeding all the family. Mind you, be a shame to spoil these lovely pans. I may just look at them and send out for chinese….
I would make my favourite Chicken, Chickpea and Chorizo stew.
I would make some pancakes in the frying pan
Yummy Spag Bol
Spaghetti Carbonara.
beautiful pans
I would cook a warming winter broth made !!!
A lovely filling, warming stew
A fish sauce, recently found my family love homemade fish pie so would start it all off in this pan.
a nice cheese sauce x
I’d make a Broccoli and Stilton soup – hmmmm
some rice pudding
I would cook a warming beef stew, fantastic on these cold winter nights.
cheese and mustard sauce
butternut squash soup
Beef stew
pot roast brisket
some yummy soup
I would cook rice
I would make Cullen Skink
A hearty winter stew
Hot Chocolate
vegatable soup
Nothing for a while. I would just stand and admire them!
A yummy sauce to accompany a succulent salmon fillet!
A lovely beef stew and dumplings – can’t beat it!
i would learn to cook
wow these are amazing, I would make chicken soup in mine.
I would cook lots of veg and use all the pans and have a lovely roast dinner
Some sort of pasta
A yummy custard to go with my jam roly poly which I made today.x
Great functional pans that i would certainly use every day and look great in the kitchen when not in use! I would cook a lovely beef goulash, so warm and comforting in the winter with lots of rice, Happy New Year to all x
Custard for ice cream
Anything I can, it’s the only time i’ll actually cook! lol
Seeing as the weather is miserable I would make a nice stew and dumplings
Yummy curry
I’d use them to make breakfast, lunch and tea.
Would make seafood soup
Now those are pans that I could enjoy cooking with
I would cook Mexican chilli chicken
My daughters favourite chicken and sweetcorn soup.
I want to learn hoe to make red onion relish, this pan looks like a superb start to the process
My boyfriend would make a tuna curry.
I would photograph first then cook my favourite – beef and spinach curry
Scrambled egg with black truffle
I’d make a tomato and pepper sauce and fry off a steak to go with it!
It would have to be my speciality…Beans on toast
Beautiful Lentil Soup
I would make a chicken phal curry.
Perfect for making my home made chilli!
Risotto
I’d make a lovely pot of bolognese
scrambled egg on toast
I’d use it to warm the cream for some truffles.
I’d make my lovely bolognese
I would make a lovely carbonara sauce
I’d make a lovely “proper” vanilla custard for winter puddings.
Nigella’s salted caramel sauce
Blueberry Jam
A lush curry
I’d make a vanilla custard, ready to be made into ice- cream
I’d make a rich, warming soup
Beef Stew and Herbal dumplings
A green pepper sauce for my steak au poivre
I would cook a tasty home made chicken curry
A nice soup plenty of veg and a bit off chorzo
Some nice soup. Broccoli and Stilton. X
bacon and mushroom risotto
Spag Bol
Semolina…yum comfort food!
I would break in the lovely new pan with some yummy homemade hamburgers!
some delicious Moroccan harira soup I think
I’d make a lovely chutney
A curry would be first
i would cook spaghetti bolognese
Beef stew would be lovely in those fab pans.
They look like good saucepans I think i’d try to make some custard in it.
I’d make home made sweet and sour sauce! as I have to dissolve brown sugar it always sticks and burns to my horrible cheapy pans.. i bet these pans don’t do that! haha
x
A nice red wine sauce to go on top of a juicy steak *licks lips in anticipation*
A really good breakfast omelette, no better way to try a new pan but first thing in the morning.
I would make a risotto!
a beef stew
hot chocolate sauce for ice-cream
probably beef curry
A Thai green curry. My favourite.
I think it would be good for gravies and sauces
stew
Chicken chasseur
With this weather, a nice beef stew and dumplings would be good.
spaghetti bolognese
I have serious pan envy! I’d cook everything in them – in fact to prove myself worthy, I’d probably have to book myself into Swinton Park and Rosemary Shrager’s cookery school to perfect the art of Sauce Bernaise
Wife will still manage to burn the dinner with these i bet.
Chicken in white wine sauce
Great looking and usability fantastic.
Ermmm, as I can’t cook, what a way to “learn” using these great pans. But what would I want to learn first… hmm, it may be a bit too advanced for me, but I’d love to try cooking a curry
I would make a lovely winter beef stew
beef and ale casserole
lots of healthy veg
I would make tablet!
A healthy homemade soup.
oh yes please xx
Butter chicken curry
I would make a pasta dish
A beef stew
I would try out a sauce to go with salmon
Those are gorgeous! I’d make a spicy curry.
Fish Soup
sauces
I’d make a lovely warming batch of chilli!
Custard, yum!
A lovely sticky sauce for my pork steaks
I’d try making sauces properly rather than using packet mixes.
Lots of sauces!
I would cook some delicious beef stew.
i’d cook a nice curry with plenty of fresh spinach
Turkey soup
I’d probably cook fish with a sauce.
I would keep it simple and poach and egg.
Gorgeous pans. I would make carrot and orange soup as I seem to have loads of carrots at the moment
Beef casserole
A nice stew
I would stew up some rhubarb and make a crumble with real custard!
tomato spup
Salmon fillets with hollandaise sauce
A yummy braised beef steak stew!
A lovely stew nice warm and hearty for the winter
It would have to be a lovely beef so warming on these cold winter day.
I’d make carrot and coriander soup to kickstart my new year diet.
A lovely curry. My son would really enjoy it as hes just started on “big people” food.
Goan Fish Curry
A beautiful mature cheddar cheese sauce to top of some cauliflower mmmmmmm <3
I would love these…I envy those who can n make sauces. Mine are just lumpy and/or tasteless !! With these I would sauce like a pro!
i would cook some salmon
I would make a rich peppercorn sauce to pour over a tender, medium rare steak.
mushrooms
I’d do some home made jam, blackberry and apple, pear and fig, all fruit from my garden
I would cook a nice curry! mmm i could just eat it now!
I would cook a sausage casserole
rice pudding!
i would cook lots of nice healthy meals to kick start the diet after all the rubbish we have eaten over christmas
I would make vegetable curry, stewed apple, lots of onion gravy in fact anything that I can cook or part cook in a saucepan.
A prawn risotto I think…yum!
I’d poach a pear!
I’d cook a lovely chicken casserole with herb dumplings, my husbands favourite.
I would cook a lovely spicy satay sauce, just the thing to warm me up in this cold weather.
I’ve been cooking lots of hearty stews and soups this winter, so would use this pan to help with my wholesome cooking!
a beef stew and dumplings
Cheese sauce to put on steamed cauliflower. I like to put mustard and a touch of nutmeg in my cheese sauce.
Stewed apple and custard
Homemade soup possibly pea and ham or carrot, corriander and lentil.
A lovely Beef Casserole
Lots of lovely sauces
I would cook a lovely french Beef Bourguignon xx
corn chowder, mmmmmm
I would cook fish,rice and loads of veggie
I’d make a warming winter beef stew
A good test for a new pan is always – scrabled eggs!
a lovely mushroom sauce x
I would cook a nice mushroom curry.
I would have a go at different savoury stocks and sauces and experiment with fruity sauces, jellies etc – I’d like to add more dairy-free recipes to my menu too. Whenever I go off daydreaming about the big old farmhouse in the country I would want to buy with a lottery win, a proper farmhouse kitchen with an Aga wood-burning stove and copper pans hanging up always feature. The copper adds warmth often lacking in more modern kitchens, though I’m sure these classically timeless pans would look great even in state-of-the-art kitchens. I can imagine this little pan will get a lot of use wherever it’s new home is – fingers crossed for a little New Year luck here.
Georgeous pots
I’d make Ratatouille!
A hearty home made soup with some freshly baked bread
Fish Soup
Pasta and Cheese
Vanilla Fudge
Use them to cook the vegetables for the Sunday lunch
A nice home made pea and ham soup
I’d cook everything in these pans!
I would use it to warm the milk for my customary winter evening hot cocoa
A lovely comforting sausage casserole
pasta x
I’d cook up some really nice chicken stew – a firm favourite in this family in the winter!
a broccoli soup
id cook a cheesy pasta dish
I would ‘donate’ these to my boyfriend so he could make me one of his amazing beef casseroles
a lovely stew
Thai chicken curry
Everything! I’d use them all the time.
Actually I’m pretty rubbish at cooking, I’m not really sure what I’d try! But, if I win, I vow to buy a cookery book and finally learn some decent recipes ^_^
A nice chicken curry
Thai Green Curry
Fish Stew
soup
probably porridge or rice. (really sophisticated me)
I would use it to make a variety of pasta sauces, as I have just treated myself to a pasta making machine x
Chicken curry
A nice vegetable soup
I would make a lovely winter casserole with leftovers from Christmas, which I have frozen
I’d make a cheese sauce
Stewing Steak, Plenty of Potatoes, Peas, Dumplings and Oxo’s – my version of Scouse
A nice warming parsnip soup.
I’d make the Rum Sauce that goes with my mum’s homemade Christmas Pudding; I usually invite my mum for Christmas lunch but in 2013 she is going to my sister’s for Christmas so I’ll have to make my own; this pan will come into it’s own I’m sure and ensure my rum sauce is as good as my mum’s (but don’t tell her will you).
Parsley Sauce
A hearty winter stew!
spag bol
vanilla fudge
I would make perfect custard
steak for hubby
Carrot and corriander soup
A Hollandaise sauce, to go with some salmon
A nice chunky vegtable soup.
A lovely poached egg yummy
would love cooking anything with these would be a pleasure
I can see it being very useful to cook all manor of sauces in.
i would stew some berries for a crumble,also cook some home made ravioli obviously not in the same pan! they are lovely looking pans,
vanilla custard
I would cook a lovely spaghetti bolognaise!
I would make a cheese sauce for macaroni cheese
I’d make a lovely Beef Stew.
a chicken curry
Lovely home made soup. x
I would make a delicious pork stew with parsnips
Oh, not sure really. Perhaps a white sauce.
A fab healthy fresh vegetable and bacon soup I think, fab for this awful wintery weather x
I’d cook a white sauce and use it to make macaroni cheese, perfect comfort food for this weather!
Bechamel sauce
A Chicken casserole
Braised steak
I’d use it for everything from Pasta to gravy to vegetables to soup
I would make a creme anglaisse to go in a fruit tart.
I’d make a lovely lemony sauce to go with some fresh fish that I’m going to grill later.
Great prize, I’d use it for lots of things!
I would make a curry
I would make spun sugar and turn them into baskets , perfect
I would cook Spaghetti Bolognaise
I would make a big pot of yummy chilli
I would cook a Lamb curry
pancakes
the creme d, la creme in Cooking Pans.Chic,versatile,long life,absolutely the Pans of great Chefs.
They would grace any kitchen,(hopefully mine)
I,d have to use first to make some Sauces:)
Delicious spicy puttanesca sauce!!
I would make some soup
Cawl for me – it’s a Welsh soup basically and it’s gorgeous!!!
chicken and parship stew
caramel
good old hotpot
I would cook pea and ham soup.
It would have to be something French – maybe a raspberry jus or a quick mushroon bordelaise.
Some lovely home made soup
Ideal size for cooking a portion of veg like mange tout
A Chicken Rogan Josh! Perfectly fitting for new kitchenware.
I’d cook my famous Sausage and Bean Casserole…..a family favourite!! And what a treat for the food to be cooked in such a luxurious pan!
I would cook a vegetable curry
Oh homemade custard with orange zest in it – which I would then pour over bananas, top with whipped cream and flaked almonds….Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I think they would be just right for making gravy in, to go with a nice roast dinner.
bechamel sauce to go on moussaka
i would make scrambled eggs for my breakfast!
Nice pot of chilli – nom!! x
I would cook a bechamel sauce for a tasty fish pie for my family!
A quick apple and mint sauce
a nice chilli
I would make a lovely redcurrant Jus
I would make choux pastry for profiteroles!
parsnip soup
I would make a gorgeous sauce for my homemade cheese and olive filled pasta.
I’d just have to make some chicken soup
Fudge! My pans don’t have a heavy enough base and it all goes a bit wrong right now.
Beef stew
I would make some choux pastry in it !!!
I’d make Ratatouille
I would make chocolate pots, yum yum!!
spag bol
I think its perfect size for melting chocolate and making delicate sauces
I’d make creamy tomato soup
I’d love to be more experimental with things like sauces (bit scared of them!!) so this would be great inspiration to try new things
A nice roux sauce
I am forever cooking so this copper man would be took advantage of. I would make lentil soup which my family love or a lovely hot chicken curry!
Vegetable curry
Fingers crossed great prize
I would cook a perennial favourite – Spaghetti bolognese
some oozing caramel!
I’d cook some homemade ravioli – plenty of room for it to boil.
I WOULD GET INTO SOME SERIOUS HOME COOKING FOR MY FAMILY ` I WHOLE HEART- IDLY LOVE THESE POTS`
A nice tasty Irish stew, something to warm me up as its rather cold up North!
I would cook all sorts in these…my famous peppercorn sauce….or a beef stew. I would definitely get a lot of use out of this anyway xxx
porridge oats
all sorts! but first would make lamb curry for my husband
They are lovely looking pans-lovely for a tasty winter soup mmmm
Spicy tomato and lentil soup yum
I wont be cooking with it, I pass all the cooking to my partner who is a brilliant cook, he will love this shiny pan
I’d cook a delicious veggie soup, perfect for the cold weather.