When it comes to furnishing my home, investing in Mauviel copper cookware was one of the best decisions I ever made.
At the time, everyone thought I was crazy for purchasing high-maintenance, non-nonstick cookware that required hand washing and regular polishing. My set is now more than 20-years old. It still looks beautiful, and it still has all the heat conducting benefits for which copper is famous.
Mauviel was founded in 1830 in Villedieu-les-Poêles – a small village in the heart of Normandy, not far from Mont-Saint-Michel. This charming medieval town has an 800-year history of copper manufacturing and is filled with expert craftsman whose trade has been handed down from generation to generation.
Mauviel is known for offering the highest quality products and, in my opinion, is well worth the money. Key to its value is knowing how to care for it. Here is my tried and true process for keeping my copper in great condition:
Start by rinsing the pan. Always let a dirty pan sit to room temperature, repeatably putting warm or cold water in a hot pan can cause it to warp over time. If it needs to be soaked, put a small amount of baking soda in the water to help cut the grease.
Using a soft sponge or cloth, clean the interior of the pan. I use Dawn gentle clean dish soap and a reusable Handi Wipe or a two sided Scotch Brite sponge. After you’ve finished cleaning the interior, apply a small amount of copper cleaner to the exterior of the pan and polish, using either the same Handi Wipe or the soft side of the sponge. Mauviel recommends Copperbrill, but I’ve also used Wright’s copper cream – mostly because it’s easier to find in stores and less expensive. In a pinch, I’ve used ketchup, which requires a bit more elbow grease. In fact, I always use ketchup on my tea kettle because it’s difficult to ensure copper cleaner doesn’t get inside the hard to rinse vessel.
Rinse and dry. Rinsing the pan thoroughly and drying it immediately with a soft cloth is key to preventing watermarks from forming on the exterior.
Et voila! C’est fini.
Hint: Always use felt liners when stacking pots and pans to prevent the interiors and exteriors from small scratches. My liners are by CORE Kitchen. I found them at HomeGoods, but they are readily available online.
I have had a large Mauviel copper collection for 30 years. I use Barkeepers friend to keep it clean and shiny and it still looks new. And it gets heavy use, as I am a trained French chef and cook constantly. Barkeepers is less toxic (not toxic) and does an excellent job!
Great to know. I was always afraid that it would scratch the surface. Then again, I use Barekeepers on my stainless steel sink, and it does a beautiful job. Merci!