"Sara Dahmen's beautifully photographed book is the most useful
resource on copper cookware I've come across. An accomplished
coppersmith, Sara not only shows us how copper cookware is made, but how
to cook with it (along with a myriad of recipes), and care for it, too.
The mysteries and mystique of cast-iron and clay cookware are explored
in depth as well. Copper, Iron, and Clay is an indispensable cookware
reference that every cook should have in their library. I learned so
much from it . . . and you will too!" --David Lebovitz, author of My
Paris Kitchen and Drinking French
A gorgeous, full-color illustrated love letter to our most revered
cookware--copper pots, cast-iron skillets, and classic stoneware--and
the artistry and workmanship behind them, written by an expert
craftsperson, perhaps the only woman coppersmith in America.
Today, most people are concerned about eating seasonal, organic, and
local food. But we don't think about how the choices we make about our
pots, pans, and bowls can also enhance our meals and our lives. Sara
Dahmen believes understanding the origins of the cookware we use to make
our food is just as essential. Copper, Iron, and Clay, is a beautiful
photographic history of our cooking tools and their fundamental uses in
the modern kitchen, accompanied by recipes that showcase the best
features of various cooking materials.
Interested in history and traditional pioneer kitchens, early cooking
methods, and original metals used in pots during the early years of
America, Sara became obsessed with the crafts of copper- and
tin-smithing for kitchenware--specialty trades that are nearly extinct
in the United States today. She embarked on a journey to locate artisans
nationwide familiar with the old ways who could teach and inspire her.
She began making her own cookware not only to connect with the artisanal
traditions of our nation's past, but to adopt the pioneer kitchen to
cook and eat healthier today. Why cook fantastic, healthful food in a
cheap pan coated with toxic chemicals and inorganic elements? she asks.
If you buy one high-quality item made from natural materials, it can
serve your family for generations.
Richly illustrated with dozens of stunning color photographs, Copper,
Iron, and Clay showcases each material, exploring its fascinating
history, fundamental science--including which elements work best for
various cooking methods--and its practical uses today. It also features
fascinating interviews with industry insiders, including cookware
artisans, chefs, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers from around the world.
In addition, Sara provides recipes from her own kitchen and some of her
famous chef friends, as well as a few historical favorites--all which
are optimized for particular kinds of cookware.
