I do everything in mine that I would do in a pan of the same size and shape of any other material. I have a huge copper stainless steel lined mauviel saucepan (the really thick kind. professional or something? don't know the name of the line, but the thickest they make), and a small saucepan. 1 quart maybe 1.5, same thing, thick thick mauviel copper, stainless steel lined.
Thing about copper is you don't NEED to have it be really really high to get the pan and its contents really hot, ime. I never use mine over super high heat, because I don't need to. I particularly like using it for things that I really don't want to scorch, like sauces. (LOVE it for cream sauces....).
If her pan is unlined (with tin or stainless steel) the pan should not be used for acidic medium. However, almost all copper pots and pans are lined, except for a few which aren't supposed to be. (ie bowls for whipping egg whites. The chemical reaction makes them whip better).
If her pan is tin lined (traditional), it will need to be retinned every now and then. If the pan is stainless steel lined, it supposedly will never need re-"tinning".
Depending on the look you like, you may have to polish the pot regularly. The thought originally freaked me out, because copper polish is REALLY expensive. Lucky for you, you almost certainly have the cheapest, most effective, safest natural copper polish money can buy: white vinegar, salt, and enough flour to make a paste. You put it on (I glob it on thick), leave it for 10 or 15 minutes, rinse it off in warm water, and polish with a clean, lint free cloth. yay! shiny copper again. Your copper will probably never be as perfect looking as when you first got it, but this will maintain its lovely color and shine. I wash my copper pots normally (no abrasive scrubbers. If I need abbrasion, I'll use baking soda with a little water on the inside, nothing more), and then dry immediately with a cloth. Every few times I use them, I polish them, but you don't even HAVE to polish them, but they don't look as nice and shiny if you don't.
Display them somewhere, because copper pots are as gorgeous as they are good heat conductors, and enjoy! (and let me know if you have more questions.)
Thing about copper is you don't NEED to have it be really really high to get the pan and its contents really hot, ime. I never use mine over super high heat, because I don't need to. I particularly like using it for things that I really don't want to scorch, like sauces. (LOVE it for cream sauces....).
If her pan is unlined (with tin or stainless steel) the pan should not be used for acidic medium. However, almost all copper pots and pans are lined, except for a few which aren't supposed to be. (ie bowls for whipping egg whites. The chemical reaction makes them whip better).
If her pan is tin lined (traditional), it will need to be retinned every now and then. If the pan is stainless steel lined, it supposedly will never need re-"tinning".
Depending on the look you like, you may have to polish the pot regularly. The thought originally freaked me out, because copper polish is REALLY expensive. Lucky for you, you almost certainly have the cheapest, most effective, safest natural copper polish money can buy: white vinegar, salt, and enough flour to make a paste. You put it on (I glob it on thick), leave it for 10 or 15 minutes, rinse it off in warm water, and polish with a clean, lint free cloth. yay! shiny copper again. Your copper will probably never be as perfect looking as when you first got it, but this will maintain its lovely color and shine. I wash my copper pots normally (no abrasive scrubbers. If I need abbrasion, I'll use baking soda with a little water on the inside, nothing more), and then dry immediately with a cloth. Every few times I use them, I polish them, but you don't even HAVE to polish them, but they don't look as nice and shiny if you don't.
Display them somewhere, because copper pots are as gorgeous as they are good heat conductors, and enjoy! (and let me know if you have more questions.)
