To get the most out of your cookware, you’ll need to know a few things and have a few other things with you “on deck”, so to speak. Some of them might not be things you ordinarily think of, but you might need them nevertheless.

1) Make sure the handle of whatever cookware you use isn’t made of metal! Always be sure that the handle is made of either plastic, wood, or some other non-conductive material. If you use a metal handle, always wear oven mitts when cooking. Otherwise, you will severely burn your hand.

2) If you’re cooking with a gas stove, keep a fire extinguisher near the stove at all times when it is turned on.

3) Look into picking up a pair of aluminized kevlar gloves. I know that sounds extreme, but blacksmiths use them all the time. If you’re not too sure about using an oven (or if you’re a little clumsy), it’s the best hand protection you can find.

4) If aluminized kevlar gloves are too much, then go for the old standby: oven mitts and hot pads. There’s still nothing better than a good hot pad for picking up that small pot on the stove that’s piping and sizzling but too small for your big oven-sized gloves.

5) While we’re on the topic of hand protection, let’s talk about disposable gloves. Use these for smelly items, like raw meat before you throw it in the pan. Also, they’re great for handling pepper, garlic and onions. Vinyl has an advantage over latex in that you’re less likely to be allergic to them. (And they are fantastic at handling taffy – if you get nonstick ones, of course).

6) Grease fires: NEVER pour water on a grease fire! That will spread the grease around and make it worse. Use a large lid or pan to cover the fire and deprive it of oxygen, starving it. If that doesn’t work and the fire is still spreading, call the fire department immediate. DO NOT WAIT.

7) Be sure that the handles of your pots and pans are always turned towards the center of the stove. This way you’ll avoid accidentally jostling one. Avoid wearing long, loose sleeves; you won’t catch a handle in them. Place utensils like a spatula in the same place so you’re not constantly reaching across the stove to get at them.

Taking good care of your copper is important. Due to the fact that copper is such a volatile metal and reacts easily to almost everything, it doesn’t take punishment well. It needs to be treated well and handled gently. It’s not good for the copper to cook with it, toss it in the sink for a few days and then decide to wash and dry it and put it away. Copper needs to be handled with the proper respect for it’s peculiar properties.

Tarnishing is the biggest danger with copper. Exposed to air, copper reacts with the air molecules to form a film over the surface of the metal called tarnish. There are several methods to remove tarnish, depending on what kind of cookware you are using.

Pots: Rub with lemon halves dipped in salt.

Utensils (Forks, Spoons, etc.): Wash tarnished copper utensils with soap and warm water and polish with a cleaner of equal parts of salt, vinegar and flour. After rubbing the item with this mixture or any polish, wash it carefully, rinse thoroughly and dry.

Important: Do not cook acidic foods (with pH of 6.0 or below) with copper cookware or containers, as toxic substances could form if the food is cooked, stored or served from copper containers. Even if the containers or cookware are lined with tin, they should not be used with acidic foods like fruits, fruit juices, salad dressings, tomatoes, vinegar, etc.

Ideally you should clean copper bottoms after each use, even though the tarnish does not affect cooking results or the cookware’s efficiency. Do not use an abrasive cleaner or steel wool to clean copper bottoms.

A good way to prevent accidental denting of copper pots and pans is to hang them up instead of putting them in a cabinet. This will help to ensure that you don’t inadvertently smack the pot or pan on the cupboard door or the sides of the cupboard as you take the cookware out or put it back in.

As to washing the cookware, keep in mind that dish detergents may harm it sometimes if they are too strong. Dry your cookware immediately after washing and do not let it sit in the dish water. Also, do not use metal scouring pads, as they will damage the copper. Instead, use a mild dish detergent.