It depends on how you are asking the question. If you have done any cooking at all, you already know that the kind of cookware you are using has a huge impact on your style. This is not to say that what cookware you use is irrelevant. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your cookware can partially determine the purposes to which you put it. Copper cookware, for example, is great for making more delicate foods because of the control it affords you over heat conductivity. The other way you could ask the question is if you are making a certain dish, say a sauce, when should you use copper cookware? The answer is you should have been using it from the beginning, especially when it comes to sauces.

You need copper cookware if you like French foods, especially. The French love copper for their cookware; in fact, one of the most popular cookware-making companies in the world is a French company, Mauviel. Cookware that is copper is also best for certain Italian foods, particularly sauces. You need copper cookware when you are ready to expand your skills as a cook to include more challenging foods. It is fine and good to know how to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cooking those fine foods that make you think you are at a world-class hotel is another matter.

Choosing your cookware is not as easy as I am making it sound, of course. If you are a beginner or an amateur cook, stick to the things you know. Buy a good recipe book and try some of the easy ones. It is important to master one skill level before going on to the next – no one ever made it to the top of Everest by hiking it without ever hiking up any other mountains! Keep to your skill level in cooking before trying more difficult dishes. Get some copper cookware only when you need it.

A kitchen’s design greatly affects how often and how enjoyable it is to cook there.  We’ve all cooked in kitchens that have had a terrible layout, either in someone’s home or in a restaurant, and it’s not an enjoyable experience.  In this post I want to share some design and layout tips with you so that you can get the most from your kitchen.

The most important thing to consider is the placement of the large appliances.  Avoid the obvious stuff, like not being able to open the refrigerator and the oven door at the same time.  Also watch for things like having the refrigerator on the opposite side from the area that you’ll do your prep work, or having it too close to the stove – which will force the fridge to work extra hard to stay cool.  Ideally, you want there to be a logical workflow from the refrigerator, to the sink, to the prep area, to the stove/oven.

Placement of small appliances is important as well.  If you don’t have lots of space on the counter, be sure to figure out some ways to increase storage so that the food processor and blender can have a home that’s away from the action, but still easily accessible.

A large prep area is also key.  You want to have enough space for a good sized cutting board and the tools that accompany cutting things (knives, bowls, mandolin, etc.).  If that area is cramped you’re not going to want to spend time cutting up vegetables, and will resort to bagged and frozen stuff.

You can also look into accessories that improve the flow of the kitchen, like a cookbook holder (cookbookholder.org).  Something as simple as an under cabinet cookbook holder can save a ton of space in the kitchen when it’s time to cook.  Other tools like this are under counter can openers and paper towel holders, as well as knife racks and cutting board stands.

Cooking should be fun, but if the kitchen is tough to cook in it never will be.  Spend time now figuring out what to do to make it right, rather than trying to work it out after the job is done.

No, not really. It depends on what you mean by ‘copper cookware’. Copper cookware is not dangerous as long as the inside of the cookware is lined with stainless steel or some other metal. Copper cookware is dangerous if the cookware is unlined. The copper can react with the acids produced when cooking food, which can lead to a serious case of food poisoning. Even storing food without cooking it in an unlined copper container can lead to food poisoning. It is important to make sure the tin or stainless steel lining your cookware is intact and whole. Cracks in the metal can potentially let the copper react with the food, so make sure that you take care of your cookware.

With the proper care and attention, your copper cookware can serve you very well without poisoning you. Do not cook at very high temperatures unless your cookware explicitly says so. Always make sure you are using metal that has been properly treated before cooking at high temperatures. Do not forget to check with the store or your manufacturer’s customer service department if you are unsure if what your metal is made for in terms of cooking. Also use common sense – do not use a copper wok to bake a turkey with.

Copper cookware is dangerous only if used improperly. Think of the famous adage about computers: the only mistakes they make are the ones that humans program into them. In a similar vein, cooking mistakes are the fault of the chef, not of the cookware. Make sure you know what you are doing by asking for help if you can. Read books on cooking with copper cookware or watch television shows if you have to. Cooking does not have to be dangerous and is not dangerous if you follow the proper directions for cooking meals.