We were gifted by Mauviel with a 14–inch copper jam pan and it is beautiful, with its riveted brass handles and hand hammered brass finish – if such a description can be applied to a pan. We are featuring it in conjunction with our Cookbook of the Week selection, The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders. In her cookbook ,Saunders pan of choice for making her delectable jams, jellies and marmalades is ideally a copper pan. We asked her about this and received the following response:
"We love our Mauviel copper preserving pans for many reasons: Their shape is perfect for quick moisture evaporation and prevents boiling over, copper provides even heat distribution and doesn’t react with the fruit-sugar mixture, and many people (including us) believe that the copper helps enhance the flavor of the jam. Copper preserving pans are absolutely safe for cooking jam. The key to using a copper pan is to put the fruit in it only after the fruit has been combined with sugar. The high concentration of sugar in the mixture prevents the fruit from reacting with the copper. Putting fruit in the pan on its own will cause the fruit to react with the copper and can be dangerous. We have made thousands of jars in our copper pans, and the results are excellent."
As we wrote in our article on The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook, we were fascinated with Saunders oven method of sterilizing the glass jam jars, as we have previously used the boiling water bath method.
"We have had great success processing jars in the oven. The good news about jam is that its high concentrations of sugar and acid render it very inhospitable to harmful microorganisms. If oven processing makes you uncomfortable, you can certainly make any recipe in The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook using a water bath or other processing technique of your choice. Any new jars you purchase should come with manufacturer's instructions for water bath processing. You can find in-depth instructions for oven processing in The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook."
And our last question to Saunders: What advice would you give those new to jam making? "Starrt with the simplest possible jam, such as blackberry, strawberry, or blueberry and then work your way up from there."
Our bounty – homemade Sour Orange Lemon Marmalade
So, inspired by Saunders advise and using her Sour Orange & Lemon Marmalade recipe, her oven sterilization method, and our new Mauviel jam pan, we made marmalade. Was the experience wonderful? Oh yes, we just loved it and the results were delicious! We picked oranges because we love orange marmalade and they are in season. We didn't pick an easy single step recipe (as recommended by Rachel) but a 3 day recipe; each single step clearly defined and not difficult . And now we know why the pan is designed to be so large in width and not in depth – because it allows the fruit to cook evenly and when it boils and bubbles (which it does the entire cooking period) it does not boil over the top of the pot. Are we hooked on jam making? You bet we are! Are we hooked on our Mauviel Copper Jam Pam? Absolutely yes!
About the Mauviel Copper Jam Pan:
Prized in French kitchens, this classic copper pan is made of heat-responsive copper in a wide, shallow design, it's also useful for making caramel and other high-sugar foods.
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The wide, shallow bowl and heat-conductive 1.2mm-gauge copper promote a rapid boil, which develops fruits' natural pectins.
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Unlined interior is safe for use with foods with a high sugar content.
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Ideal for gas and electric cooktops
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Oven and broiler safe.
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Because the copper pot is unlined and highly reactive to ingredients, it should be used only for cooking foods with a high sugar content – never for general cooking.
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Allow pan to cool before washing. Hand–wash; dry immediately with a soft cloth.
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Copper will develop a rich patina over time. This will not affect the pan's cooking performance. To keep the exterior looking new, use a copper polish or a combination of lemon and salt.
About Rachel Saunders:
Rachel Saunders is the owner and founder of Blue Chair Fruit Company, the author of The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook, and teaches jam and marmalade making. She studied France and the French language at Smith College and La Sorbonne˗Paris IV. For more information on her cookbook and jam and marmalade classes, visit BlueChairFruit.com.
Enter to WIN A FREE COPY of the Blue Chair Jam Cookbook.
There is no denying that the Mauviel Hammered Copper Jam Pan is an investment; but one that will last many, many years and produce fabulous results each and every time. Rachel Saunders thinks the results of preparing jam in the Mauviel jam pan are so excellent that she decided to start carrying the pans on her website and is offering KosherEye readers a 10% discount off the purchase of one. Just enter the discount code KOSHERI at checkout. Offer good until March 3rd. To purchase your very own copper jam pan, please click here. Also available on Amazon.com
February 25, 2013