My liking for all things traditional is an open secret here on the blog.
Stone ware, iron, copper ware and alloy metal ware like brass and bronze – I am a collector of all things.
Especially, copper.
I have always been fascinated by copper, its inherent color and sheen. I find it quite irresistible. Fancying age old Indian copper pitchers or french copper pans with equal fervor, I have a small collection of pots and pans of varying styles, shapes and sizes. Cooking in a kitchen speckled with copper ware has a charm in itself.
In hindsight, it might have to do a little with my upbringing. Particularly the ‘where’ of it.
Ancient metal utensils decked my granddad’s house, ranging from tiny little copper water pitchers to gigantic iron woks (kabbiNada baanDli) and spatulas (thudupu in tamil, mogachuva kai in kannada), to heavy bronze pots (vengila paatram) to huge cauldrons (gangaala in kannada) to boil water for bathing to name a few. Each serving a different purpose.
Living there during my growing up years, copper and brass ware were a part and parcel of our day to day lives; be it the bedside water holder or the tradtional hammered copper pot-like water pitcher with a narrow brass ringed mouth (koda in kannada), a permanent fixture in the kitchen that I fondly remember drinking water from or the other smaller pitchers (chombu in kannada) used to fetch water from the well.
Anything to do with water was always copper.
Though they have disappeared from most Indian kitchens serving only as ornamental decor, it is heartening to see that there is a growing awareness of the benefits of using traditional metal ware and the role of copper in health and well being. And, they are slowly but surely making a comeback as we have begun to appreciate why they were an integral part of the life of our ancestors.
“If certain bacteria, fungi, or algae inch across something made of copper, they absorb copper atoms, which disrupt their metabolism (human cells are unaffected). The microbes choke and die after a few hours.”
― Sam Kean
With a deep realization of how granted they were taken for then, for a while, I had been longing to revert to drinking water stored in copper containers, meaning to make copper energized water an integral part of our life and to give the relationship between copper and water its much deserved importance.
Earlier this year, I happened to discover Coppre and their aesthetically designed and handcrafted copper ware – a perfect blend of modern and traditional. I fell in love instantly with their products and what they do – bringing a dying heritage handicraft back to the fore and supporting the artisans and their craft.
One thing lead to another. While I was in India during summer, I got in touch with them and the lovely people at Coppre sent me this Terracopper jug.
It is a beautiful work of art, a masterpiece handicraft as well as a great functional piece to have at home. Well designed and carefully hand crafted, it comes with a copper lid and an elegant brass handle.
I have not done product reviews on this blog as a principle. I chose to write about Coppre/Terrcopper jug because it is something that I will be using in my daily life and hope that it will add value to yours too.
The Holiday season is upon us and soon enough will be the New Year. This jug makes for a beautiful gift for you or for your near and dear ones.
disclosure: The Terrcopper jug has been provided by Coppre. However, the opinions are my own.
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