Helmensdorfer Pfannen
Good pans are made of iron.
Today, pans can be made of all kinds of materials. The principle often applies: the newer the material, the greater the promise and the higher the price. If you ask professional chefs about such marvels of kitchen technology, you usually only get a pitying smile. For the masters of the kitchen, nothing beats the oldest pan material of all: iron. Pans made from this material are not only indestructible all-rounders with excellent frying properties and can be used on ultra-modern stoves as well as on the barbecue and over the campfire, but are also extremely inexpensive to buy compared to many modern high-tech pans. We offer both forged and rolled iron pans.
More than 150 years of experience.
M. Helmensdorfer GmbH & Co KG Metallwarenfabrik in Lindau on Lake Constance specializes in iron pans of the highest quality. It has been supplying the hotel and catering industry since 1864 - a clientele that combines the highest standards with the highest demands. The forged pans are produced in collaboration with Bavarian hammer smiths, some of whom are 500 years old, using traditional master craftsmanship. The arrangement of the hammer blows is always different - which makes each pan unique, but does not translate into high prices. The pans made of rolled iron are produced exclusively by Helmensdorfer itself in Lindau.
Image 1: In the approximately 500-year-old hammer forge, the forged pan handles are forged piece by piece using a forging hammer until red hot and then joined to the pan.
Picture 2: Forging the utensils with a tail hammer.
Image 3: The anchored finishing hammer is used to shape the metal plate as required.
Finding the right pan.
A frying pan must be able to be heated to a very high temperature and it must transfer the heat to the food as undiminished as possible. Hardly any other pan comes close to the old, natural iron pan in this respect. When choosing between a drop-forged pan and a Lyonais pan made from rolled iron, it all comes down to personal preference:
The high, wide, curved edge of Lyonaiser pans made from blued rolled iron ensures that the food (e.g. vegetables) can be easily swirled and turned. In addition to the uniform dark coloring, the "bluing" also ensures that the extra thick base (3 mm) does not warp even when heated quickly. The handle is riveted to the pan.
The forged pans are heavy, indestructible and rustic, have a deeper and flatter rim and are therefore more suitable for frying meat and pancakes. They retain heat even better, but should be heated slowly on a medium heat so that the base does not warp. The forged hook handle is welded on. The following applies to both types of pan: the more you use the pan, the better the food will cook.