Help Me Find Flat Universal Lids (Like Julia Child's!) Good Questions

Q: We were just watching an old episode of Jacques and Julia Cooking at Home and saw Jacques Pepin admiring Julia Child's flat universal lids with handles. After noting that it would fit onto pretty much any pan, Jacques Pepin used it to flip out and transfer a baked hashbrown easily onto a plate. Julia Child laughed and said she'd bought them at a flea market in the 1940s — so there goes that lead. Has anyone seen lids like this for sale anywhere? I covet them!

Sent by Leah

Editor: Leah, I did a little searching, and found a lead on some copper lids that look quite similar. Bad news — they're seriously expensive!

• Copper Long-Handled Lids, $219.50 and up at French Copper Studio

So, perhaps keep an eye on eBay and in flea markets as well, just like Julia. Readers, have you seen other lids like these elsewhere?

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(Image: via Leah)

Comments (12)

if you paid for the materials, this would be a great project for a high school or community college metal-working class.

A few years ago we were given a box of about 250 9" aluminum pie pans from a restaurant that went out of business. Among their myriad uses (holy cow are there a ton) they cover a pretty wide range of pots without sliding off, due to the sloped sides. You have to use tongs to handle them, but I always have tongs to hand when using the stovetop anyways.

A reasonably large plate works well for frittata or hasbrown or whatever.

And seriously, what's pictured there looks like a cymbal to me.

You can pick-up one at Walmart for about $10.

Ikea has them. I found them upstairs near the cafeteria. There were splatter guard lids near them.

That's what that thing is? I found one in my dad's aunt's kitchen when she moved to assisted living. I kept it because I thought it would be useful once I figured out what it was for. Awesome!

Kickstarter. You're welcome. :)

i got a universal lid at target, but it's not flat - it has ridges, but it will still fit most any pot or pan and i can't imagine why you couldn't use it to flip things..

I got my copper lid at SurLaTable in Seattle several years ago. Love it and use it a lot as many skillets you get these days have no lids.

hit up a local foodservice dealer - a lot of companies make s/s or slum ones that would be great for home use (Vollrath, Browne-Halco)

Thanks for all the suggestions! I will continue to hunt for one.

My mom found a very inexpensive wooden (or bamboo?) one at an Asian grocery store. One would think it would warp with the moisture and heat but it has performed wonderfully and looks really pretty.

Try a restaurant supply store, they might know.