In praise of old friends

...my cast iron "cookware". That includes iron skillets of various sizes and iron pots, also of various sizes and shapes.

But---let me concentrate on the iron skillets. I have nothing as versatile as cast iron, it is as comfortable in the oven as on top of the stove. Right now there is a 10" skillet sitting on the counter, with a meatloaf in it just waiting to go in the oven. Unlike most other cookware, cast iron has no temperature limit---you can't hurt it in your oven or your stove top.

It askes only to be "respected", not fussed over, nor polished---just "respected", cleaned and oiled. In return it will make you look like a champ in the kitchen :stir:

Mine are old, they came from my Mother and I am sure she did not buy them new. They are smooth from years and years of service. They have carbon build up on the outside that I occasionally think I should take off---but I don't, but the inside, where the magic happens is a deep lustrous black. The sides are as complementary as the bottom. Pizza and mac and cheese are just two examples of gaining perfectly caramelized edges all around----the very best part of both.

The best come from Lodge who has been making cast iron cookware for 126 years-----but since cast iron only gets better with age---you can get a head start in most any flea market.

:smokin:

Our place in the mountains of East Tennessee is near the lodge factory. There are several Lodge factory outlets in the area. We have been lucky to buy many pieces that they called "seconds" but I'll be damned if I can find anything second about them. We're able to buy large amount of products at a fraction of the retail price. In fact this last Christmas we got my son who likes to cook a complete set.