Cast Iron Cult? Count Us In!

I know that Jason has written several odes to cast iron cookware, but I thought I'd add one as well. I've been researching easier ways to clean cast iron. Obviously I know not to put it in the dishwasher or scrub it with soap, but I've had trouble getting residual fat off a particular piece I have and needed some tips.

You see, I bought this fabulous two-sided, two-burner cast iron griddle at World Market a couple of years ago. I love it, but the ridged side is terribly hard to clean. And after grilling a few ribeyes on it yesterday, I was faced with this familiar problem again.

In checking out some tips online, I came across this article. In addition to cleaning advice, the writer included this observation:

"No kitchen instrument or style of cookware has quite the same vocal, enthusiastic community as cast iron. They write books about cast iron. They write love letters to cast iron. They sing the praises of the metal with a religious fervor, and they want to convert you ... After a week of talking to cast iron users and visiting their online communities, I'm convinced there must be some positive correlation between cooking with cast iron and becoming wholesome and kind."

The emphasis of that last sentence is mine. But I really loved the whole paragraph. It rings very true--at least based on conversations I've had with other cooks.

But back to cleaning this danged griddle. I did find some helpful information in the above-mentioned post. And also in this Real Simple article. As it turns out, salt is very useful in cast iron cleaning. (Seems like I've heard that somewhere before.) Anyway ... I tried it, and it did make scrubbing it (with my plastic-bristled brush, of course) a lot easier.

A Healthy Dose of (Cast) Iron

I came across this article last night, about one of my favorite things: cast iron cookware. As I said when I wrote about cast iron earlier this year, it's nice to know something so versatile in the kitchen is also good for you!

Sweet Charlotte, Redux

A while back, I wrote about wanting to make a Charlotte. Aside from the somewhat complicated recipes I had seen, one of the things holding me back was the lack of a Charlotte mold.

Until this week.

While spending part of a rainy Saturday afternoon in a local antique mall, I came upon a slightly used Charlotte mold. With probably a little too much excitement in my heart, I picked it up and saw that it was labeled a “flower holder” and had a price of $5.

Given that new Charlotte molds sell for upwards of $35 in kitchen stores, I naturally had to have it. So I brought it home, cleaned it up and am now searching for the perfect Charlotte recipe to try out.

To be continued …

Cast Iron Will

There are several foods I wouldn’t even consider cooking in anything other than cast iron. Cornbread. Collard greens. Country ham and red-eye gravy. Fried chicken.

In the South, well-seasoned cast iron cookware is a welcome inheritance (no doubt because of its sentimental value, and the fact that acquiring a good seasoning is a long and sometimes smelly process). I have two skillets, one from each of my grandmothers, that have no doubt spent their share of mornings on the eye of a woodstove frying eggs, ham, sausage and bacon. They are black as coal and smooth as silk from years of use.

In the last few years, it seems more people are taking notice of the benefits of cooking with cast iron—something we Southerners have known all along. This article from the New York Times attests to the fact that plain ol’ cast iron is just as good, if not better, than expensive, gourmet cookware.

For heat retention, durability and versatility, cast iron can’t be beat. From stovetop to oven to table, all it takes is a little attention. Here you’ll find some tips for the use and care of your cast iron.

From new twists on old favorites to just the simple old tried-and-true comfort foods, cooking in cast iron links us to the past. If you’re ready to get started, Southern Living has some tasty recipes to try. And if you want to read more about cooking in cast iron, check out this blog.

In these days of always-improving technology, it’s nice to know that something our grandmothers (and even great-grandmothers) used every day is still relevant. Cast iron cookware is one of those things that only gets better with age.