November 18, 2010

I swear I'm not getting paid for this....

I am in love with Lodge cast iron cookware.   But I haven't always been.  I used to think it was junk.  Growing up I watched my mom cook with these old "junky looking" pans and swore I never would. As an immature teenager I guess I equated looks with function.  Go figure.  (How did I not realize that everything my mom cooked tasted good?) 

When I got married, I got a nice set of Hard Anodized Calphalon.  It looks great and has served me well, but I have never "loved" it.  A few years ago I noticed that "Le Creuset" was all the rage.  I started to believe that maybe cast iron was functional after all, but that it was necessary to cover up that ugly exterior with colorful enamel.  I thought I was sold on it, but alas, it's expensive.  Holy cow, it's outrageous!  Definitely out of my price range. 

Last year, on a whim, I bought a 12" Lodge cast iron skillet.... at Wal-Mart.... because it was 18 bucks!  At that price, I figured I could afford to dump it if it was junk.  Oh my.  I cooked with it once and I was hooked!  It never leaves my stove top (except to get washed).... I don't bother putting it away because it's the pan I use the most.  It cooks everything beautifully, on the stove or in the oven, and cleans up in a snap!  (And it literally last forever!)  Plus, it seems like everything tastes better when it's cooked in cast iron.  Who needs enamel?

Now my skillet has a friend, who also lives on my stove top.  For my birthday, Jay my kids got me this dutch oven with a lid that doubles as a smaller skillet.  My other pots and pans are feeling rather neglected, but I don't care.


And you know what?  I LOVE how it looks.... bare-naked cast iron.  Beauty.




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4 comments:

  1. Michelle7:51 PM

    I have the same dutch oven and 2 other iron skillets. Love them and don't want to cook with anything else. I'm from the South (Alabama) and they are a staple in most Southern households!!

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  2. Anonymous8:30 PM

    I have bought antique cast iron skillets because I love how they have been seasoned and can only imagine the good times families had over eatign the wonderful foods that came from them. Best wishes with your new addition!

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  3. This post made me smile. I had my cast iron with the camping stuff never realizing how handy it could be. Then a recipe for fish suggested using a pre heated cast iron skillet. It hasn't left my kitchen for 3 years. It is one of the few kitchen items I brought with me to AK.

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  4. This is a riot--today--TODAY!--I just plopped a Lodge cast iron 12" skillet on my counter. Haven't used it yet, but it is mentioned in recipes I have seen over the years and I am now doubly excited to try it out!

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