As the Holidays approach, one common age-old problem is what to gift that certain person on your gift list. One item, that should grace every Michigander’s kitchen, is cast-iron cookware. It has been used for cooking for well over a thousand years, with the first mention of a cast-iron kettle, in English, at around A.D. 679. It was cast-iron cookware that landed on the shores of Plymouth, along with the Pilgrims, and Abraham Darby I secured a patent for his Dutch oven in 1708.
Not only is the clunky cookware a trusty partner in the kitchen, but this versatile cookware is a longtime favorite for over the campfire. It was cast iron that rattled in the bed of a covered wagon when the pioneers headed west for a new start. Cast Iron Pan Pre-Seasoned
Skillets and Dutch ovens are usually the first cast-iron cookware items that may come to your mind, but griddles for the stovetop and bread loaf pans are also favorites. My loaf pans have produced scads of loaves of bread that just slide from the pan. Plus, the loaf pans are great for baking meatloaf. However, proper care for cast iron is necessary to retain that non-stick quality for your cookware. Often, when bragging about my cast iron, I get the reply,
My eggs always stick to the pan, and it’s a hassle to clean.
If you follow these tips, your cast iron will prove to be a delight for cooking and easy to keep clean:
Cast-Iron Cookware Tips for Rookies
Skillet Cast Iron Other than that, your cast iron will be perfect for frying pancakes, home fries, or deep-frying chicken or donuts. You now have cookware that can be handed down for generations.