So you looked at the le Creuset, running your hands over the beautiful enamel and dreamed of your favorite color in your designer kitchen. Then you gasped at the price, put it back on the shelf and scampered home with your tail between your legs vowing never to spend that much on a pot you put dead birds and veggies in.
I’ve mentioned, on more than one occasion, that I use cast iron dutch ovens and skillets for baking, searing and frying, among other things. Not to mention that this secret chuck-wagon cowgirl would be cooking on the campfire with it if she could. In my opinion there is nothing quite like good cast iron and today it’s making a big comeback.
If you have been wondering which cast iron is the best product to buy, without cooking your pocket book, have a look at this video podcast created in America’s Test Kitchen by the publishers of Cook’s Illustrated. They discuss and evaluate 12 cast iron skillets, include caring for, restoring and seasoning cast iron and talk about the “non-stick” value of cast iron. (go here if you don’t use itunes to read write-up and see video)
After their tests they concluded that the Lodge Logic cast iron skillet was their favorite and the price is livable too!!!
I started using cast iron in 1991 when my husband and I returned from living in Japan for a year and I needed to get some good cookware but had very little money to spend. I ended up thriftstore shopping and luckily found someone’s old, used, and well seasoned, cast-offs. I was so pleased to be able to pick up a set of fry-pans for under $10 and my dutch oven was about $8. I’m still tickled to be able to cook on them and wouldn’t trade them for the best cookware money can buy.
Cookin’ with cast iron and lovin’ it more than ever!!!
Fishes and Loaves 