Our Journey Through Health and Knowledge
enhancing, exploring and expanding our health and lifestyle togetherArchive for November, 2008
cast iron cooking – mmmmmm
those of you who know me, know i love my cast iron… i love cooking with it, i love decorating with it (okay not cast iron in this case, but iron). i love the play of iron against anything… when i was a little girl at my grandparents’ farm, there was an old iron twin bed, a farm bed, that i slept in. i dont know what happened to that bed. when i lived there the last year or so of my grandfather’s life, i purchased another iron twin bed… this time a white day bed, but still. my daughter now sleeps in that bed. i guess you could say i have a lifetime love affair with iron.
i have always loved cooking with cast iron. its so … well, wonderful. you do have to know how to cook with it though, it is not a mindless cooking when using cast iron. i love the flavours and nuances of everything that comes out when using cast iron. i use it at home almost exclusively (except when steaming) and exclusively use it when camping. if you were to happen upon my campsite, without fail you would find the fire on low (yes a real fire) and a dutch oven of water over it. you can’t beat it… hot chocolate, soup, omelets… all cooked in a dutch oven… it adds so much to the ambience of camping.
i have insurance through farm bureau and they put out a magazine for the members… this is an article that was in this month’s magazine on cast iron cooking. who knew?
enjoy…
To many Tennesseans, a cast-iron skillet is considered just as precious as a great-grandmother’s quilt or a treasured family photograph.
Story by Kim Newsom
Photo by Jeffrey S. Otto and J. Kyle KeenerI’m one of those people.
Last Christmas, I received my first piece of cast-iron cookware. It was a cornstick pan – given to me by my grandfather, who thought my late grandmother would want me to have it.
He was right; I felt so honored to receive it, and the pan is now one of my prized possessions. Every time I use that cornstick pan, I think of my grandmother.
I consider cast iron to be more than just a type of kitchenware; to me, it represents Southern cooking at its core. Seasoned with memories and love, cast-iron cookware represents family gatherings around a Dutch oven full of stew or the early-morning smell of bacon frying in a skillet wafting to the bedrooms of sleepy children.
Beyond its personal meanings, cast-iron cookware has its definite advantages to other kitchen products.
Cast iron absorbs and retains heat more efficiently than most other cookware, which means you use less energy. It also distributes this heat evenly, which provides for perfect cooking all the way through.
For recipes that require both the stovetop and the oven, cast iron moves effortlessly from one to the other.
Cast iron has health benefits too. Well-seasoned cast iron boosts your iron intake, and it requires less or no oil as compared to other kitchenware – perfect for heart-healthy recipes. And best of all, cast-iron products (when properly maintained) last nearly forever, making those family pass-downs even more special.
In our celebration of cast iron, we’re sharing a few recipes that are truly best when prepared in this unique cookware. We hope you’ll enjoy them, and we invite all our Southern cooks to tell us your cast-iron memories and recipes. Visit the Web version of this story at tnhomeandfarm.com to comment or e-mail thaf@jnlcom.com.
btw: i have my grandmother’s cornstick pan… i love it, although don’t use it very often as it was not taken care of very well throughout the years… but there are the times, when thinking about mama and papa that it comes out and is used with so much love and memory.
-tiff
floating in a sea of acceptance
My MySpace has been hijacked. My sisters, my cousins, my family, with whom I share little ideological ground, have joined MySpace and have friended me. I love my family. I just do not like what they believe most of the time. Hell, I’m the only one in my entire immediate and extended family (OF which I know for sure) supported Obama! I feel stymied and awkward, watching every word and therefore not saying much.
A few weeks ago I adopted a little dog. She has some separation issues and barks incessantly. Fearing retribution from the neighbors, we bought a muzzle. It is big enough for her to drink and even chew her toys but not big enough for her to let out the big “Woofs!” that I swear reverberate from her toes. The first time I put the muzzle on her I cried. I’m not much of a crier. I am usually too happy to cry, so the tears took me by surprise. I wasn’t hurting the dog. I wasn’t cruel or angry. But my eyes betrayed me and unleashed torrents of tears that drowned my usual happy state. I realized then that I felt like that dog.
I’ve been muzzled. The place I could go and vent, and gab, and connect with like souls was invaded by hostile troops. So I’m here with you all–the family of my soul. I am floating in your grace and acceptance. I am reaching out to you, the ones that like what I say even when you don’t really agree because you know that me saying it and owning it is the important thing. Thank you. Thank you for being my safe place. I miss you guys and wish we all lived close enough to gather and embrace in person.
Happy weekend and love you…
