A while back my husband decided to get us a 15″ cast iron skillet because he was suspicious of nonstick coatings – both fumes and also when they start to peel. I admit that I was somewhat reluctant to use the new pan for quite a while. I was used to the pans that I had been using and didn’t think we really needed such a large pan so it sat on a shelf collecting dust.
Since we moved to our new house, I’ve fallen totally in love with the pan. Why? It all started with French toast. I hadn’t had any French toast (eggy bread for my British/Aussie readers) in a very long time, mostly because I didn’t have a pan where it wouldn’t either stick terribly (aluminum skillet) or fail to brown properly (nonstick). The French toast did not stick to the cast iron pan, it browned perfectly, AND it’s large enough that I was able to make three pieces at a time. Hmmm…
Since then I’ve used it to make grilled cheese sandwiches, veggie burgers, quesadillas, fried potatoes, oven-baked sweet potato fries, sautee onions, and pancakes. Yes, it’s large and it’s heavy, but I know it’s not giving off any noxious fumes when I heat it up and you just have to love a pan that you are actively discouraged from washing! I just wipe out whatever bits are left behind, oil it up and it’s ready to go the next time. I’ve been using it so frequently that it now lives on my stovetop.
I used it the morning of my trip to make my new-to-me recipe for March: oat cakes. (Ha! I didn’t have to rely on the brownies after all!) I’ve tried making oat cakes before but they were always denser than I liked. I found this recipe on Mama Pea’s blog and since she used to run a restaurant I figured she ought to know what she’s doing. She does indeed – they were wonderful.
My next adventure with cast iron will involve seasoning the cast iron waffle maker I bought recently. I’ll be able to make waffles on my stovetop OR in the woods! An added bonus is that it is small enough to also serve as a weapon 
I cannot believe you said the waffle maker could serve as a weapon!! You are crazy!
by Shellie March 29th, 2010 at 10:20 amIt’s really heavy!!!
by Jenyfer March 29th, 2010 at 10:30 amYou crack me up! Waffle maker is small enough to serve as a weapon . . . do we have any aggressive tendencies lately that we’d like to talk about???
P.S. Don’t spread this around but I’ve always had a real urge to crack somebody over the head with a beer bottle. Analyze that one.
by Mama Pea March 29th, 2010 at 10:40 amI was walking home with the waffle iron tucked under my arm, which is sort of what brought the idea of using it as a weapon to my mind.
Don’t know what’s up with you and the beer bottle though, Mama Pea. Did you live a former life in Deadwood?
by Jenyfer March 29th, 2010 at 10:54 amI’m looking forward to getting a gas cooktop; I couldn’t use cast iron on my smooth-top electric.
by Terry Odell March 31st, 2010 at 10:24 amI had always used electric stove tops until I got to Egypt but I have been totally converted to gas now – love it!
by Jenyfer April 1st, 2010 at 12:05 pmDo you know where I can buy an cast iron pan in Cairo, Egypt? I’ve been looking all over for them but haven’t been able to find any. I’d appreciated if you could tell me where you got yours.
Thanks,
by Mary Jones May 17th, 2010 at 5:58 amSorry – I imported mine!
by Jenyfer May 17th, 2010 at 8:19 am