Part of Why We Obsess Over Cast Iron

There has definitely been a resurgence in the popularity of cast iron for cooking. Lodge, Le Creuset, Staub, and a hodge podge of copycat brands are competing against each other these days for market share. Lodge is the only cast iron cookware company from the 1800s that is still commercially mass producing pots and pans in the United States.

Cast iron has been around since about 500 B.C., and it originated in China, during the Han Dynasty. From there, it spread all across Asia; however, cast iron wasn’t commonly used in cookware until the 16th century, when a British ironmaster named Abraham Darby invented and patented the sand casting technique. This technique allowed for cast iron pots and pans to be mass produced. Nothing cooks like cast iron. Yes, it’s heavy, but it cooks evenly and holds its heat longer, which allows for more efficient cooking. It’s versatile, and it can be oddly charming and beautiful. The cast iron seasoning process involves coating the surfaces of the cookware with oil, then heating the cookware just beyond the oil’s smoke point, to cause polymerization of the fats on the surface of the vessel. This polymerization creates a

natural nonstick surface on the cookware that is highly prized for its nostalgic influence on food’s flavor, and its ability to brown foods to a distinctive crispness. As you can see from the pictures, I really love my cast iron! This is just a sample of our collection, and I know the collection is going to grow. It can become an obsession! Hey, there are worse obsessions to have, right??? I’ll stick with cast iron and piano music!