Hi all ! My cast iron journey started when I was about... 8 or in 1962. My mother and grandmother both cooked on cast. Seems both had 8 and 12 inch skillets when we lived just west of Cleveland, OH. My great aunts had them also and both lived just outside of Pittsburgh, PA to be over 100. I don't know if mother kept any but I'm going to ask. Some of those pans had to be made before 1900 and were no doubt made of virgin, Iron. All had bottoms that were very smooth and nothing stuck. I remember my grandmother giving me a lecture as I was "helping" by putting her 12" into the dishwasher. My grandparents, having gone through the depression, threw nothing away and had the obligitory Campbells Soup can for bacon drippings near the stove.
Fast forward to a year or so ago. Bought a Lodge 5 piece set but was taken aback at the rough cooking surfaces of the fry pan and griddle. Since then, I've learned more about lodge but still miss the cooking surface of the older pans I remember. That all said, I'm glad Lodge is made HERE and is not imported Chinese junk.
Am a big fan of Jeffery Rogers and applaud his efforts promting cast iron and cooking in general.
Fast forward to a year or so ago. Bought a Lodge 5 piece set but was taken aback at the rough cooking surfaces of the fry pan and griddle. Since then, I've learned more about lodge but still miss the cooking surface of the older pans I remember. That all said, I'm glad Lodge is made HERE and is not imported Chinese junk.
Am a big fan of Jeffery Rogers and applaud his efforts promting cast iron and cooking in general.