Cast Iron

Cast iron has been an obsession of mine ever since I visited Old Sturbridge Village as a child. I still marvel at the magnificence of this heavy duty Colonial cookware. Last night I made my summer potato salad in my Dutch oven instead of my pressure cooker (recipe posted here), but this time I added a beet for color. One beet packs a lot of pigment! Lately I have been taking advantage of the residual heat held by the cast iron. When steaming vegetables or making oatmeal I turn the burner off just as things come to boil and the residual heat does the reminder of the cooking. Also, when making fried eggs, I cook and then serve them in my little iron skillet rather than transferring them onto a cold plate. Iron cookware keeps the heat and is extremely efficient. Don't scrub the cast iron pots with soap, and be sure to season them often. They'll last forever.