Kitchen

[rockygems123]

@Shanus   I have my parents 1940's Griswold dual purpose fry pans, one fits on top for the lid that we used when my mom steamed fried chicken before crisping it back up in the oven.  

My dad was from N Carolina, so we enjoyed some southern foods in the cast iron including corn bread.  

Even though I have the Griswolds I use enamel cast iron, easy clean up and as Nate from Le Creuset says the food comes out golden brown delicious. 

[sabatini]

@rockygems123, my very favorite, every day skillet is a Griswold. 

I also have assorted Wagners, and a BSR (Birmingham Stove & Range) deep, chicken fryer.

I've only owned & used old cast iron, so until the past few years was unaware of the difference between the old and new.

Anyway, I bought one of my sons & also a DIL, a Lodge skillet as Christmas gift a few years ago.

Those things weighed a ton!

My DIL rarely uses hers, & I can't blame her. It's just too darn heavy.

Old, 'vintage' cast iron is lighter in weight, so is much more user friendly.

[ALRATIBA]

I bought a large cast iron frying pan a couple of years ago .... I used it a couple of times but it's just too heavy for me.

It's in the bottom cabinet .... I should probably put it out in the recycle stuff.

[faeriemoon]

I use enamelled cast iron (Le Creuset) daily but have never gotten the hang of a big old Lodge cast iron frying pan.  I wish I knew what to do with the thing. I have seasoned it and re-seasoned it but I always end up with a stuck mess.

[Franklinbell]

@Group 5 minus 1 Me too!

[Knit-Chick]

I have my mom's pan and use it once in a while,  usually for pancakes. My mom made the best pineapple upside down cake in hers

[Carolina925]

@Othereeeen , thank you. I didn't realize that. I'm not in the market for enameled cast iron since, with age, it's become impossible to lift a full pot. I'm surprised and disappointed to see these are made in China. Guess I should've looked into it further before making a statement.

[Othereeeen]

@Carolina925 

NO problem.....I too thought it was a good thing when I saw Lodge offered enamel on cast iron cooking vessels......while I do use Le Creuset and Staub cast iron, I would have liked to add to my original Lodge cast iron items that are made HERE....

Guess we gotta closely read ALL the labels before we purchase today!!!

I wish QVC would offer Lodge cast iron...but they insist on either  French Le Creuset/Staub or cheap Chinese knockoffs by "chefs" and others who just slap a name on the product....

Maybe Lodge can't make the number of items QVC may need, or, people just don't want to deal with pans they have to season or care for carefully (  prefer non-stick junk they can throw in the dishwasher)...

Too bad they'll never know!!!

Cast iron cookware ( NOT the enamel coated or non stick) is the most used cookware in the world.

Cast iron itself is also made from a "recipe" that is specifc to the make up of the cast iron, thus the quality of it. There are different "classes" of cast iron, dependent on it's makeup. That dictates the price and quality.

And contrary to what people may think, ALL the cast iron sold in France or China is made to these standards...in other words, the customer specifies the quality of the end product.

So just because something is made in China, does not mean it is NOT made to the same standards as Le Creuset or Staub...the foundries make it according to the purchase order specs of their customers

If cheaper "recipe" cast iron is ordered, that's what gets to QVC. And the price is a reflection of that.

I would just like to buy American made products where and if I can, especially if my food is being cooked in it!!!

One can easily Google the properties and make up of cast iron if they are so interested.

It works.

[faeriemoon]

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@Carolina925 wrote:

@Othereeeen , thank you. I didn't realize that. I'm not in the market for enameled cast iron since, with age, it's become impossible to lift a full pot. I'm surprised and disappointed to see these are made in China. Guess I should've looked into it further before making a statement.

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@Carolina925 I once bought a large 7+ quart Lodge Dutch oven because it was less expensive than LC and I didn't think I would use it all that often because of the size.  Frankly, cooking-wise, it was as good as LC.  The problem was with the finish.  The outside "fogged" up and the color never went back to its shiny blue like when it was new; and even worse than that, it chipped terribly.  For those reasons I haven't strayed from LC since then.  I believe Staub and LC are comparable in quality and price, but since I already have quite a collection of LC, I have stuck with that brand for the sake of consistency.

[cindyNC]

@Laura14 Thanks for the recommendationfor Kitchen HQ.  I've been looking at them.