The trusty cast-iron skillet—probably a staple in your grandma’s kitchen—is reclaiming its place on the stovetop. A good one has a slick surface so you don’t need to add oil (or the added fat and calories from oil) to get a nonstick surface. Just make sure it’s properly “seasoned” before you use it for the first time—a simple process of applying a vegetable-oil coating to a clean, dry skillet and baking it for an hour or so in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F. (Handle with care; skillet will be hot.) Some companies even give you a jump-start by offering preseasoned cookware.

Cooking in cast iron can actually increase the iron content in your food. For example, eggs scrambled in a cast-iron skillet can have up to three times as much iron as raw eggs.

Plus it’s the champ when it comes to conducting and holding heat evenly at any temperature, making cast-iron skillets a chef’s favorite.

“I can get the iron skillet extremely hot and have a no-stick surface,” said Paul Wooten, executive chef of Atlanta’s Southern fusion restaurant, Sweet Lowdown. “It’s perfect when I need a good, clean sear on a fish fillet or chicken breast.”

And for a surprisingly low price, this cookware is a must-have because it can last for generations. Just ask your grandma.


Hot Topic for January 2008

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when i cooked my food in this product the image of Jesus appeared, in my pancakes.