Today, there is at times nearly as much concern about the materials with which we store and prepare food as there is about food itself. Cast iron cookware is an attractive alternative to the chemical-laden stainless steel and aluminum cookware that dominates the majority of American kitchens. In a way, the use of cast iron cookware is nostalgic because in many previous centuries iron was the metal of choice for our ancestors' pots and utensils. Related Articles AMC Cookware All Clad Cast Iron Cookware Lodge Cast Iron Cookware Seasoning Cast Iron Few kitchen objects can re-introduce that old-fashioned ambiance better than a black cast iron tea pot sitting on the range. However, there are other key reasons why many opt for cast iron cookware over other types of cookware. The first of these reasons is that cast iron cookware simply cooks food very well. Iron has the ability to distribute heat evenly, ensuring that whatever is cooked in cast iron cookware will not be well-done in some places and raw in others. And they are versatile - cast iron cookware can be used for baking in the oven as well as for stove-top cooking. Another reason is the eternal concern over health. Many of the more commercially hyped cookware, made from substances like Teflon and aluminum, have come to public notice …show more content…
It has to be "seasoned" for each use, probably due to the fact that it does not have a protective coating of chemicals. This means that in order to avoid rust flakes, cast iron cookware must be covered in salt-free oil before cooking; it must also be immediately dried and put away after washing. And, while washing, one must never scour cast iron cookware or use any harsh soaps in cleaning it. However, newer cast iron products are coated with shellac or wax; purchasers of these should scour the new pans with a steel wool pad before use, and cast iron cookware cannot be left to soak or washed in a