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| The current collection used and stored in the oven..missing I see the 2 pre- 1957 Griswold and Wagner griddles that I just love, perfect jeweler's finish in the shot. The middle back row griddle is a crazy heavy Emril newer version available here found at a household sale. This pan is the heaviest I own even out doing the dutchoven you see back right. My absolute favorite the 11-1/2 " high sided Griswold you see on top of the skillet stack front right. This gorgeous pan was purchased beginning of last summer at an antique shop on Rt. 219 for $5. |
I have been using cast iron for cooking since starting to prepare food back in the day at age 10. My Dad always had a set of skillets for his breakfast, hamburger, steak and pork chop frying making meals for himself, my brother and I after working all day in our town's PaperMill or on the weekend. He was a big one for weekend breakfasts such as sliced potatoes fried in loads of butter, side pork/sausage patties/bacon and eggs prepared over easy fried in whatever fat he had from that mornings meat choice. Of course my younger brother stayed in bed until either my Dad was red faced from yelling up at him beginning when the potatoes were almost done into cracking that first egg until stomping up the stairs to literally dump him out of his bed. That was always fun...not, lol.
I did not think the skillets we used were all that important to my later pan buying choices, especially since I could not wait until I would start my own kitchen inventory that did not include such an uncool choice. My Dad started me off with a 2 piece skillet set including 6" and 8" all perfectly seasoned for the first apartment move across the river from my Grandmother, his Mom in the Rolfe section of Johnsonburg. I could actually not only see her back porch from my back kitchen window but, yell back and forth to carry on a semi conversation about the day or evening happenings. She was not a fan of the castiron, too heavy she would say and use the latest and greatest nonstick pan, Revereware or Club Aluminum choice.
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| Wagner 2 sided griddle, one side flat the other raised. Here is the bottom showing new maker's mark. |
We were married August 1986 and continued with the first 2 piece set until the early 90's when pregnant with our 2nd child. I am a collector, at the core, of anything and cannot just sit on a small start. On a holiday shopping trip to Grove City, Pa. where they have one of those very large shopping brand name outlets, there are a few kitchen stores. This is where 4 more pieces were added the Wagner griddle, Lodge wok, 10- 1/2" Wagner skillet and a 12- 1/2" Wagner skillet. Wagner closed up in 1999. Here is a
little history on Wagner and Griswold. Very interesting that a lot of experts feel pre-1957 is considered superior to what happened after it was purchased by an Ohio company. I have read from other sources that this pre- 1957 castiron is referred to as having a jeweler's finish on the cooking surface which is a pretty cool description. There is a noticeable difference from my older collection to what we purchased on this shopping trip to the outlets and of course the Lodge cookware that we have access to buying now. Lodge is the last American manufacturer of castiron cookware.
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| Pizza made in 3 of the skillets, all with different toppings. I could still kick myself for using a cutter..my poor pans still carry scars in their seasoned finish....grrrr |
Well anyway.... I love it now and have for many years, there was only a short stint where my stubbornness took over and those 2 little pans were abused and neglected until joined by brand new versions from Wagner and Lodge and then when fabulous antique choice picks were added to the collection with griddles Last summer during Ridgway's townwide yardsale a Chicago dutchoven with it's faux hammered texture and beautiful inside cooking surface was added to my home kitchen pile of iron.
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| 12" footed dutchoven baking potatoes, onions and pepper over charcoal along with the Emril griddle frying up steaks. |
Our new love of camping allowed the addition of 2 more pieces, a
Lodge 10" and 12" dutchoven, cook books and all the accessories including the dutchoven metal table available from
Camp Chef you see above, red leather gloves, cleaning brush, lid stand, castiron insert(bread baking) and chimney charcoal starter. The ovens have feet, holding them up off the coals, letting air and heat circulate.
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| husband starting the charcoal to begin baking meatloaf, assorted root veggies and herbs in a parchment lined oven. The addition of the parchment keeps clean up at a minimum. |
Here is a post on the Vintage travel trailer/travel studio blog for this
recipe and last camping trip from October at the Dam.
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| a couple summers back at Twin Lakes making some fireside pizzas, the the brush is to sweep away the ash, keeping the coals hot and to temp |
Dutchoven cooking is glorious, preparing everything you would make in the conventional home oven, but BETTER of course with the addition of infused charcoal cooking through the food and then a back drop of nature surrounding you and your family is a wonderful plus.
Hillbilly style bacon from Clyde's Quality Meats, Chestnut Street, St. Marys, Pa. fried in my favorite skillet.
Seasoned with lard after a breakfast of hillbilly style bacon, homefries with onions/peppers and crepe style pancakes..ready to go once again. I use castiron everyday and would love to find a chef's style frying pan with the flared sides and also a waffle making pan and base.
What is in your sweet collection?
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