CAST-IRON WARE:

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PREPARING THE PANS

If you buy new pans, your first job will be to scrub them ... using a sponge and mild cleanser to remove the sticky coating. After rinsing and drying the ironware, slather a thick layer of unsalted vegetable shortening over the inner surfaces of each utensil, including the undersides of any lids. Then set the tops on the pans and bake them in a slow oven (250'F) for 1-1/2 hours, occasionally swabbing the grease around the interiors to keep them evenly coated. Let the pans cool, drain or wipe out any excess grease with a clean cloth, buff up a sheen, and the cookware should be ready to use!

MAINTENANCE

To break in your ironware properly, it's best if you start out by using the pans for frying. (Perhaps you can prepare several batches of french fried potatoes or fried chicken.)

After preparing a meal, and as soon as the pans are cool enough to handle, they should be washed or wiped (many people use bread crusts or special cloths to wipe their pans rather than washing them every time). Don't ever use harsh abrasives or scrub down to the bare metal, as these methods will remove all the fine seasoning you've given to the surfaces. In fact, most of the time you'll be able simply to wash the cookware out with hot water and a sponge ... but if you do have to use a detergent, make sure it's mild, and use it sparingly. Now, to keep your ironware virtually rust-free, rinse each pan well and place it on a burner that's turned up fairly high (or on a hot woodstove), tilting the utensil back and forth to spread any remaining water and speed its evaporation. Then remove the pan from the heat, let it cool, and store it (a quick oil wipe might be welcome at this point). One word of caution, though: Never let your ironware sit on the burner for so long that the seasoning begins to smoke. An iron pan will dry satisfactorily even if there's a half-teaspoon or so of water left in the bottom when you take it off the stove ... since residual heat will easily evaporate that small amount.

Wash and dry pot lids in the same manner, being sure to check their seasoning often: Steam from cooking foods can remove the coating from a pan lid very quickly.

In fact, if you often cook with liquids, you can expect a rusty tinge to appear along the inner sides of your pans, while hard water will leave a whitish deposit. To correct the problem, wash your pot thoroughly, quickdry it on the stove, and then ... make a batch of popcorn! Use a bit more oil than usual, and let the corn pop. The explosive action will spatter hot oil all over the inside of the pan and lid, and the iron will soak it up greedily. As soon as the pot is cool, just wipe out the excess oil and snippets of hull with a damp sponge and?voild!?your water-marked utensil will be seasoned again. (To keep the ironware in peak condition, however, it's best to reseason it at least once a year, using the vegetable shortening method.)

Cast-iron cookware is durable, versatile, and healthful. With just a little loving care, it will continue to serve your family for years to come ... and who knows, with a bit of help from those heavy pots and pans, your cooking might become a standard of excellence for future generations!

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