I’ve been meaning to write about my cast iron skillet for weeks. But, I set the papers down on my desk and my Tortoiseshell cat thought that they were for her. She ate half of my reference article. Nothing is sacred! Fortunately for me, I took notes.

I’m aware that most people would find cast iron cookware too plebeian for their taste. Those brightly enameled pots and pans at Williams & Sonoma are much more attractive. I drool over them, too, especially the lime green ones!


In my kitchen, I have a cast iron skillet and Dutch oven that my Daddy once used. I fondly remember Daddy puttering around in the kitchen rustling us up something good to eat. Food cooked in that cast iron skillet tasted so heavenly. Maybe it’s just because someone else cooked it for me, but I think it is the magic of the skillet. I have wanted to use that skillet, but I was afraid it would be too “high maintenance” for me.

Cast iron rusts if not given regular and proper care, so it’s not a skillet that you can leave sitting in the sink for any length of time. The skillet has to be “seasoned,” and I wasn’t sure how to do that. A cast iron skillet is heavy (especially the good ones), so it’s hard on arthritis of the hands. I used these as excuses to let my skillet sit on a shelf for years.

Recently I was cleaning out some of my files and found an article about cast iron. I had clipped it from a Country Journal Magazine in 1988! I read the article again, and was convinced it was time to give that cast iron skillet of Daddy’s a chance in my kitchen.

The article extolled the virtues of cast iron as an even and efficient conductor of heat. It stated that cast iron was perfect for long slow cooking, frying and gentle warm-ups as well. The article promised me that cast iron that is properly seasoned and treated is non-stick and easier to clean than modern non-stick pans. And, the best thing is that cast iron lasts. If the pan receives proper care, it can be passed along to several generations of cooks.

Here’s what I learned about seasoning a cast iron skillet:

Whether the skillet is old and rusty or brand-spanking new with an almost silver sheen the first step is to scrub it down to bare metal. With a scouring pad, scouring powder, or a mixture of both scrub it well; then wash it in hot soapy water with mild soap. Dry it immediately.

Then, generously coat every surface of the pan with unsalted fat or oil. Traditionally cooks used lard or suet, but I just used vegetable oil. Put the pan in a slow oven (200°to 300° F) with a layer of foil on the rack below it to catch any dripping oil. Don’t get the oven hotter than that! A certain woman, who shall be nameless, tried that on one skillet hoping it would be faster. It burned the oil and stunk up the house and I–I mean she– had to do it over again.

During the heating process, periodically check the pan. You might have to wipe up excess oil or perhaps apply more oil if the pan absorbs it all within two hours. The seasoning is finished when all the oil is absorbed and the pan looks shiny black.

Turn off the oven and let the pan cool inside the oven. Finally, give the pan a wipe with a paper towel and it is ready to use.

When first using your newly seasoned skillet, only fry or pan broil for the first few times. If you try to simmer stews or soups too soon after the seasoning, it can cook out all the oil. After it has been used a few times, you can cook whatever you like. Keep in mind that spinach cooked in an iron pot will turn black. And, never leave acidic foods (like tomatoes) in the pot for any length of time or it will damage the seasoning.

Cast iron is slow to warm, so let it pre-heat over medium high heat. For best results, cook with the heat only on low to medium. The cast iron retains heat well and evenly distributes it. If the burner is too high, you will burn the food.

Always remove the pan from the burner when the food is done to avoid damaging the seasoning. Also, clean cast iron as soon as it is cool enough to handle. Don’t soak it in water unless it’s really dirty (and then only for a few minutes). Remember that harsh soaps can damage the seasoning, and never put your skillet in the dishwasher.

I’ve found that it’s true that foods don’t stick in my skillet. To clean it, I pour some kosher salt in the pan with a little water and scrub. Then I rinse it and dry it. Usually, I reinforce the seasoning by putting a little vegetable oil on a paper towel and swishing it over the pan.

Eventually cast iron does need to be re-seasoned. Usually at least once a year. If food sticks to the pan or if you discover rust on it, then it’s time to go through the process again.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s worth it. My Daddy’s skillet has taken an exalted place in my kitchen. I use it very regularly, even though I’ve discovered that is a Griswold brand skillet and is a collector’s item. If you didn’t inherit cast iron, you can find a Lodge brand skillet on-line. I like the looks of them because they have two handles.

But, I’m delighted to use the skillet my Daddy gave me. Cooking in it is pure black magic. I think I’ll go fry some okra.

I’ve always been fascinated by word origins, and in the last few days I’ve been chasing down eponyms. An “eponym” is a word derived from the name of a person, place or object. Many of the words we commonly use came from the trademarks for products. Others have some history that I find enjoyable, and hope you do as well.

I don’t know about you, but “aspirin” means just about any pain reliever to me. It even means “Tylenol” which has come to mean any acetaminophen tablet. When I search on the computer, I “Google,” even if I’m using Yahoo. A tissue is a “Kleenex,” even though I buy the cheaper store brand. If I make a copy, it’s always a “Xerox,” even if I use the computer. Any paper cup is a “Dixie cup.” Vinyl flooring is “linoleum” and a vacuum cleaner is a “Hoover.” In fact in England, hoover has become a verb, as in “Hoover” the linoleum. I wouldn’t be caught not wearing my “brassiere.” I’m too lazy to climb stairs, so I always take the “escalator.” All of those words were trademarks before they became generic terms.

Have you ever “botched” a job? Jeremy Botch did—in a big way. He was an English carpenter helping build the Brighton Pavilion. Bless his heart, he constructed a screen that fell on the head of the Prince Regent, so now his name will always be remembered. Today, we might say that incident was a “fiasco,” thanks to an Italian opera impresario who had a stage collapse during a play in 1837 and injure many of his cast members. The man’s name was Alessandro Fiasco. And, if Jeremy Botch was considered a “dunce,” that is because of John Duns Scotus (1266-1308). Scotus was a writer whose work must have been terrible.

If you are writing, pause to think about the “comma.” Punctuation marks can get you in big trouble. Just ask Domenico de Comma, who got charged with heresy during the Inquisition over that particular punctuation mark. Evidently, the original Bible didn’t have commas, and when Domenico inserted them, it was considered an affront to God. Be sure, if you are writing poetry, that it’s good poetry. The poems of Matthew Doggerel were rotten, so his verses are mostly forgotten (sorry).

If you are “batty,” don’t worry about it. Just hope not to suffer the fate of Fitzherbert Batty, who was a slightly eccentric, but harmless, barrister in Jamaica. He was certified insane in 1839, and the news made the press. His last name entered the language.

A well-known 17th century Parisian gambler named Pierre Buffet started the custom of letting his guests help themselves to the food at the side table. If you go to a “buffet” and have a “sandwich,” remember the Earl of Sandwich, who couldn’t leave his card game. Instead, he had his servant bring him a slice of meat between two pieces of bread. But, if you have a really big sandwich, your “Dagwood” owes its name to a cartoon character of the same name.

Are you having “avocado” on that sandwich? Jorge Avocado (1798-1868) was an Argentinean botanist who introduced the fruit to Europe. I wonder what they called the avocado before that? Sir George Curry (1826-1890) was a British general in India who liked spicy stews, thus “curry” bears his name. When you place a little “marmalade” on toast, remember Joao Marmalado (1450-1510) who boiled oranges with sugar in Portugal to make a breakfast jam. However, don’t go on a “binge,” which was named for Sir Oswald Binge (1678-1768) who consumed copious amounts of food and drink at meals that went on for a week!

The child star Shirley Temple and Mary I, Queen of England both left their mark on the bar tending world. That drink without alcohol is Shirley’s contribution. The “Bloody Mary,” of course, is the Queen’s. She earned her nickname of Bloody Mary because she loved to lop off the heads of Protestants). A blind Benedictine monk named Dom Perignon (1638-1715) invented champagne. The labels were not in “Braille,” because Louise Braille didn’t invent that system of writing for the blind until 1852.

You might find a “Casanova” in a “cabaret.” You might even have found the great adventurer and promiscuous lover Giovanni Casanova (1725-1798) in one. The time frame was right. Antoine de Cabaret (1749-1793) was the owner of the famous Café Rue du Bac in Paris, so nightclubs now bear her name.

Thank Etienne Corset (1760-1832) for that uncomfortable undergarment. Corsets were originally designed for army officers, and later adapted for women’s use. Jacob Trowser (1779-1848) lends his name to the pants he called “leggings.” Julius Leotard, a 19th century French aerial gymnast popularized the skin tight “leotards.” Mrs. Amelia Bloomer, an American social reformer, shocked the world with her loose fitting women’s trousers in 1851. Edward Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby, was often seen in a felt hat with a domed crown and narrow rolled brim, the likes of which are now called a “derby.”

When you stop at a “kiosk” in the mall to buy a “gadget,” don’t forget that Imre Kiosk (1862-1921) made a fortune with his tiny stalls selling newspapers and cigarettes. Also remember Walter Gadget (1848-1918), who was an American businessman who made a fortune with ingenious household devices.

I could keep going for pages, because it seems you can’t drive down the street without meeting an eponym. In fact, if you are driving on a paved street, you can thank Leopold von Asphalt (1802-1880), a Bavarian who mixed sand, bitumen and pitch for making roads.

I’d be remiss to stop without reminding you of the poor unfortunate Thomas Crapper. Before his time, if one felt the call of nature and didn’t want to go to the outhouse, the only options were chamber pots (thunder mugs, as we call them around here) or closet stools. Thomas invented the first flush toilet, marketed as Crapper’s Valveless Water Waste Preventor. We use that wonderful device every day and still take the poor man’s name in vain. I don’t need to tell you I think that is a load of…well, I don’t think it’s very nice.

If you know any eponyms, please feel free to share your favorites. Post a comment or send me an e-mail, and I’ll put them on-line.

The word of the day is:
nidification nid’i·fi·ca’tion (-fĭ-kā’shən) n. The act, process or technique of building a nest.

Birds do it, bees do it, even spiders in my eaves do it. When I’m working on my nest, I’m nidifying. However, I translate that to mean “cleaning house.” I don’t know why it happens every spring, but I get this urge to purge the junk out of my world. We have such an accumulation of flotsam and jetsam that it interferes with simple daily living. Yet, somehow we have an emotional attachment to all those possessions.

I’m not talking a little bit of stuff. I’m talking lots and lots! When my husband and I married, we were both packrats. The combination of our two houses created havoc. All the closets were like Fibber McGee’s closet. You couldn’t open the door without things falling out. The two car garage had a pathway through it. We had two storage sheds and rented three (count ‘em THREE) storage units. We whittled it down to just a couple of packed closets, two storage sheds, and a little bit wider path in the garage. But, we still have a long way to go. I’ve decided this is the year to do it. I hope I don’t make a liar out of me.

My AARP magazine had an article about clutter in the January/ February issue that suggested creating a record of the belongings to which you feel an attachment before you give them away. Take a photograph or a videotape, because it’s the memories associated with the article that are important. I’m going to be taking a lot of pictures! Then I’ll have to sort and organize them—maybe that’s not a good idea.

The magazine also suggested finding a support group, if you are a clutter besieged person. FlyLady.net is a website they suggested that can help you develop and maintain a system to get your house in order.

I visited the site today, and I think her ideas might “fly.” Her first suggestion seems silly: scrub the kitchen sink until it shines, and then keep it wiped out every day. Her theory is that it will be one thing that can give you hope and make you proud. I thought it was ridiculous, but I scrubbed the sink anyway. It actually does make me feel better. I’m pathetic.

Some of these things I don’t want any more are really worth money. I can always use some extra cash. We don’t have garage sales, because we live in a cul-de-sac, and it’s hard to get traffic. We have spent huge amounts of time trying to get merchandise cleaned, priced, and on display only to sit all day with no customers to buy it.

But, I’m going to try again. A local business is having a Second-Hand Sunday sale on the second Sunday of next month. She’s planning a big garage sale with many vendors, a disc jockey playing music, a massage therapist, and maybe even someone selling food. I’m renting a space so that I can unload some of this. Before I do, I’ll go to Wikihow to refresh myself on how to have a successful garage sale.

Domino Magazine gave this number for the Salvation Army (1-800-958-7825). They will actually come and pick up your items if you have at least 5 bags worth. They will even pick up clothing. Perhaps I’ll make an appointment for them to pick up on the Monday after the sale, so I have no excuse. How mortifying would it be to back out of donating with the Salvation Army at the door?

Domino also suggested that I can donate gently worn shoes to Soles 4 Souls which will distribute them to people in need. It also suggested Eco Encore, a Seattle-based nonprofit group, to take your old music, DVDs, books and current software and sell it on Amazon and E-Bay. The money it makes is donated to the environmental cause of your choice.

With so many good charities, they aren’t giving me any choice but to do some donating. If anyone knows of other worthwhile charities for donations, I’d appreciate a heads up.

Meanwhile, I’m going to attack another closet. If you hear a loud shrieking howl coming from the area of Dallas, it’s not a tornado—it’s only me.