response 25 of 55:

Oct 28 16:32 UTC 2002

All right, but how come you want to leave any grease on a pan you use 
for cooking?  Do any germs just get burned off the next time you use it?

response 27 of 55:

Oct 29 03:39 UTC 2002

I looked around on the web a bit before upgrading my cast iron collection
recently.  Beyond "don't treat the finish too rough" and "stripping and
re-seasoning will cure virtually anything you can do to it" there are NO
universally agreed-upon rules.  Some cure with veggie oil, some insist on
animal fat.  Times & temps are all over.  Some won't clean it with more
than a finger & warm water, others scrub with dish soap.  Some put on a
touch of oil & heat to re-cure a bit after *every* use, some do it once a
year, some only if needed.  Some won't let water or acidic foods near it,
some cook down tomato sauce in it.

A very thin layer of reasonably pure oil/fat is fairly unattractive to
microorganisms (which is why they keep well in cupboards); it also helps
discourage foods from sticking.

I abuse my cast iron regularly, but don't seem to have problems.  YMMV.

response 29 of 55:

Oct 29 15:11 UTC 2002

Cast iron pans are a good source of dietary iron.  

response 31 of 55:

Oct 29 17:34 UTC 2002

I've been looking for quite some time now for a wok to replace
the cheap one we gots about 10 years ago, which we've worn out.
But buying any pan for a ceramic cooktop is tricky.  They must
have very flat bottoms that are no smaller than the diameter
of the heating element.  This is the only thing I don't like
about my cooktop, so I just deal with it.

So, back to the wok.  Today I went to Williams-Sonoma and
looked at what they had.  Again, two of the three they carry
wouldn't have worked.  But they had this iron one that's very
heavy, the bottom is a perfect (flat) fit, and the say it's
not a high-maintenance finish.  There is something not quite
non-stick that seals the iron but can take getting extremely
hot.  There weren't any instructions as to the care and
feeding of the surface so I'll see how it goes.

Tonight is Pad Thai.  Cross your fingers.  At least
Sonoma will take it back if I don't like it.  A hassle
but nice, nonetheless.

response 33 of 55:

Oct 30 11:47 UTC 2002

It worked well last night, getting very hot and staying hot even when lots
of veggies and noodles were added at the same time. Cleanup was easy, just
a little soap and water and a light wipe.  And I found I actually liked
the fact it was heavy as I didn't need to keep one hand on a handle to
stabilize pan.  I could toss with both hands.  But I sure don't want to
harm my cooktop. 

Would you be worried about the weight or scratching the glass? 
I could always go back to my old pan and give this one to our
son.  He cooks everything he eats in a wok and his must be
on last legs too.

response 35 of 55:

Nov 1 06:23 UTC 2002

I hadn't considered the weight aspect as I find I don't even
think of the cooktop as ceramic.  I treat it with the same
respect as my countertops, meaning, almost none.

I'll see how it goes but buying an iron wok may not have
been the best choice, even a coated one.  I brought up woks
today at work and most of my Asian friends who do a whole 
lot of stir-fry meals use non-stick electric woks.

response 37 of 55:

Nov 4 00:40 UTC 2002

It's possible that my knowledge of cast iron & smooth cooktops is dated...
did the new stove come with a meaningful manual, mary?

response 39 of 55:

Nov 10 21:43 UTC 2002

And they probably bought a nice new one, huh? Looks like your the 
sucker with an old wok, joe. nya nya ;)

response 41 of 55:

Nov 10 22:50 UTC 2002

My wok is almost 30 years old and gets heavy use.  It even survived being in
the oven full of tupperware when STeve turned the oven on without looking
inside first.  He had to take the propane torch to it to burn all the plastic
off and then it had to be reseasoned.

response 43 of 55:

Nov 12 22:54 UTC 2002

Er... might I ask what the oven was doing full of tupperware?

response 45 of 55:

Oct 20 16:34 UTC 2006

There's been recent talk in the Agora conf. about pressure cooking. I'd like
to learn more about it: how it works, why use it, etc.  Any info would be
apprciated! :-)

response 47 of 55:

Oct 21 01:47 UTC 2006

It gives stew the texture and taste of 3 hours of cooking in about 10 minutes.
Great for things you should have put in the crockpot before work, but didn't
get around to.  

It also makes great steamed veges, and cooks dry beans in minutes rather than
the "overnight soak + hours of cooking" timeframe.  

response 49 of 55:

Oct 21 03:41 UTC 2006

Do the seals on pressure cookers need to be replaced periodically?  (So
better buy a common type, or at a store that'll be around to sell you
the new seal, or whatever?)