Cast Iron Memories

My dear Granny, God rest her soul, used to cook with cast iron ALL. THE. TIME.' My Granny was originally from the deep south, Mississippi to be exact, before moving north. When I was younger, she would tell me stories that began with, "Girl, way down in the country. . . " Any time I see a cast iron skillet, I think of her, corn bread, Sunday dinners, the way she sang, how she walked, what her hands were like, her facial expression when she'd look up from reading her Bible or the newspaper (smile!). . .a cast iron skillet just brings back all these memories for me.



Well, fast forward some years, and I'm in my mother-in-law's kitchen, new to the family, helping out with dinner. There my mother-in-law is at her stove, frying chicken drumettes (VERY good I might add!), with a fork and a cast iron skillet. I was flooded with memories all over again.



Last Thanksgiving, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and I were talking about various cookware, and looking through those wild Black Friday ads. I was telling them about my Granny's cast iron, the good food she cooked, and how it always reminded me of her. I said I would love to have a few pieces from my Granny's set from back home (she had cast iron cookware in all shapes and sizes), but the shipping cost alone for something like that would be outrageous.



Fast forward a few months. . .it's my birthday. My mother-in-law ordered a few pieces of cast iron cookware as a gift for me. I was completely surprised but even more, I was touched that she even remembered that from our conversation. SO SWEET and so unexpected! So, I got on the phone with my dad (who is "Mr. Everything-I-cook-could-be-on-Food-Network!") to double check what I could cook in it, what I couldn't, how to clean it and care for it. . . and after all, I knew he would know because my Granny was his mother.



So, I tried just a few things so far. . .nothing spectacular. But I'm so thrilled just to know it's in my kitchen! Who would think that a cast iron skillet could make a woman so happy?

Baked chicken on top of

carrotts, celery, and green pepers

in the Dutch oven

And the beloved skillet,

full of biscuits!







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