Cruddy day here in MA, so the Mrs. and I went to an antique store. Lots of pans to be had. Here are a few pics. This rack was loaded to the point of collapsing. I looked at 3 pans and saw the whole thing leaning and wobbling and felt it wasn't worth a collapse. First one was a Griswold block letter #6. "Rare" on the price tag. Very clean, ground bottom. It looked stripped and re-seasoned. Nice pan. Second was a little square egg cooker. If anything a conversation piece. Very good condition. Not marked if I recall. Here is the whole rack. Lots to pick if you want to chance it. That bottom pan in the middle stack looked chrome plated. I haven't seen one like it. Maybe highly polished cast to the point the roughness was polished out of it? This one is not a huge collectors item. I read that BSR made these in automated production. Neat little pan. The last one I believe is a sleeper. Full inset heat ring. It looks unmarked. Heavy soot on the bottom and the seasoning was thick, as in old thick. Also looked like it had coal smoke pitting. The cast X threw me off. Any ideas hoarders? I think BSR again, maybe an earlier one. It looks like it was used on a wood or coal stove. Sorry for the bad pics. The underside was heavily coated, so it may be marked but I'm thinking not being cast markings. The "8" is a pretty bold cast.
There is one that looks very similar to that last one for $30 on ebay - and beautifully cleaned up. In looking around (nothing better to do on a snowy/rainy day), I found this interesting .
An old HS friend shared this with me on FB. I am going to share it with you. Calzone: hamburger,onions,pepper, tomato, cheese,marinara sauce,two pizza crusts,crushed red pepper,and oregano
Question regarding cast iron cookware...Is there anything it can't do? Since I started using it more exclusively (really just skillets) I can't see the appeal in either common coated pans or regular stainless steel. I've never really cooked with stainless though, but is there much of a benefit compared to cast iron? I know simmering acidic things like sauces can do damage to a seasoning in cast iron, but aside from that, between being able to sear meat, and finish in the oven in the same pan, what use do other non cast iron pans really have? Does it just come down to preference? I see complaints of cast iron being too hard for people to clean, or it being too heavy. That's about it. I still have coated pots which we do pasta/sauce in. I have not got into replacing those and likely wont.
Some of the new stainless pans have a very thick bottom and some use a copper disk in between layers to even the heat out. I like cast pans on a gas stove since they are very responsive to changes of the burner setting. It seems we have a stainless pan for sauce, another for cooking pasta, etc. Cooking with cast iron pans for me is just a preference. When cooking meatballs, I like to get a little brown crispiness on the outside. that's where I prefer cast.
I like the way it transfers heat esp, on a gas range. It is durable and I feel like camp cooking when I use cast. The wife has no use for it unless it is ceramic coated.
I have some very high end SS cookware. I wouldn't give them up for any reason. Steaming veggies in waterless cookware is something you cant do in cast iron. As mentioned, simmering is better in SS. Sauces and soups, SS. Steaming and simmering takes a tight lid. If i'm frying burger for sloppy joes or spaghetti sauce, i fry in SS add sauce and lid to simmer. All done in one skillet. I've done them in both CI and SS. SS is Very sticky!
Quick story, when my wife got cancer she went through "Many" blood tests!!! The Doctors were amazed she wasn't anemic and asked her what she eats. With them all being confused because she is not a big red meat eater we explained we blacken fish, brown hamburger and cook "nearly everything in cast iron"!!! The cancer doctors at MD Anderson Cooper said, Quote: "Don't stop doing that"!!! If I don't cook on cast, I use Revere ware for everything else. All my soups and stews are done in Revere ware. Lot's to be said about cast iron in more ways than 1.
Nickel plate! Some were made like that in the day and were popular but "Expensive". It was a show thing, most of them were Wagners, #8's and #10's I have a couple. BSR never made them Nickel but Griswold mad some. "Those" are the prize to find.
Machined??? That's what they did from the factory. Contrary to belief, most of the old pans were machined. It was the newer ones, "post 70's" that they left rough.
My grandmother used to say to only get smooth bottomed pans because they work best when cooking on a wood cook stove.
Cast Iron Cookware Finishing - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast
I stand in correction/when I used the term "machined" and did not put that into proper context. You are correct Jon. The other process being "Milled" which is used with cutters obviously. I knew this but had a moment! Good catch!
You are very lucky that she does know that! My only complaint about cast iron is that it is heavy. I have arthritis all over, Not able to lift heavy things well at all.
I went back today. Here are the handle pics. I really think this is an early pan post gate mark period. Here is the #3 chromed Griswold.
Corn meal pancakes this morning. Good but almost TOO filling! Love using a #3 or #4 pan for pancakes. Comes out perfect almost every time, just kinda slow only doing 1 at a time that way.
