It’s almost summer and Lodge time
We are heading into the long weekend and, for many of us, that is the unofficial start of summer.
Time to hang out on the patio, at the lake or campground, and enjoy being in the great outdoors. It’s also time to take a look at what Lodge cast iron has been doing since last summer.
The introduction of the Limited Edition Yellowstone series of fry pans hit the market in the fall of 2022. Essentially the basic Lodge fry pan, the Yellowstone has the authentic Dutton Ranch Y logo on the bottom of each pan. These pieces were created as a partnership with the popular Yellowstone television series. They could be considered collectable as it will be a limited production run. Each pan is pre-seasoned, made to the same exacting standards as all Lodge cast iron, and will cook your grits like you lived in the Wild West.
The Camp Dutch Oven is another great summer cooking pot. Available in a number of sizes, each one has tripod legs built into the bottom of the pot. It can sit right in the coals and cook or you can hang it over a fire. The tripod stand comes with a chain to adjust the height of the Camp Dutch Oven to suit your needs. Deep into the fire or simmering high above it, you choose. The handle is nice and high so you can grab it (with an oven mitt on) and move it to the table or ground.
The Sportsman and the Cook Off Grill are two popular Lodge items for any time you want to cook outside. The Sportsman is a hibachi-style grill that holds the charcoal, has vents to regulate the air flow, and a grill for the cook. The Cook Off Grill is a small version of the Cook-It-All. It has two pieces, a flatbed to hold the coals and a cover with a grill built in. Turn it to adjust the draft on the coals. Both the Sportsman and the Cook Off have handles for easy maneuvering.
Cast iron is wonderful to cook with and it requires very little care to maintain. Lodge uses vegetable oil for pre-seasoning. Most of the time the cookware can be wiped clean and then wiped again with a bit of paper towel dipped into vegetable oil to prevent rusting and to keep up the seasoning. If you need to scrub a bit, the Chainmail Scrubbing Pad cleans without scratching or losing the seasoning.
Lodge Cast Iron is built for summer.
Cathy Reid is the owner of Absolutely Fabulous at Home in New Minas and offers information on consumer products every week.