CAST-IRON COOKWARE

Roberta Thatcher

hey may no longer dominate modern cookware collections, but if you’re lucky enough to own a cast-iron pot or pan, you’ll understand why these hard-wearing utensils have staked their claim as kings of the kitchen. There is definitely nothing new about cast iron — the first use of it in the kitchen has been dated back to the Han Dynasty in China, more than 2 000 years ago — and the process by which the vessels are made hasn’t changed all that much since then.

Before cast iron, brass was the material of choice for kitchen utensils, simply because there were no furnaces hot enough to melt iron. Once these super-hot blast furnaces were invented, iron quickly took over, as it is both cheaper and more durable. The process for making cast-iron cookware is relatively simple — a mould is made from a mixture of sand and clay, and once that has set, molten iron is poured in and allowed to cool.

While this technique is still used today, the vessels themselves have adapted along the way. Before the widespread introduction of the kitchen stove in the mid-19th century, meals were cooked over open fires, which is why cast-iron pots originally had three legs or handles — so they could either be propped in the fireplace or suspended above it.

Despite the fact that cast-iron cookware is relatively inexpensive, extremely durable and has the ability to retain and evenly distribute heat, it fell out of favour in the 20th century, when lighter and more accessible aluminium and stainless steel came into play.

That said, cast-iron cookware is enjoying a major revival, and sales have soared in the past 10 years, with brands such as Le Creuset ensuring it is fast becoming an essential piece of equipment in any kitchen, once again.