The Haul: June 2016

Agreed. I have 4 cast iron skillet that get rotated around. Love them. Although I do need to figure out how to get a couple a little clearer.

 

The small ones I got today had mostly dust to remove so no big. The ones I already have and use, a handful of coarse salt and a rag works great. Removes what you want removed but leaves the black intact.

 

Bonded is one of the best performing carts ever, maybe THE best imo.

 

If you ever want to try an experiment, use an angle grinder and various grits to polish the steel on the inside of a pan, then season it.

 

Love my Simpson Commodore, so I thought I'd try another Simpson. This Berkeley was on sale for 20 €, so I gave it a shot.



First smell removal / test lather today (with Stirling Ozark Mountain):



It works
Will have my first shave with this brush tomorrow.

 

Were you on the waitlistr, Mac? 15 people have gotten their handles since I signed up. Only 41 to go...

 

Yes I was, after a while he asked me what I was looking for and sent me a picture a few days later.


Fellowship of cold water shavers

 

The Krion has landed. This is some spectacular material for a handle, I have to say. It's a composite made up of natural minerals and high-resistance resins. Has a stone feel in the hand, substantial in weight, yet soft and almost warm to the touch.
Incredibly strong chemical smell, which is not unusual for Vie Longs I am told, hoping it dissipates shortly. I have lathered it five or six times now, twice on my face, and it seems to reduce.
I was afraid that a 55 loft would be too high, but although I might have preferred a 50, right now I am thinking that this might turn into a frequent brush in my rotation So far it acts as one and displays no 'donut splaying'.

 

Shouldn't that be done only as a last resort if the inside has pitting?

 

Most newer production cast iron pans are not really smooth on the inside, the way a lot of the older ones were. You are just trying to get as smooth of a surface as possible, then season the pan. Some older pans don't need this, but most ones made after 1950 can be improved on. I have seen scrambled eggs in cast iron without having them stick after polishing out the inside and seasoning it well. I tend to coat mine in a heavy coat of canola oil, then put it in the oven for 3 or 4 hours to get the seasoning going. Making corn bread in it seems to do a lot for it too.

 

Okay, that makes sense. All of mine are ancient and very smooth. This morning I did eggs in the 8", sausage in the 10 and baked biscuits in the 12. The biscuits literally fell out. I do need to find some of those little cloth heat sleeves I see people using for these handles.

 

Yep. Nothing like watching a fried egg sliding out like it's on Teflon when it isn't, and leaving no trace behind.

I think the local mall has some kind of kitchen type stuff store in it. I'll check there.

Is that a chicken fryer you got there?

 

I'm looking forward to doing a roast in the old no-name Dutch my Mom gave me.

 

Found this handsome little cobalt bowl for a buck yesterday. Already used it with Cremo, works great and goes well with my white Omega brush.



Also note that I'm being pranked by Hobbits playing "tag the driveway with Uruk-Hai prints." Pesky Hobbitses.

 

Oh man does that look good.

 

Plan, the recipe calls for tomato paste. Not that I really care but won't the acidity strip seasoning?

 

It will at least wear it down more than non-acidic stuff., but if it's well seasoned it shouldn't be a problem. Oil it up a little afterwards. (On the upside, the same process draws out iron into the food. So if you are low on iron...)