On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 08:46:44 -0700, Sheldon > wrote:

>Professional cooks don't use any kind of cast iron cookware, except on
>TV shows. When professional cooks want that kind of seasoned surface
>they use carbon steel cookware, never ever cast iron.

Paul Prudhomme, Mario Batali, Rick Bayless: a few quick
counter-examples.

>.... Cast iron cookware is like a baby step above the
>stone age, people who use cast iron are really not cooking food,
>they're abusing food. Compared with modern cookware cast iron is like
>going to war with a wooden club and a bag of rocks.

The right tool for the right job is a useful maxim.

Cast iron retains heat better than any other material -- and thus
reaches higher temperatures -- useful for cooking things in batches at
high heat, searing, or for deep frying.

My cast iron pieces are easier to clean after anything done at high
heat (searing, blackening, etc.) than any of my All Clad or French
copper/ss-lined pans.

>Sheldon

Ah, yes -- old Sheldon, who thinks with a bag of rocks.

(How'd you ever get out of the killfile on this laptop??? {plonk})

-- Larry