If you want great cast iron to cook with, you can't go wrong with Lodge. If you ever happen to be near their factory in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, you should stop in, because they have a huge assortment of cast iron items you can't find in most places. But if you can't, they are available at numerous stores and even online (http://www.lodgemfg.com). I am fortunate to have a few Lodge cast iron pans that my grandmother owned and used most of her married life. Her cornbread pan is as slick as any modern Teflon-coated pan you could find. You can't beat cornbread made in real cast iron, and if you've never tried fried chicken or pineapple upside down cake make in a cast iron skillet, you don't know what you've missed! The important thing is to never wash it with soap and water - you can use plain water and scour it with a nylon pad, if need be, but if you actually use soap, you'll need to re-season it. The longer a pan is used, the better it becomes!
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