I am a big fan of cast iron. I own a couple pre WWII pans. In my mind they are the ultimate cookware. They take as much heat as you are brave enough to throw at them. They are beautifully non stick, as long as you treat them right. They will last for generations, with proper care. They even give you the RDA of iron in the food cooked in them.
I much prefer the old iron. It can often be picked up inexpensively at flea markets and sometimes friends or relatives will give you an old pan that has been languishing in a cabinet. The old stuff generally has a much smoother surface than the new stuff, although you could probably buy a Lodge and spend some time grinding/sanding it smooth.
Griswold is my favorite, although I am not a aficionado. I probably just like the great looking logo on the bottom of the old Griswold stuff.
The new non stick pans are consumables. Even with care they must be replaced periodically. Sure, they will be nonstick even with little to no oil in them, but you must be careful about the amount of heat used, and what implements are used in them. Of course CI must be properly washed and stored. The big difference is if you mess up a CI pan, you can easily take it back to square one. The only thing that will kill them is a trip to the floor. I once dropped my favorite Griswold and heard the infamous dull ring when it hit. Yep, cracked. That was the last time I dropped a CI pan.
Any other CI fans out there?
