Member Reviews
Absolutely love these books! So much so that I have ordered this in paperback to have it on my shelves! The recipes were great, the book was full of these! Superb book and every recipe worked!
Not Your Mother's Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook
by Lucy Vaserfirer
Having spent the day reading and planning, what I will cook in a cast iron skillet from this cookbook. I can honestly say that this book is absolutely a fantastic read; with all the directions anyone cooking the recipes will need. Cast iron skillets are not dated and out-of-style, this heavy cookware is a joy use; Cast Iron cookware’s are surging back into popularity and it is virtually indestructible and can be used on your stovetop as well as your campfire. Many people think that cast iron only in cooking old southern dishes; but Ms. Vaserfirer has included dishes from all over the world. With more than 150 recipes for One-Pan Meals (breakfast, appetizers, main courses, side dishes, sauces, and desserts), that will attract almost everyone. The book even tells you how to make your own bacon and sausage! Also, how to roast coffee beans in cast iron.
The author Ms. Lucy Vaserfirer has comment in her book that Cast-Iron Skillets and Pans, need to be seasoned; for the best cooking. She has incorporated the history, as well as the pros and cons of using Cast Iron cookware. She has also encompassed the proper way of cleaning and caring for Cast Iron cookware with additional information on how to storage them after cooking.
As a Chef, I love to read and use cookbooks; I have 2 complete library shelves of cookbooks from all over the world and from numerous cooking groups. I love my Cast Iron cookware, all 4 of them (3 skillets and 1 Dutch-oven). I cook most of my food in cast iron skillets, so I was interested to see what this book had to offer.
After reading and testing some of the recipes, I am in love with Not Your Mother's Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook, I am contemplating, cooking all the recipes in Not Your Mother’s Cast Iron Cookbook and putting my findings on a blog; in hope of helping others find out just how great it is to cook in Cast Iron cookware (and it is a great honor).
Highly recommend Not Your Mother's Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook, the author writes with knowledge and know-how of using Cast Iron. I felt the need to give a truly non-biased review of this cookbook and feel that both the author Ms. Vaserfirer and the book Not Your Mother's Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook are deserving of a full 5-star rating. I cannot wait to own a copy of it!
Beautiful photographs and well-thought-out advice for a new-to-cast-iron cook! I inherited my grandmother's cast iron pans, but I was stuck because we lived too far for me to see her cook much with them. This book helped me avoid mistakes, make tasty meals, and feel closer to her!
This was a good book with a lot of information at the beginning of the book about how to take care of the cast iron. I myself have been cooking with cast iron my whole life. My father cooked with them I got his when he passed. I added those to what we already had. Different sixes liked she spoke of in the book. I will say not all of her recipes were ones that I might try but I did like her desserts and some of her breakfast ideas. I just found that this is a good book for those who want to start using cast iron. The people like myself who have been using them for close to 50 years I will try new things but Brussel sprouts still never touch any of my cooking wear I don’t how you want to cook them. Cooking s’mores in cast iron I do and have done for my children and they love it. Overall not a bad book.
Skillet cooking has always been a favorite in my family and passed on from generation to generation. If we were going camping we were using the cast iron skillet. I love that the author gave detailed information about the care of a cast iron skillet and how to maintain it along with history. The recipes brought back a lot of memories I would of liked more pictures but it doesn't take away from the book.
I really enjoyed this cookbook. The first part of the cookbook is full of helpful tips on buying Cast Iron and how to care for it. The directions are clear. Most of the recipes are quick and easy. There are some more involved recipes for more experienced cooks. There are not a lot of hard to find ingredients. I really liked the information on all the uses for the different types of cast iron pans. Each recipe includes a suggestion for the correct pan to use. I do wish there more illustrations. I have been using Lodge Cast Iron for many years and I am looking for word to trying out many of these recipes. Enjoy this delicious cookbook
I was intimidated by the heavy and huge cast iron skillets my grandma used to cook with. And it doesn’t help that she preferred to teach me to cook using her set of stainless steel pots.
Then, I asked my stepfather to show me how to cook some of his German recipes. And as nice as he is, he showed me more than just German recipes, and any time I was invited over for dinner, he would call me to sit close by and would talk about what he was doing. Right there is where I became less intimidated by the cast iron skillet. So, I slowly began to use it.
But I found myself making many mistakes. I didn’t know I had to season it. I didn’t even know how to season it!
Eventually, with the help of dear Mr. Google, I found some answers. (I think is Mr. Google, could it be Mrs. Google?). Yet, I’m still a newbie when it comes to cooking with the cast iron skillet. I can make some basic stuff, and honestly, I love it. So I was extremely happy to get my hands in this book and learn more thing to make with it.
As I read the section on getting started, I giggled a lot. I remembered that I made almost all the newbie mistakes listed in the book. Of course, I laugh now, but it was frustrating in the beginning. I also learned new things of course, since I am just a regular cook.
I did feel bad when I found out that the quality of the new cast iron skillets isn’t as good as the old ones. I might have to follow the author’s advice and go look in thrift stores and find me a good ol’ fashion cast iron. Or never try it and be happy in my ignorance that there is something better. Since I didn’t really cook by myself with an old fashion cast iron skillet, I’m not experienced enough to know any difference, and maybe is better that way.
Besides all the wisdom about caring, seasoning, and using your cast iron skillet, you then go to the most important section (in my opinion), the scrumptious recipes!
The photography is so spectacular that makes my mouth water. Someday I will try every single recipe. I loved the cornbread recipe, but I have to admit that I changed the recipe, as I don’t like onions.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to take their cast iron skillet to the next level and use it to the maximum potential.
I found several recipes in this book that my family will and has enjoyed. The recipes had ingredients that most kitchens have and the directions were very easy to follow. Really nice cookbook and it inspired me to drag out my cast iron
Es ist, als würde man noch einmal kochen lernen - die Fülle an Informationen scheint einen fast erschlagen zu wollen, kaum zu fassen, wieviel es zu diesem Thema noch zu lernen gibt...
Ran an den Herd, nur Mut und Rezepte ausprobieren: Genuß pur!
I enjoyed the recipes in this cookbook. I just got a cast iron skillet for Christmas so it was perfect timing to read a whole book full of recipes for it.
A wonderful cookbook to add to my collection,! I have not yet used the recipes, but they look well written and easy to follow. Thank you
There are those who love cooking in cast iron, and those who don’t. Personally, I think a lot of the people who don’t like cast iron are those who just don’t understand it very well. Cast iron comes with its own rules. Don’t wash it in water. It needs to be seasoned, and sometimes stripped and reseasoned. It can be heavy and awkward and difficult to use. But cooking in cast iron has a lot of positives too.
Cast iron holds heat well and distributes it evenly. It can be used on a stovetop, in the oven, on a grill, or on an open flame. It lasts forever. It’s fairly inexpensive, especially compared to other pans that can last a lifetime. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, and they’re not all as heavy as they look. And as far as all those crazy rules, all you need is the right guidebook to help you find your way. Not Your Mother’s Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook is that guide.
Lucy Vaserfirer is a big fan of cast iron, and her down-to-earth writing helps you put all your concerns about cast iron aside. She goes into detail about what to buy and how to care for it, and she names names. She tells you what to use to clean it, what tools work best with it, how to store it, and how to use it to cook just about everything (her one exception: bacon; she bakes it). Basically, she breaks it all down and makes it accessible as she shares her passion for cooking with cast iron.
And the recipes! She includes over 150 recipes for everything from breakfast to dessert, including starters, snacks, mains, sides, sweets, and even sauces. You can start off with a Fluffy Omelet or Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, move on to Falafel with Lemon-Yogurt Dipping Sauce and Potato Latkes, to Beer-Battered Fish and Pork Carnitas, to finish with Funnel Cakes or a Pear Tarte Tatin. And that barely begins to cover the breadth of recipes here. Basically, Not Your Mother’s Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook is worth its weight in gold. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to get more out of their cast iron!
Galleys for Not Your Mother’s Cast Iron Skillet Cooking were provided by Quarto Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.
I love my cast iron pan, and I am always looking for more ways to use it. This book has amazing recipes!! My only flaw is that there needs to be more photos. There should be one photo for each recipe. Because of that I really should give only 3.5 star, but the recipes are good, so I will give 4.
A great book about cast iron skillets and how to best use them. Included are tips on use, how to clean and great recipes. This book would make a great gift along with a cast iron skillet.
Easy to follow recipes that actually turn out as good as they look. I found myself utilizing this book more than once when planning menus for the week.
I have cast iron cookware that came over to New Mexico on covered wagons from Illinois and Missouri with both of my Grandmothers, some of the cast iron collected by my Mother, and what I have aquired on my own, so technically some of it IS my Mother's Cast Iron. As I have gotten older and my nest empty I have passed on to my children - both excellent cooks - that CI that I feel is unsafe for me to lift safely or feeds a large group, but I still have a special pull out 'safe' for my cast Iron and the favorites stay on the stove top. I have been cooking about 60 years, and cook in cast iron about 5 days a week and three meals a day when camping.
When I first saw this book I was skeptical that I would find new info but was interested to see if there were new items I might want to acquire. I was so wrong. There are several hints and recipe suggestions that I must try out - ASAP before my old mind forgets! - plus some new lighter versions of the old standby CI I no longer have.
I received a free electronic copy of this recipe book On February 22, 2019 from Netgalley, Lucy Vaserfirer, and Harvard Common Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
This cookbook presents various recipes that may be prepared in a cast iron skillet using different methods. However, prior to the recipe section, the reader is provided with a lot of valuable information on the care, use, and maintenance of the cast iron skillet. For newcomers to cast iron use, this is valuable information. For experienced users, this is a great review. The range of recipes demonstrates the versatility of the cast iron skillet and provides great opportunities to the user.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that was provided by the publisher through Net Galley. However, the thoughts and opinions presented here are my own.
This is a wonderful book for helping you cook and bake with a cast iron skillet. It provides detailed information about caring for a CI skillet, and uses and techniques for cooking with a CI skillet. A huge bonus is these are all ONE PAN recipes. This is a dream come true for me. The recipes are easy to read and clearly explained. I own two CI skillets, but I don’t cook with them. I bake different variations of cornbread in a CI skillet weekly, but that’s it. I thought CI skillets weren’t good to cook in because you can’t cook acidic ingredients in them. This book says only long cooking acidic dishes, such as tomato based sauces, should not be cooked in a CI skillet because it will react with the skillet. I didn’t count, but the book says there are over 150 recipes. That’s an impressive amount of one pan recipes to build my CI skillet cooking skills.
Cookbook is packed with recipes that keep up with speciality diets The book offers buying tips and seasoning the skilletr. very helpful.
Everything you wanted to know about cast iron, plus some instructions on how to season your pans (Valuable information in itself) and one reason alone to own this book, but throw in some One pan Meal recipes and pictures, and leave the reader licking their lips and you have the start of one heck of a cast iron skillet cookbook!! Count me in!