[TheForge] Re: Cast Iron Cookware YAK

Wed Mar 27 09:26:00 2002

Turnip aren't obnoxious.  People who cook turnips until they become =
noxious are the obnoxious ones.  Turnips, cabbage, broccoli, kale, =
brussels sprouts, collards, cauliflower, and probably a half dozen other =
vegetables are probably really just cultivars (cultivated varieties) of =
exactly the same plant.  Cook any of them too long and you release =
isothiocyanates (if I recall correctly) otherwise known as mustard gas.  =
Cook them just till they're tender and they're a gourmet's delight.  Never =
put any of these vegetables into a stew and cook it down.  If you WANT =
them in a stew, cook them till tender separately from the stew, and =
combine when both stew and cabbage-family vegetables are cooked to =
perfection.

Now some bad news:  You are surrounded by chemicals.  You eat, drink, =
breathe and ARE chemicals.  Everything you can touch is a chemical. =20

Light is not a chemical, but we know what UV (and IR?) light can do to us, =
not to mention gamma rays, microwaves, etc.  THOSE are the real nasties!  =
Furthermore, however dangerous "chemicals" may be, BIOLOGICALS are =
infinately more dangerous because they're self-replicating.  A chemical =
will not invade your body and reproduce itself by feeding parasitically on =
your flesh or brain!  Even prions, which are the cause of mad cow disease =
and which could be called completely non-living and hence "chemicals" are =
clearly "biochemicals" =AF of biological source only.

BTW, iron is a chemical.  So is carbon - charcoal and coke.  Furthermore, =
coal smoke is so dangerous that it's specifically listed as a human =
carcinogen.  Gonna quit forging?

My point in this diatribe is that coldly labeling things as "chemicals" or =
other such epithets is counterproductive.  LEARN about hazards and deal =
with them.  The human body is remarkably resiliant.  We eat carcinogenic =
compounts (of biological origin, I should point out) ALL the time, and =
shrug them off. =20

But don't learn half-truths.  There's a documented case of a health-nut =
who killed herself by megadosing on vitamins A and D.  Any child  could =
have told her those vitamins are poisonous in quantity.  But since they =
were "vitamins" she assumed more was better.  Try that with salt on your =
stew:  If a tsp is good, a lb should be a LOT better.

On a lighter note, I must contradict Roy about seasoning pans with butter. =
 He can if he likes, but really it's a bad choice.  It burns and stinks.  =
It is an almost completely saturated oil, so won't cross-link and form a =
resiliant coating.  Use polyunsaturated cooking oil instead.

Bruce
(A CHEMIST)
NJ

>>> Phlip <[email protected]> 03/27/02 01:30AM >>>

Roy Wilson wrote:

> On Wed, 27 Mar 2002 01:10:07 -0500, Phlip wrote:
>
> >, then by heating to red hot on the stove
> >and reseasoning.
>
>   You don't have to get it that hot. Rub the cooking surface with
> butter and put it on a high heat.  Just as the butter forms grey
> "ash", pull it off the heat and let it air cool.  Wipe out well
> with greased paper and reseason normally.

Well, that's how hot I let it get before I reseason it- reseasoning's
usually another heat. Gives it a chance to burn out anything obnoxious,
like, maybe..... turnips?

;-)

>   On the Chinese stuff...  I've seen pots put on the stove and
> catch fire.  Seems it's not only their shop castings they "fix"
> with Bondo!

Doesn't surprise me. Scotti and Aine are, I think, buying this stuff for
camping gear, and want something that will travel well and isn't
terribly expensive. They do know decent knives, and they bought a cheapy
knife set for camping last year- Cabella's Butchering Kit for $29.99,
IIRC.

Phlip

_______________________________________________
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge=20
theforge mail list group photo site is
http://www.photoaccess.com=20
Login:  [email protected]=20
password:  anvil
___________