Everything Old is New Again!

Driving back from Southampton to Hampton Bays, Ron and I came across an elderly gentleman who had some old treasures for sale. He had an old and very rusted cast iron Griswold No. 8 Tite-Top Dutch Oven sitting on a folding table at the end of his driveway, priced at five dollars.

Five dollars! I nearly drove off the road.

For those who don't know, Griswold cast iron is the holy grail of vintage cookware. Made in Erie, Pennsylvania from the 1860s through the 1950s, Griswold pieces are prized for their exceptionally smooth cooking surface and their ability to hold heat evenly. A well-seasoned Griswold is, in my opinion, the finest cooking vessel ever made.

This one was in rough shape — decades of rust and neglect had taken their toll. But the casting was intact, the lid fit perfectly, and the spider logo on the bottom was still clearly legible. I handed over my five dollars without hesitation.

The restoration process took about a week. I used electrolysis to remove the rust (a method I highly recommend — it's gentle on the iron and remarkably effective), then seasoned the pan six times with flaxseed oil, baking it upside down in a 500°F oven between each coat.

The result is extraordinary. The surface is glassy smooth, jet black, and completely non-stick. I've used it every day since. It makes the most incredible braised short ribs, the crispiest cornbread, and the most perfectly seared steaks I've ever produced at home.

Sometimes the best things in the kitchen aren't the newest. They're the ones that have been around long enough to know what they're doing.