My late, great Griswold #8. It made it through two World Wars, dodging the draft (i.e., successfully avoiding being melted down in war efforts). I didn't survive the Darwinmas feast of 2012. Rest in Pieces, old friend.
cast iron fail
- Thread starter Aji hombre
- Start date
My late, great Griswold #8. It made it through two World Wars, dodging the draft (i.e., successfully avoiding being melted down in war efforts). I didn't survive the Darwinmas feast of 2012. Rest in Pieces, old friend.
Jesus 'Lawd take me now!! Have mercy on 'ole Black Betty.
Ram-a-lam.
Ram-a-lam.
stupid clumsiness. I dished out its contents (banana flower curry) into a serving bowl, and set it down on a cutting board next to the sink. Next thing I know the pan and the cutting board (about five pounds of ironwood) come crashing down onto the tile (which miraculously emerged without a chip or a scratch).
Thanks to the generosity of a friend--a really good friend--the Griswold now has a replacement in my arsenal of skillets. I know I probably should have mourned for longer, but what do you do when the right Wagner comes to you in your moment of vulnerability?
Thanks to the generosity of a friend--a really good friend--the Griswold now has a replacement in my arsenal of skillets. I know I probably should have mourned for longer, but what do you do when the right Wagner comes to you in your moment of vulnerability?
A lot of folks don't know that cast iron is very brittle. The USPS is very skilled at breaking Griswolds. I've had two Dutch ovens arrive in pieces.
Man that sucks I would be very upset if that happened to mine, it's been around forever. Clean the rough edge with a grinder, and it will be good for cornbread and such... she's down, not out...
Sorry about the skillet but I want to hear more about the curry... I'm about to make some coconut ginger curry after I finish this beer and although I'm pretty sure I have no banana flowers on hand (or can even find them here) I'm always up for curry discussions.
Vazhaipoo kuzhambu. I used this site as an inspiration: http://premascookbook.blogspot.com/2007/12/vazhaipoo-kuzhambu-banana-flowerblossom.html
Albuquerque is too cold to grow bananas unless you have a greenhouse, but if you have any large Asian markets you might be able to find them there. Bananas do great where I live--the leaves die back in the winter, but unless it gets unusually cold the plant survives and leaves grow back strong in the spring. One of my banana plants decided to throw a flower at the start of February when all of its vegetative leaves were dead from winter. Under such conditions I felt there was really no chance for the plant to actually mature any fruit, since no new leaves ever come out after the plant flowers.
A couple of bits of advice: banana flowers are rather bitter, and this can be tempered by soaking and par-boiling the cut-up flowers before adding them to your curry--I do the same sort of thing when preparing some of the more bitter varieties of Italian eggplant. Also, I like the addition of a bit of palm sugar--not enough to make the curry sweet, but it helps by balancing the strong flavors of curry, chili, and bitterness and gives this Indian dish more of an Indonesian character, which I like.
Albuquerque is too cold to grow bananas unless you have a greenhouse, but if you have any large Asian markets you might be able to find them there. Bananas do great where I live--the leaves die back in the winter, but unless it gets unusually cold the plant survives and leaves grow back strong in the spring. One of my banana plants decided to throw a flower at the start of February when all of its vegetative leaves were dead from winter. Under such conditions I felt there was really no chance for the plant to actually mature any fruit, since no new leaves ever come out after the plant flowers.
A couple of bits of advice: banana flowers are rather bitter, and this can be tempered by soaking and par-boiling the cut-up flowers before adding them to your curry--I do the same sort of thing when preparing some of the more bitter varieties of Italian eggplant. Also, I like the addition of a bit of palm sugar--not enough to make the curry sweet, but it helps by balancing the strong flavors of curry, chili, and bitterness and gives this Indian dish more of an Indonesian character, which I like.
We do have a couple of Asian markets here so I'll take a look next time I visit one. I live under a rock and was only recently introduced to curry, specifically Thai food, and it's quickly become one of my favorite dishes. I've made a few Indian curries as well but for me the blend of salty sweet and spicey is a great combination.
Thanks for the information. I'm always on the lookout for a new curry to try.
Thanks for the information. I'm always on the lookout for a new curry to try.
Oh man, I've got a little 7-incher that was my grandmothers. I accidentally dropped it one day, and now it's got a large crack right in the middle of the cooking surface (not to mention the nice dent it made in the kitchen floor). I've heard that someone good at welding can try and repair them, so I'm holding on to it just in case. You just get that nasty feeling in your gut, like the first time you hit something with your parents' car.
Ouch! Not a Griswold!
Love those skillets.. Find 'em for $1 at garage sales, take em home, clean and re-season em, and sell for $20-$100
You want my 75yr old seasoned / never seen soap? LOL that would cost ya! Most people don't realize what a Griswold is, especially when they are a bit dirty at garage sales. But I'm on them like white on rice!
Love those skillets.. Find 'em for $1 at garage sales, take em home, clean and re-season em, and sell for $20-$100
You want my 75yr old seasoned / never seen soap? LOL that would cost ya! Most people don't realize what a Griswold is, especially when they are a bit dirty at garage sales. But I'm on them like white on rice!
Having friends like that definitely help takes the sting out of a fatality like that. Hats off to you!
So sad to lose good cookware is hard to find and when you find it you bet your butt it'll cost ya!!! Glad someone is willing to assist you in your tragedy!!!
If that happened to me, I'd cry for days on end. My CI is VERY special to me. I simpathize with your loss. I lost one years ago in Arizona on a campout, albeit to a buddy of mine. He's never told me he still has it, but I know better.