I wrote this book while I was pregnant with my son, Gordon. As my waistline expanded, I spent countless hours in the kitchen testing recipes (and eating the results!), and even more time at the computer writing and researching cookware. My patient husband Robby drove me to Jacksonville—a three-hour trip each way—multiple times to meet with the food photographer. When I was seven months pregnant, Robby drove seven hours to take me to the Lodge foundry. And I put the finishing touches on this book while Gordon napped on a pillow in my lap.
Why would I put so much effort into a simple book on cast iron? Because to me, cast iron isn’t just cookware. It’s a tangible link to the traditions of our grandparents and forefathers.
Over the past few months, as I’ve alternated between preparing this book and preparing for a new baby, such family traditions have become even more important to me. I want my son to know how his great-grandparents lived—that they didn’t have much, but they made do and were content with what they had. I want Gordon to appreciate the time and effort that goes into a home-cooked meal. And I want him to enjoy our time around the table, whether it’s for an easy weeknight dinner or a big family get-together.
It’s true that simply cooking meals in a cast-iron pan won’t accomplish any of this. But if I tell Gordon about his family, if I share the history, if I encourage him to embrace the cast-iron traditions of the past, then maybe, just maybe, he’ll come to understand what I now know: one of the most valuable things in life is time spent with loved ones around the table.
I hope you share this truth—and lots of great cast-iron dinners—with those you love.
