OT: Cast iron skillets..for my darlin's b-day?!

All,

This is as wierd as it gets...

My darling loves the cast iron skillet from her Grandma. Small, we cook onions in it all the time.

Her Birthday is soon to arrive, and the daughter suggested something that'd be around.

Is it in poor taste to recommend something long-lasting, useful, inexpensive, lard-seasoned, and lastly thoughtful?

I am looking on C-list for something nearby. I would love for the daughter to cook up the meal, then have a ribbon onthe handle of the skillet.

Perhaps birthdays are different here. We, (I) hope that'd be the tone....

D.

It might work. But only if there's a piece of jewelry and some chocolate in the skillet when she unwraps it.

I would imagine that would depend on how long you want 'The Silent Treatment'.

Chocolate? Eh?

Perhaps I can cook up additional ideas that'd make things better.

Casti iron, some precious metal, and chocolate...

Thanks, I wil think on that.

D.

Ret Farmer...

Silence on an occasional basis would be welcomed!

I din't mean that thought to be very srongly worded, though.

I was looking for some decent skillets that may have long lasting memories of being cooked with, shared meals, even burnt ones, and then maybe the next generation would use them the same.

I, unwittingly, made the nearly unforgiveable mistake of buying new vacuum cleaner parts for a birthday present, many years ago.

D.

Sound like a great Idea to me !! As in My family, We are ALSO Thoughtful practical and Useful... Do It,..;.I Think She will be Happy, Larry

Tom, I am thinking as you. A cast iron skillet, not too heavy in case she ever has urge to hit your head with it, with a diamond encrusted handle.

Cast iron skillets have their uses. Some good, some not so. Ever make the better half mad, and I mean real, real mad, mad enough where she reaches for her biggest, heaviest cast iron skillet and then suggests that you lay down and take a nap while pointing the skillet at you, best not lay down and take a nap or you will find out a bad, bad, real bad use for a well seasoned cast iron skillet. Now on the other hand, say you are changing the oil in one of your tractors and you need something to drain the old oil out into, and the better half's biggest cast iron skillet just happens to be within reach, well, then you will have just discovered another one of its good, good, real good uses. Problem is that if the better half finds out that you used her biggest, best cast iron skillet for changing the motor oil in your tractor, well, she's liable to point it at you and suggest that you lay down and take a nap facing the back of the sofa, and she may suggest that you put your dirty shoes up on it while you're taking your last nap in this world ever, so don't.

Good luck and be careful. Cast iron skillets can be very good, and very, very, very bad, often depending whether there is a full moon or not. We don't have cast iron skillets in my house. As a matter of fact, they are banned because I'm a man and as a man, I make the kind of mistakes that sometimes get me invited to just "...lay down and take a nap". I've learned my lesson to never take naps when they aren't my idea either about the same time cast iron skillets got banned in my house.

Mark

Don't even think about it!!

You'd better have something else with it unless you want the skillet across the back of your head...

Rod

Dennis
The first Christmas My Wife and I were dating
I asked Her what she wanted for Christmas.
She told Me she wanted an electric can opener that mounts under the cabinet.
I told Her that even though I was a batchlor at
the age of forty, I knew better than that.
She said if I didn't get it, I wouldnt get "IT".
I bought Her one!
I also got Her something I don't remember but the can opener is still working 12yrs later.
Last Christmas She bought Me a cast iron frying pan!
I really love that Woman!!

Steve A W

Always lots of Griswold on Ebay. I use the 9 inch square skillet with glass lid, about three times a week.

If you want something that will last, go with the cast iron. My Aunt Rose, who lived to be just shy of 104 told me, "If you take care of your cast iron it will last longer than you will." She used the same CI pan for over 75 years. Chocolate and some bling won't hurt and is pretty good insurance.

Larry

dennis, I personally don't have a problem with a nice Cast Iron skillet. ..............
Her daughter Suggested something "around" That is to mean Around her Finger Like a ring or around here wrist like a bracelet, or around here neck like a nice necklace!
The Skillet can be a bait and switch deal but you better read between the lines .......
Later,
John A.

I like to buy Griswold skillets off eBay, clean them up and give them as gifts to my friends. I only buy the #9 skillets, as they are reasonably priced and big enough to be practical. They are about 11 inches in diameter; Griswold must have sold a bunch of them because there are a lot on eBay. It's been awhile since I bought one, but they usually go for around 30-40 bucks plus shipping.

My first skillet was purchased by my mom back in the fifties. She couldn't figure out how to season it and never used it much. I took it with me to college and I've had it ever since.

Do some research on Griswold before you buy. The company went out of business in '57, but there are newer skillets with the Griswold brand. You'll be able to identify them using information on the web; they're OK pans but not as good as the older stuff. Post '57 skillets will not be marked with "Erie" (PA), home of the Griswold plant. My preference is the skillets made in the twenties and thirties with "large", "slant" or "medium" logos. Newer skillets with the "small" logo are cheaper but heavier and not quite so nice; they're still very good pans. The older skillets with heat rings aren't real practical for modern stove tops.

Look carefully at the pictures when buying, you don't want a severely pitted skillet. Usually sellers will disclose if the skillet is warped, but don't bet on it.

Now you could just buy a new Lodge skillet. The problem with them is they don't have a polished cooking surface like the Griswolds. Good luck.

1st rule of a good marriage.......

You never buy a tool as a gift for a woman.
vacuum; pot and pans; mop; dish/cloths washing machine all fit this category.

2nd rule of a good marriage........

You never buy something that you would need to buy anyway as a gift for a woman.
Refrigerator; car; new a/c; bigger house; or a new bed all come to mind.

You can polish a cast iron pan with an electric drill and a sanding pad.Start with 60 grit and finish with 100 grit.Check the outer bottom with a straight edge.You will find some pans that are not flat.

Seems like all your women wear the pants and you all are scared of them.:shock:
My wife buys me tools for my birthday so why can't one buy her tools for hers?.
If my wife would want jewelry she can bloody well buy that herself cause i ain't wasting a dollar on it.:roll:
I bought her a plain gold wedding ring and that ought to be enough. :wink:

my mother always gave a new married couple a Cast Iron skillet , BUT not a new one she kept about 10 on hand at any one time , she would invite the new bride over to make biscuits or corn bread and after we ate she would wipe out that skillet and give it to the couple , but some didnt undestand what they had just been given ,
that shiny black skillet was to be prised for years to come , shes gone now but her many skillets live on , {I wish I had some way to know how many she gave away over the years}