How to clean and season after every use:

A Collection of Cast Iron- the more, the merrier. Photo thanks to Cybrgrl.

• Scrub with nylon scrub pad or stiff-bristled non-metal brush
• Dry immediately with a towel and rub lightly with olive oil
• You may have to soak it briefly to get all food off of the pan
• NEVER put in the dishwasher or scrub with metal

What to do if food sticks:

• Place the pan on the burner on high heat for a minute or two
• Take pan off burner and sprinkle a ½ teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil inside of the pan
  

  Cast Irons are the way to go. Photo thanks to Cybrgrl.

• Using a rag scrub the inside of the pan
• Wipe out any leftover salt and let the pan cool

How to save a rusty cast iron pan:

• Scour the pan with a plastic scouring pad
• Wash in hot soapy water
• Rinse well
• Dry thoroughly with a towel or on a burner on low heat
• Re-season

Excerpts from The Cast Iron Cookbook

How to first prepare a brand new pan for seasoning:  

Cast Iron Filled with some felt bacon & eggs thanks to TinyApartmentCrafts.

• Place pan in the sink and fill with boiling water
• Allow it to cool
• Scrub with a mild dish soap and a plastic scouring pad
• Do the same for a lid if it has one
• Season the pan following the instructions below

To re-season an old pan or season a new pan:

• Dry pan thoroughly
• Coat lightly with Crisco shortening inside and out (do not use vegetable or other liquid oils as they will leave the pan sticky)
• Place pan on a baking sheet on a rack in the middle of the oven or on a grill outside
• Turn on oven/kitchen fan if using oven
• Bake for one hour at 350 degrees
• The pan will smoke, but it should stop in 20 minutes
• Turn off heat and let pan cool completely in oven or grill
• First few times it is used, try to cook fattier foods like bacon, as this will help it have a permanent non-stick surface

Fruit water: To make: slice up fruit of your choice (about a cup or less) and a sprig or 2 of some chopped fresh herbs and put in a pitcher or a mason quart jar and add water.  Place in refrigerator for cold water or leave out for room temperature water.

Yay fruit water!

Fruits that are delicious for fruit water: any really, but some of my favs are strawberries, cucumber, watermelon, peaches, lemons, and oranges.

Fresh herbs that are delicious for fruit water: again, any will do, but some favs are rosemary, basil, mint, catnip, and lemon balm.

Cucumber Strawberry Water: Combine ½ of a cucumber & as many strawberries as you would like in a big water pitcher.  Put it in the fridge & enjoy!

Lime mint cucumber water: Combine ½ of a cucumber, chop a sprig of mint, and squeeze a few lime wedges into a big water pitcher.  Put it in the fridge & enjoy!

Subbing in for juice...

Other ideas:

•  Orange basil
• Lemon balm & peach
• Catnip lemon
• Watermelon mint
• Starfruit, orange mint