Before and after

[labradors]

Got these at a local thrift store for a total of $5.80.

Bottom view:


Top view:


Here's what they look like, now that I've cleaned and seasoned them:

Bottom view:


Top view:

[cjs]

Smooth as a baby's bottom!

[losblanos1]

$5.80? Score! Great job on the restoration.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Awesome, Labs! William has worked with a friend to restore some of my granddaddy's pieces, including a giant pot he used for making cracklin' , lard, and processing other pork products in the early part of the century! Not an easy job! Well done! And good deal!

[Old Bay]

My first wife sold my twenty year seasoned skillet in a garage sale for five dollars. I asked her , "where is my iron pan"?. Her answer, "that old thing?" Thus, the fate of my first wife.

[labradors]

ROTFL!

Thanks, everyone. Saturday: CORN BREAD!

[cjs]

Poor Bill!! Lab's do you have a favorite cornbread recipe? I know it's such a personal preference, but I think I've posted our favorite from my old friend, Bill Burr.

Burr's Red Chile Cornbread

3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup a.p. flour
1 T. chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking power
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg -- slightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 T. melted butter -- cooled slightly
1 can corn or Mexicorn -- (7 oz.)
4 squirts hot pepper sauce -- optional

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Place cornbread skillet in oven and heat while preparing batter.
In a medium-large bowl, toss together cornmeal, flour, chile powder, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Add egg, milk, butter, corn & optional hot pepper sauce.
Stir until just mixed. Remove cornbread skillet from oven and coat with Pam.
Ladle batter into mold.

Bake 10 minutes or until bread is golden brown, tips begin to crack and cake tester comes clean when inserted in center. Remove pan from oven. Carefully lift out muffins and place on a cooling rack. Serve immediately or at room temp.

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Now, you have me wanting cornbread.....

[labradors]

Thanks, Jean. I've copied and saved this.

Actually, I don't have a favourite cornbread recipe, since we don't always have plain cornmeal of that type available here - just the types used for tortillas or arepas. I do think one of the import stores just got some in, though, so I'll look.

For now, I'll just be using Jiffy.

BTW, your recipe says "Place cornbread skillet in oven and heat while preparing batter." I don't have a specific "cornbread skillet," so what would that translate to in normal skillet terms. The ones I have are 8", 9" and 9 1/2". Don't want to wind up with either a pancake or an overfull pan due to using a skillet that's not the same size.

[cjs]

Oh shoot, I know I've used my cast iron skillet for this before I had Bill's ceramic cornbread thing (his wife gave it to me when he died), but I can't remembr which size I used.

I have to make Deva's chili this week for pictures, so now that you have me thinking cornbread, I'll make some to go with. But, that won't help you right now.

I'd say use the 8" - doesn't make a huge amount of batter.

ooops, just reread your post - you're using Jiffy right now. I'll let you know the amount of batter.

[labradors]

Yeah. No need for an immediate answer. The Jiffy is supposed to be done in an 8" square pan, so that's the same as a 9" round pan (presuming the same depth), so I've already got that covered.

What I DO need right now are some eggs and milk. Fortunately, I won't need to go all the way to the grocery stores, since I can get those items - within two blocks - from the pulperias or the mini-super.