Cast iron pans - our grandmothers swore by them and cooked everything in them, from bacon to polenta, and we do too. They are an inexpensive kitchen essential.

A good size to have is a 12-inch pan. It must be seasoned by rubbing with oil and heated in the oven at 375° for a couple of hours. This prevents it from rusting and creates a “natural” nonstick finish that gets better each time you use it (unlike that old Teflon pan).

When cleaning a cast iron pan, never use soap. A simple rinse with hot water and scrub with a brush will do the trick. Then immediately dry it by heating it over a stove until all the water evaporates, otherwise it will rust.

We have found a number of well-loved cast iron pans at yard sales and thrift shops and we've recently noticed them for sale in department stores, big-box retailers, and cooking shops. Tennessee-based Lodge Manufacturing, founded in 1896 and still family-owned, is perhaps the most well-known brand in the US.

Recipe for your cast iron pan: Pork Chops with Leek, Prune and Cream Sauce