You know what’s blacker than Black Friday? Beautiful, glistening, well seasoned cast iron cookware.
Oh, yeah, baby. Screw waiting in line for some discount plastic crap or overpumped electronica that’ll be in a landfill in 6 months anyway. If you must shop, shop for something hewn from the living, molten rock of Earth. Something hefty enough to stop a bullet. Something that holds heat so well a steak will tremble and bow down before it. Something you can pass down to your grandbabies. Something strong and heavy and black enough to rival Black Friday itself.
Shop for cast iron. Something like this Lodge Five Piece Cast Iron Cookware Set. Or better yet, don’t shop at all. Enter to win this set without even having to even put on your pants. Hey, I have a three-year-old. I am well aware of how overblown pants are as a “thing” in our society.
Thankful, Joyful, Turkeyful, etc.
You may remember this set from the recent post on Skillet Brussels Sprouts. I couldn’t get it out of my head, but I couldn’t justify buying it for myself, given that I really do have quite enough cast iron, thank you very much.
Solution: Giveaway!
You see, as I type this post it’s Thanksgiving evening and I’ve had a few glasses of my husband’s excellent homebrew, so I’m feeling all “I love you, man!” towards my readers (except for the douche-waffles, but we are ignoring them). It is a screaming blessing to be the girl behind the keyboard of this blog, to be able to connect with, and inspire, and be inspired by other gardeners and productive homemakers. It is an honor to learn from you and to share what I’ve learned, and to help connect questions to answers.
So, this Thanksgiving I thought I’d give thanks for my readers by giving cast iron, which is – as we all know – the heaviest way to give thanks.
Enter To Win
Update: This contest is now over. Congratulations to winner Benita, who is “thankful that my 28 yr old niece was able to come home for Thanksgiving. She recently finished up radiation from her 3rd major diagnose of cancer since she was 23.”
To win this five piece set of Lodge cast iron, simply leave a comment on this post telling me what you are thankful for this holiday season.
This set includes a 10-inch griddle (excellent for pancakes, crepes, etc.), an 8-inch and 10-inch skillet (excellent for, well, everything) and a 5-Quart Dutch oven with lid (necessary for No Knead Bread). It’s a pretty awesome starter set of cast iron. There is very, very little you couldn’t cook on these pieces, and I say this as someone who cooks on cast iron about three times a day.
And look, I know I don’t have to convince you guys – you already know this – but nonstick is bullshit, ok? It’s not good for you or the people you feed (kids? grandma?). It turns out inferior food, and it scratches if you glare at it strongly enough. And according to the Environmental Working Group, “Toxic fumes from the Teflon chemical released from pots and pans at high temperatures may kill pet birds and cause people to develop flu-like symptoms (called “Teflon Flu” or, as scientists describe it, “Polymer fume fever”).”
Cast iron when well seasoned is also pretty dang nonstick but it doesn’t give you flu-like symptons. It just slightly boosts the iron content of your food which is, unless you are very atypical and drink liver smoothies for breakfast, a very good thing. It also goes from stove to oven to table without missing a beat and will help you cook like you really mean it.
So leave a comment and enter to win. I want to buy someone these cast iron pans.
Fine Print Stuff
This giveaway is for the cookware set described here. Contest entirely self-sponsored by Northwest Edible Life (that’s me!). Contest open until Thursday, December 5th 8 PM PST. Winner will be contacted by email. Contest open to residents of the US only, due to shipping costs. Sorry international readers. I still love you, but cast iron is really, really heavy. Fulfillment of prize via Amazon.com. One entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Void where prohibited by law, blah blah blah. Best of luck everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving, all y’all. Thanks for being the best readers a blogger could hope for.
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Im thankful for salvation through Jesus Christ. Im thankful I serve a God who sent Jesus to save me. Im thankful for family, being able to breathe as there are those that struggle just to breathe.Im thankful for friends who cARE. Im thankful for food and all other goods i have. Im thankful that sometimes i have enough that i can share with others. I like helping others. lisawilson2011@hotmail.com
I’m thankful for my wonderful loving family, and for our ability to put good local fresh food on our table!
Thankful for for food on my table and a roof over my head.
Thankful for all those included in Ohana
I am thankful for information. Information that is leading me and my family toward better, more sustainable options in the food we eat, without chemicals and God knows what else.
I’m thankful for my healthy, intelligent 12 y/o son, and my family. I’m thankful for social media, which has allowed me to contact and keep up with extended family all over the country. 🙂
I have a couple of frying pans from my mother, and they need company, so here I am, leaving a comment. . .
I am grateful that I am not alone as I fight the good fight. The ability to pass on knowledge in our modern world is something so incredibly revolutionary! I thank my lucky stars that I can connect with anyone across the world who is struggling or thriving in this journey of getting back to basics, to the earth, to the power of simplicity.
I am thankful that I made it through this tough year. After 6 months in the hospital, my mother has fully recovered and is in the best shape of her life. After months of endless medical tests and feeling like we were trapped in a bad episode of House M.D., I am thankful that my husband doesn’t have cancer after all (though I’m not thankful for his pesky tonsils!).
They are many more things I am thankful for or could rant about, but I choose to focus on appreciating that my two favorite people in the world are now healthy.
There is so much to be thankful for every day. My Family, and Friends, and my Daughter, who is growing up to be quite a special young lady.
I’m thankful for my family, our health, our country, and all the great people I have met this year who are helping us lead healthier lives!
I would love to win this set. I threw out the teflon awhile ago and am slowly starting to get my kitchen healthier. Thanks for offering a great giveaway!
I am thankful for all my teachers in life, who help remind me to live a life that is true to myself. That health and the moments we live are what is most important.
I’m thankful for my new roommates. I recently moved across the state to live on a farm and learn more about where my food comes from. It has been a hectic transition. Learning to work with animals and trying to cook healthier. My roommates have been great, showing me so many things and encouraging me when I get frustrated or overwhelmed. I can milk a goat now, have played with vegetables i had never heard of and gained a budding friendship that will hopefully last for decades.
I am amazed by the difference cooking with food you grow yourself makes. These pans would really help me to cook. Most of my pans are plastic metal hybrids that I can’t use in the oven, getting cast iron pans would really help as I strive to improve my quality of life . Thank you for your time and consideration
~Olivia
I’m thankful for my family…OF COURSE! Mostly for the gift of my son, my reason for existence! Thankful for the little and big successes in his life. Thankful for the life I have been given with family and abundance many will never have. Thankful for all the hardships and agonies we have gone through. They have made us the strong men and women we are today. But most of all, I am thankful for my memories. In these days (as with many others) I remember with sad joy the bedlam of my mom’s small, messy, cluttered kitchen. All 7 of us with, over the years, our assorted boyfriends, friends, husbands, children. No meals since have tasted so good as those. No fancy recipes, no exotic foods. Just plain old turkey and dressing (hers always the best) and gravy and green bean casserole with Campbell’s mushroom soup and peas and corn and homemade pumpkin pie. And all the mental pictures of my brothers and husband and assorted others scattered across her living room like dirty clothes, sound asleep (while we were doing the dishes!) My mother always told me that one day I would be thankful for those times. I always felt burdened by them. Overcrowded with people and responsibilities. She was so right. They may have been the worst of times, but they were also the best of times and my heart aches for them. I miss my mother. I miss my brothers. And, though they live right here in town, I miss my sisters. But, I miss them joyfully and thankfully.
I am thankful for my two sons. They are growing fast into wonderful young men! They never cease to amaze me with the intelligent, compassionate, and creative decisions that each of them makes every day! I couldn’t be MORE proud!
O;-)
I have so many people and things to be thankful for that narrowing it down isn’t easy. So I thought that on a website about edible food it would be appropriate to give thanks to our local farmer’s market and local farmers. They keep us supplied with amazing fruits and vegetables, cheeses and even breads from locally grown grains. But most especially, I am thankful for the farmer who has found a way to bring his certified organic food to town even after the market closes in late December.
I am so grateful for my healthy children and family. We have everything we need and that is something to be grateful for!
I am thankful for my lovely and supportive wife!
Every day is a blessing. I thank the Lord for my family and their health. A loving companion and warm, safe home.
I am thankful that my family and friends are not food insecure, we have roofs over our heads, we do not fear walking or driving in our community, and we are able to assist others that don’t have these luxuries (which really should be viewed as basic rights).
I’m thankful for my wonderful family…..especially for my beautiful grandson, my awesome friends, and all the helpful information on your site that has helped me garden better and preserve the harvest. This has been the best year yet.
This year I am particularly thankful for my husband. Not only does he love me and our family unconditionally, but his hard work has made it possible for me to stay home with our little ones and garden to my hearts content. I’ll admit that I’m not the most grateful person in the world but this year has really opened my eyes to just how lucky I am.
I am thankful for my amazing husband of almost 7 months – for the sweet, strong, gentle, loving, Godly man he is and strives each day to be. He is truly my soulmate and the man I dreamed of and prayed for since I was a tiny girl. The fact that God blessed me with him after a 12 year abusive marriage makes every day we have together so much sweeter.
I am thankful for each of my three sweet, funny, spirited, energetic, intelligent children. They teach me so much every day, and make me strive to be a better person.
I’m thankful for my 11 month old Boxer puppy and my 8 week old kitten, for the love and joy they bring into my life and our home.
I’m thankful for all of my friends and allergy/celiac support groups for the love and support and knowledge I get every single day.
I’m thankful for the wonderful internet and facebook, for allowing me to continue learning about health, allergies, food, how to keep my kids safe – as well as keeping me connected with friends and family who are far away.
I am thankful to be home with my family right now, for a warm house, a roof over my head, and delicious food in my belly. And I’m thankful for all the great stuff I’ve learned from this blog!
I could sit here and say that I’m thankful for my family and friends, but that’s a cop-out because my family and friends know that they’ve done more for me than they ever should have, and I’d not be where I am without them.
Instead, I’ll be thankful for the combination of tradition and scientific advancement that allows millions of people, every day, to learn skills that would otherwise pass away through the marvel of modern technology. Things that would be forgotten–from how to season cast iron to how to build your own toys for Christmas–simply because we aren’t geographically near enough to anyone who could teach us how.
I’m thankful that the old and the new can co-exist, and that it’s helped me meet so many wonderful people.
I am thankful for me… The things I love, live, experience … Every aspect of my life and the abilities bestowed upon me … It’s so amazing living on this Earth with all these amazing people, animals, insects , plants etc … Just think about it… Even the tinyest thing you do has impact so try to be kind and learn … Evolve and Love it ! …. Next Spring I will plant a Vegetable Garden , even though I have done it before…. There will be new and wonderous things I will learn … So I am Thankful for Me 🙂
I am thankful for my family. My husband who works so hard to make it possible to live the “lifestyle” we choose and my son who brightens my each and every day.
I am thankful that you added in your post that Teflon is bad for our family and pets! I am a vet tech for an exotic animal practice, specializing in birds. Thank you for putting that information out to your readers!
I am thankful for the methods of healthy eating handed down by families & traditions, as well as learning new methods because of blogs like yours! 🙂
I am thankful for the information age so I can learn many different opinions about everything and see which one works.
I am thankful for camping with friends and family and the ability to cook wonderful meals with beautiful cookware like this. Love the website, keep blogging!
Grandchildren! And for a huge Thanksgiving gathering.
Hi, I am grateful for your blog everytime I read it. But on this Leftovers Day, I am grateful for the community I got to share Thanksgiving with – we had about 45 people here at The Learning Garden in Venice, CA to honor and feed some of the clients of a Program For Torture Victims and to enjoy one another’s company and culinary skills. We had all the traditional holiday foods, but we also food from many other traditions! We had a circle holding hands and saying what we were grateful for, many of the comments were quite touching, and we held a moment of silence of gratitude for those who saved the seeds before us that gave us access to the bounty we enjoyed and we pledged that we too would save the seeds and make sure they were pure and planted again and again so that future generations might enjoy such bounty. Thank you for the chance to put this before your readers. david
This Thanksgiving I’ve had a double whammy of thankfulness. My family ( husband and teenage daughter) always invite a relative and her husband for dinner. I’ve always been polite but tend to avoid her a bit as she is just a difficult person for me to be around. She’s gloomy and complains a lot, frequently about possible medical problems that never seem to materialize, and to say she lacks the gift of conversation is a serious understatement. Well, do to illness of our other guests she and her husband would be our only guests!! O poor me !!!
The guys watched football, of course and she and I hung out in the dining room talking. I had a darn good time. Away from the crowds of other relatives she was far more relaxed and fun and funny. Now that I’ve got to know her better I look forward to the next time I will see her.
The second blessing that night was my daughter. I had been very cranky with her earlier for not helping the way I wanted her to ( stressed mom). Well , after dinner she was off to her fast food job . Later when she came home she gave me a big hug and told me how good dinner was and that she was grateful for all my hard work. She’s growing up to be a lovely young woman. Oh and one other thing. A few weeks ago we had to put our dog down and the day before Thanksgiving our cat didn’t come home. He did eventually did and boy were we glad to see him. It was without a doubt the best Thanksgiving I’ve had in a long time.
Family, my baby granddaughter and all Gods blessings he has given us.
I am most thankful for my guyfriend of 15 years that has seen me through countless breakups and one failed engagement. He still gives me hope in men and makes a great designated driver.
Even though Thanksgiving is past and the Black Friday madness has begun I am grateful that our hermitage rural/suburban homestead is a peaceful retreat or anchor amongst the chaos of the frantic people around us. We live simply preserving what we grow sharing what we grow and what our hens produce and heat with wood being an example that less is really more and a wonderful sense of accomplishment is developed when one is really in tune with all that is around them ,nature and things grown and raised a nd cared for and especially their neighbors, people not things really matter. But that not to say that we couldn’t use a wonder set of cast firmware because we certainly could. Our budget is limited and out of our range but it certainly would be nice to have a set. Blessings, Sr Clare Benedicta cos-cam.
I am thankful for my husband, two wonderful daughters who have super husbands. I am soooo thankful for my 5 grandsons who I love more than life itself. My husband and I are both retired on a fixed income so I am thankful for the eggs from our chickens & the companionship of our 2 dogs. Life is Good…………………..<3
This year, and every year, I’m thankful for low wage workers, the people who work hard, long hours (including on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years) and are frequently treated as though they don’t matter. I’m thankful for the public employees who drive my busses, pick up my trash and recycling, fix potholes, keep my heat on (it’s cold in Chicago!), serve school lunches, run after-school programs, deliver low-income health services, and disburse the very limited public assistance programs we still have in this country. I’m thankful for protesters, environmentalists, activists, intellectuals, feminists, do-gooders, and radical reformers of every stripe who have fought tirelessly year after year to increase those programs and to make this world anew. And kittens, because the world would also be a worse place without kittens.
I’m thankful for my baby girl and the new perspective she’s given me. For family and friends who have been there for us every step of the way, for bloggers who have taught me things that sleep deprivation and cluster feeding made it hard to learn on my own, and for a boyfriend who, in addition to being an awesome dad, doesn’t mind doing diaper laundry.
Please pick me this is my ideal Xmas present! I grew up with cast iron and I want to raise my girls with cast iron. Thanks so much for the opportunity.
I am so thankful for my family and that we could all be together this year!
So thankful we live in the US were we are all free to do and say what we like.
Thankful that my girls can have an education and thankful for the young girl in Pakistan(?) who stood up for her right to do the same. What a brave young woman that is. If only the children in the US realized what a gift education is to them!
I am just to deeply thankful for so much there isn’t enough room to list
Thank you for the opportunity to win the cook set. :o)
I’m thankful for our beautiful home and my lovely children.
I’m thankful for great family and friends, our health, food on my table, a roof over my head, and the chance to help those who need a hand up in my community.
I’m thankful for having family over for my first thanksgiving back home.
I am so thankful for a wonderful supportive husband who has helped me thru each step of the way in dealing with infertility. This journey has not been easy but it has taught me so much to be thankful for…even in the midst of struggles there is always something that we take for granted.
I am thankful for all the main things like family, a lovely place to live and work, but also for the forum that allows us all to share and exchange information. Thanks to blogs like yours and all the other great ones out there, I don’t have to re-invent the wheel! Thanks for all the great resources. I am an artisan bread baker and am also thankful for cast iron!!!!
I am thankful for my first healthy Thanksgiving in years. I have battled serious illness in the past, but I have come out on top.
I’m grateful that we are fortunate to have such a great family. Three wonderful kids and their families too. We’re coming up on our 50th wedding anniversary and it’s been a fabulous time.
I really enjoy all the information on your site. And some great recipes too! I was raised with cast iron cookware so a frypan was the first thing I bought for my own kitchen. I still have it! Thanks for the opportunity to win some more pieces.