No matter the pan, you want to keep it in good condition. While it is reported that cast iron can be a bit fickle there are many cooks that will not do without. Through her research, Druckman has developed a very intimate understanding how these extraordinary pans work.

1. Buy pre-seasoned, but don't cook with it right away.
Pull it out of the box, rinse it off, heat it on stove, then oil and blot gently all around the pan to make sure there’s no area with too much oil. Let it cool to room temp, then repeat.”
2. Dish soap isn't the enemy
Druckman says: I use Dawn on mine all the time.”
3. Oil dry pans.
Use just a teaspoon or less of neutral oil, like flaxseed, for a 10- or 12-inch skillet.
4. Be wary of flaking.
If you’re ever cooking and you get flakes of black stuff, it’s not metal—it’s that layer of polymerized fat. If you over-oil it, it gets sticky, and that’s how you know.”
5. For cleaning, avoid anything too abrasive—but metal is actually okay.
Druckman says: If you need to do any real hardcore scrubbing you can also use a Tawashi palm scrubber. I love mine. And Dave Arnold recently proved it was okay to use metal utensils on your pan, so if you do need to scrape something off, that’s an option.”
6. Get rid of gunk.
Leave your pan on the heat, put the heat back on really high, pour some water in there, and let the water evaporate and cook the debris off. Use a wooden or metal spatula to scrape the debris to lift it off. Instead of water, you can also [scrub the pan with] kosher salt or coarse sea salt, then rinse it out with water.
7. Store them properly.
Stack it with paper towels. You never know if that other pan above or below it is wet! And it can always help if there’s a little too much oil on your cast iron.
8. Don't start cold.
Always add something to a hot or warm pan. You never want to put something onto a cold pan and then heat it up—if you do, it will stick.”
9. Preheat gently.
10. Rust is very, very bad.
Always dry your pan off thoroughly. And [contrary to popular belief], acid is actually fine in small amounts. But if you’re cooking something wet (like apple pie or a frittata), take it out of the skillet or serve it right away.”

We scaled down these ten pieces of advice. If you would like to read the full Ten Commandments, along with Charlotte Druckman commentary go to First We Feast.

Simply put think wisely, be good to your pan, and it will be good to you. Cast iron may not be for everyone but for those who use them often, they swear by their efficiency and – well – Mom always said cast iron makes food taste better!

With fifty years of experience who are we to be skeptical, especially when author Druckman backs up Mom’s testimony?