I purchased a bag of Bob's Red Mill oats today and read they recently won the "golden spurtle" world porridge contest in Carrbridge, Scotland.
Winning the contest is great, but what in the world is a spurtle?
Dating back to at least the fifteenth century, a spurtle is a special wooden spoon (really more of a round stick) that is used to constantly stir and spin the oats so that it doesn't clump together. This originated in Scotland and I assume the primary place for finding and using one. But I had to wonder, does it really help make a better oatmeal? Please chime in if you've used one.
It turns out these are hard to locate. Amazon.com doesn't even offer an option. I did find a handmade one here and here.
So I'm curious? If you have one, what do you think? Would you recommend to others? Where did you get yours? Are there other uses?
When my wife and I got married she nearly begged that we not ask for non-stick pans because the the possible, if not probable, flaking and leaching of chemicals into our food. I reassured her that top-end non-stick pans would not flake and last forever if they were well maintained.
We received a very expensive set of top-brand non-stick pots and pans for our wedding! Hooray!
Fast forward four years and, you guessed it, the pots and pans we used so delicately being ultra careful not to scratch or place in the dishwasher started to flake leaving small particles of non-stick stuff in our food.
With a degree of "I told you so", we set out to find new pans. And, instead of the big sets that include many more pots and pans than most people need, we determined we only really needed a few pieces.
We settled on the age-old cast iron pan. It has been the pan of choice for hundreds of years and they can last that long too!
Why cast iron? They really do last a lifetime or two or three or more. They are very inexpensive. They are naturally non-stick. They do not have harmful chemicals and even add a touch of iron to the food you prepare in them. They are enviornmentally firendly. The pans and pots (dutch ovens) also retain heat and sear so well that it makes preparing foods a joy.
The only downside we could come up with was the weight, but I know there are some lightweight versions now available.
There is a little bit of maintenance involved. Never place cast iron in the dishwasher, but simply clean with a brush and some hot water. Most new cast iron is pre-seasoned, but don't overlook a good cast iron pan at antique shops or garage sales. Many people see rust on cast iron and discard. To remove any rust or to reseason watch the video below.
These are two of our most used pans. We have a third frying pan, but could have done just fine with two. The one of the right came from IKEA and was made in China, our others were from Lodge Manufacturing -- the only cast iron manufacturer remaining in the United States.
Enjoy cooking healthy and purchase the last set of pans/pots you will ever need.
I purchased a bag of Bob's Red Mill oats today and read they recently won the "golden spurtle" world porridge contest in Carrbridge, Scotland.
