Questions & Answers

Q.  How is cast iron cookware seasoned to prevent foods from sticking?

A.  Begin by scrubbing the pan with  a soapy steel wool pad. Rinse the pan and clean it  again, this time with hot soapy water. rinse once more in clear hotwater and dry the pan completely over low heat. Fill the skillet to about 1/2 inch from the top with a bland cooking oil, such as peanut or vegetable oil. Do not use olive oil; it lingers. Set the pan over very, very low heat and let the oil heat almost to the smoking point. Correctly done, this will take about 1 hour. Watch carefully. Switch off the heat and let the oil cool completely. Drain off the oil, keeping it for later use, and dry the pan thoroughly with paper towels. The skillet is now seasoned. It will remain stick proof for a long, long time unless it is washed.

It should be cleaned simply by scouring it dry with salt and a paper towel. No water and no soap ever again or the pan will have to be re-seasoned. Wrap the pan in foil and store it until it is needed. If the pan is accidentally washed just with water, the seasoning may be restored by coating the pan with bland oil and heating it gently. the pan may be coated, inside and out, with a light film of oil to prevent rusting. Wipe well before using.

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Q.  Why is an angel food cake cooled upside down?

A.  Not only angel cake, but all such airy sponge cakes baked in a tube pan, or baked in a pan with special edges that allow inverting without crushing the top surface, should be cooled that way. It is done to allow the cake to firm up and to prevent its collapsing. To suspend it right side up or, worse still, to remove it from the pan and cool it on a rack is to invite disaster.

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Q.  Meringues baked on so-called stick proof paper frequently refuse to be dislodged. Is there any way to prevent their sticking and to ensure their removal in one piece?

A.  Assuming the meringues are of the crisp variety, the sticking may be the result of too quick baking at too high a heat. Meringues can baked at the lowest possible heat.  Baking time will be about 2 hours. If the meringues will stick, simply moisten tne underside of the baking paper with cool water. The meringues can then easily and wholly removed by simply sliding a metal spatula under them. Softer meringues will usually not stick if tney are baked on stick-proof paper that has been lightly brushed with a bland cooking oil.