Cast Iron Pans Cast iron pan owners swear by them for their even dispersal of heat and non stick nature. However, iron is not as happy go lucky as other metals. Initially, the pan must be seasoned with vegetable oil in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for at least an hour. Each time you heat the pan with oil, it will season till it obtains a beautiful dark color. Don't wash off the black patina thinking it is dirty. In fact, never use soap or scour the pan or you will remove the essence of the pan. Dry your iron pan on the stove with medium heat but watch it so it doesn't burn.
My Favorite Pan My favorite pan is a twenty dollar cast iron pan. I remember vividly how my step-father coveted his iron pan and warned us about not using soap to clean it. Seasoned and maintained properly, an iron pan can last forever. It is better than any non stick pan and far more durable. It's thick base holds heat better than any pan in my arsenal and prevents food from burning by dispersing the heat.
There's nothing quite like fresh ginger tea for a sore throat. My Mom taught me how to make it and I have been drinking it quite frequently the last week or so. I'm finally feeling good enough to blog so here's my simple recipe for ginger tea. It's not gonna cure your sore throat but it's certainly better for you than those chemicals they put in throat lozenges and other cold/flu medicines.
Start by boiling four cups of water. While you are waiting for the water to boil, peel and slice approximately two inches of fresh ginger. While you don't need to peel the ginger for any medical or taste reasons, I feel it allows the ginger juice to escape more easily.
Once the water comes to a boil, drop in the ginger. A lot of recipes tell you to grate the ginger in an effort to maximize the ginger content. All this does is create a lot of mess and requires you to strain the tea before drinking. If you really have a sore throat, you'll be drinking this tea all day long, giving the ginger plenty of time to seep into the water.
Cover and let stand for twenty minutes. I like my ginger tea strong so you can try less steeping time or cut it with water. In fact, I let the extra concoction sit there all day long so it keeps getting stronger. You can also add a little honey to balance the spiciness of the ginger and further reduce your symptoms. Some people like to add lemon but I never liked it in my ginger tea.
