Cast iron cookware is what our grandmothers' grandmothers' grandmothers cooked in.  At estate sales, cast iron cookware in good condition still goes for high prices.  Cookware made of cast iron is desirable because it heats evenly and to a high temperature.

Over time, if well cared-for, cast iron cookware such as that made by Cajun and Lodge develops a glossy non-stick surface. 

Cast iron cookware may benefit you nutritionally.  Sharron Coplin, RD, of Ohio State University, writes

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about a 1986 study: The American Dietetic Association published an article that showed iron content increased in most foods cooked in cast iron cookware.  Acidic foods, such as tomatoes, cause even more iron to leach into the food!  (Be careful if your doctor has said that you have too much iron in your blood.)

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Dutch oven, courtesy of Le Creuset

Enameling makes cast iron easier to clean.

Cast iron is made of iron, carbon, and silicon. About 95% of content is iron.  It's heated to over 2000 deg Fahrenheit, using a process developed by the Chinese in the 14th Century (Wikipedia and Britannica).  The melted iron is then molded, in this case, into cast iron cookware.

Cleaning:  If your cast iron cookware is new, clean it with light soap.  After that, avoid soap because it will break down the oil used to season the utensil.  Don't use a scratchy brush for cleaning. 

If your cast iron cookware is rusty, scour thoroughly; dry with a soft cloth; then coat with a small amount of vegetable oil, shortening, or lard. Leave in a 300 deg F oven for at least a half-hour. 

Paula Deen's hammered cast iron, courtesy of QVC

Use cast iron cookware for processes that use fat rather than water.  Don't soak cast iron either.  Water can cause cast iron cookware to rust.  Never put water in a hot pan.

Paula Deen, southern cooking diva, helped make hammered cast iron cookware famous.  It is best described as cast iron with texture.