|
Blogging & logging :
|
 Written by |
 |  |
...Each lady gets either 2 or 3 attempts to throw it. The furthest distance is the one that counts. The pan is always supplied by the fair. It's either cast iron or steel. About 8-9 inches across. You must throw it underhand and by the handle. There's a line that you cannot step across without a disqualification. You want to throw the skillet as straight as possible because your distance is measured down the center and any amount from center will be subtracted.
I've tried researching the history of skillet tossing without much luck. Some stories refer to it as being an old British country fair contest... others say the pioneer women traveling west across the United States started competitions to pass the time.
Regardless of its history, the skillet toss is an incredibly fun event to watch and / or compete in! Not to brag... but I do have a pretty impressive collection of skillet tossing trophies from the past few years!!
When I began my skillet tossing career I had no idea that just a few years later I would find myself rescuing old, rusty cast iron pans from antique stores, flea markets and yard sales to take them home, restore them and use them nightly!
It all began one night by the wood stove... I was flipping through a Southern Living magazine and found a recipe for a cast iron pecan pie. Knowing that Mike loves pecan pie, I was super excited to try this recipe! But, at that time, I didn't own a cast iron pan... So, the next day we went to our favorite antique store in town and dug through the pile of miscellaneous cast iron pots, pans, and skillets until we found the perfect one. A 10-inch Lodge skillet that needed a new home and lots of work!
Researching how to bring old cast iron back to life was so interesting! There are so many differing opinions out there! But after a few days of scrubbing, cleaning, oiling, and heating we had a beautiful black, shining, re-seasoned skillet ready for cooking!!
I made Southern Living's "Utterly Deadly Pecan Pie" in it and was instantly hooked on cast iron cooking!!! We soon went back to the antique store and picked out an 8 inch Wagner skillet that was in even worse shape than the Lodge... then went back for the cornbread pan, then added a Griswold griddle to the collection... then Mike found me a pair of beautiful square ones for steak filets... then, of course, we needed to add the muffin pan! As our cast iron collection grew, our kitchen storage space shrank... So now our cast iron pans also serve as kitchen decor! They are all hung and displayed on our kitchen walls!
They always make me happy to cook with. I love thinking about the history that might be attached to each one. A hundred years ago was someone's grandmother baking cornbread in her wood fired kitchen stove with the same pan I'm baking in tonight? How many generations did this pan get passed down through before it ended up sitting on an antique store's back shelf? I love giving these pans new life! I like to think that they are happy in their new kitchen with their new family, preparing meals every night.
So that's my cast iron story... sometimes I throw it at fairs and win trophies, but usually you can find me in the kitchen baking with it, or digging through piles of it to find just the right one to bring home from the antique store!
I've tried researching the history of skillet tossing without much luck. Some stories refer to it as being an old British country fair contest... others say the pioneer women traveling west across the United States started competitions to pass the time.
Regardless of its history, the skillet toss is an incredibly fun event to watch and / or compete in! Not to brag... but I do have a pretty impressive collection of skillet tossing trophies from the past few years!!
When I began my skillet tossing career I had no idea that just a few years later I would find myself rescuing old, rusty cast iron pans from antique stores, flea markets and yard sales to take them home, restore them and use them nightly!
It all began one night by the wood stove... I was flipping through a Southern Living magazine and found a recipe for a cast iron pecan pie. Knowing that Mike loves pecan pie, I was super excited to try this recipe! But, at that time, I didn't own a cast iron pan... So, the next day we went to our favorite antique store in town and dug through the pile of miscellaneous cast iron pots, pans, and skillets until we found the perfect one. A 10-inch Lodge skillet that needed a new home and lots of work!
Researching how to bring old cast iron back to life was so interesting! There are so many differing opinions out there! But after a few days of scrubbing, cleaning, oiling, and heating we had a beautiful black, shining, re-seasoned skillet ready for cooking!!
I made Southern Living's "Utterly Deadly Pecan Pie" in it and was instantly hooked on cast iron cooking!!! We soon went back to the antique store and picked out an 8 inch Wagner skillet that was in even worse shape than the Lodge... then went back for the cornbread pan, then added a Griswold griddle to the collection... then Mike found me a pair of beautiful square ones for steak filets... then, of course, we needed to add the muffin pan! As our cast iron collection grew, our kitchen storage space shrank... So now our cast iron pans also serve as kitchen decor! They are all hung and displayed on our kitchen walls!
They always make me happy to cook with. I love thinking about the history that might be attached to each one. A hundred years ago was someone's grandmother baking cornbread in her wood fired kitchen stove with the same pan I'm baking in tonight? How many generations did this pan get passed down through before it ended up sitting on an antique store's back shelf? I love giving these pans new life! I like to think that they are happy in their new kitchen with their new family, preparing meals every night.
So that's my cast iron story... sometimes I throw it at fairs and win trophies, but usually you can find me in the kitchen baking with it, or digging through piles of it to find just the right one to bring home from the antique store!
Comments are closed.
A Certified Women-Owned Small Business
The Axe Women Loggers of Maine are proud to be members of the following organizations:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For booking or sponsorship information, please submit a request here.
Thank you to our sponsors!
|
|
|
|
|
|