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   / @ajrestoration   I got this badly rusted cast iron pot at my local drugstore (metal recycling yard) and I thought it would make for a fun little restoration!

I was going to cook up a nice stew in the pot (veggies in the thumbnail) but time caught up to me, so I made some nice "Shop chips" instead.

I am not entirely sure the lid is the original lid that was supposed to be with this pot, but this is how I found it.

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Some History on Cast Iron Cookware

In Asia, particularly China, India, Korea, and Japan, there is a long history of cooking with cast iron vessels. The first mention of a castiron kettle in English appeared in 679 or 680, though this wasn't the first use of metal vessels for cooking. The term pot came into use in 1180. Both terms referred to a vessel capable of withstanding the direct heat of a fire. Castiron cauldrons and cooking pots were valued as kitchen items for their durability and their ability to retain heat evenly, thus improving the quality of cooked meals.

In Europe and the United States, before the introduction of the kitchen stove in the middle of the 19th century, meals were cooked in the hearth, and cooking pots and pans were either designed for use in the hearth or to be suspended within it. Castiron pots were made with handles to allow them to be hung over a fire, or with legs so that they could stand in the coals. In addition to Dutch ovens with three or four feet, which Abraham Darby I secured a patent in 1708 to produce, a commonly used castiron cooking pan called a spider had a handle and three legs allowing it to stand upright over campfires as well as in the coals and ashes of a fireplace.

Cooking pots and pans with legless, flat bottoms came into use when cooking stoves became popular; this period of the late 19th century saw the introduction of the flat castiron skillet.

Castiron cookware was especially popular among homemakers during the first half of the 20th century. It was a cheap, yet durable cookware. Most American households had at least one castiron cooking pan. Popular manufacturers included Griswold, which began production in 1865, Wagner Ware in 1881, and Blackrock Foundry in 1896. The 20th century also saw the introduction and popularization of enamelcoated castiron cookware.

Cast iron fell out of favor in the 1960s and 1970s, as Tefloncoated aluminum nonstick cookware was introduced and quickly became the item of choice in many kitchens. The decline in daily use of castiron cookware contributed to the closure of nearly all the iron cookware manufacturers in the United States. Many went out of business in the 1920s as seen in the List of castiron cookware manufacturers. Others were absorbed by other cookware manufacturers.

Today, of the large selection of cookware that can be purchased from kitchen suppliers, cast iron comprises only a small fraction. However, the durability and reliability of cast iron as a cooking tool have ensured its survival. Castiron pots and pans from the 19th and 20th centuries continue to see daily use to the present day. They are also highly sought after by antique collectors and dealers. Cast iron has also seen a resurgence of its popularity in specialty markets. Through cooking shows, celebrity chefs have brought renewed attention to traditional cooking methods, especially the use of cast iron. In the 2010s, small startup companies began producing castiron cookware designs for specialty cooking markets.