Dutch Oven Seasoning

Strategies, equipment will help new cooks feel at home in the kitchen

June ought to be called the freshest month. College graduates move into their lives, newlyweds set up house, and a new crop of cooks hits the kitchen.

New York food writer Brooke Parkhurst has been there. When she graduated from Davidson College in 2002, she moved to New York for a television journalism career. Instead, she became a novelist with "Belle in the Big Apple" and married a chef, James Briscione.

Today Parkhurst and Briscione have their own cookbook, "Just Married & Cooking" (Scribner) and a website, justmarriedandcooking.com .

Parkhurst's advice: "Get in the kitchen, begin with simple meals and practice."

These tips come from Helen Schwab and Kathleen Purvis of the Charlotte Observer, Andrea Weigl and Felicia Gressette of The (Raleigh) News & Observer and New York food writer Brooke Parkhurst.

Tongs, preferably locking ones. They should be long enough to keep your hand away from spattering skillets but short enough so they're easy to maneuver.

A set of cake pans. You can do a lot even if you lack a full set of cookware.

An enameled, cast-iron Dutch oven.

A fine-mesh bowl sieve instead of a colander with big holes.

A sharp zester.

Decide how you will organize your recipes before you have a bunch of torn-out recipes you'll never use.

Clean as you go. It saves time.

Find a good cook who will let you hang out, watch and ask questions.

Read recipes all the way through before you start.

Pick a shape for resealable containers - square or rectangle - and stick with it. They can be nested for efficient storage. Forget round ones. They waste space.

Don't buy sets of knives. You'll waste money on specialty knives you'll never use. Get an 8-inch chef's knife, 4-inch paring knife and 12-inch serrated-edge knife.

Don't waste expensive extra-virgin olive oil for frying. Use cheaper vegetable oil and save the good oil for vinaigrettes.

Get a big skillet or roasting pan. You can cook something small in a big pan, but you can't cook something big in a small pan.

Don't be afraid to change recipes.

Don't waste time wiping mushrooms one by one. Just rinse and drain them.

"How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman. It's available as an iPhone app too.

"The Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.

Dutch Oven Seasoning - News

Navy Bean Soup Helps Flavor Great Lakes Naval Station Centennial

Combine the beans, herb bundle, hocks, onions and garlic with the water in a large soup pot or Dutch oven . Bring to a boil, cover and adjust the heat so the soup cooks at a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans and hocks are completely tender (around

Heart Smart recipe: Best Ever Turkey Lasagna

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or large stockpot, melt the margarine. Cook the onion and garlic over medium heat until onions soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey; cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes,

Strategies, equipment will help new cooks feel at home in the kitchen

An enameled, cast-iron Dutch oven. They re heavy, they last a lifetime and when you make your first pot roast, you may find yourself addicted to cooking for life. (Wendy Yang/Charlotte Observer/MCT) An enameled, cast-iron Dutch oven is heavy and lasts

2011 4th of July barbecue recipes from newspaper food sections

Grilled desserts can be more than s'mores at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Smokey Crème Brûlée, Dutch Oven Cherry Clafouti, Grilled Pineapple Rings with Sugar, Cinnamon and Coconut (at left).

Frank's beef and noodles with brown gravy

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or oval roaster, bring the oil up to sizzling over a moderate flame. Then, a little at a time, begin sprinkling the flour into the pot, whisking vigorously as it's added. When the flour turns a rich, shiny brown color,

Universal Housewares Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron 3 Piece Skillet Set

Pre-Seasoned available cast iron kitchenware. You will find benefits with cooking with cast iron kitchenware.

Features Comes with the 6 1/4 inch, 7 7/8 inch and the 10 inch Skillets Traditional Cast Iron Cookware without the hours of pre-seasoning. A Great Time Saver, Eliminates hours of home pre-seasoning Factory Pre-seasoning more durable than home seasoning.