There was a frying pan that I had always seen at my parents' house. I remember we used it often but I never asked where it had come from. I used to see it among other pans and thought it was one of my mother's eccentricities, another "gadget" that who knows where it had come from.
In any case, it was an iron frying pan that attracted me because of that rustic, utterly countrified look. Also, those of you who have followed me for a while already know how much I love iron cooking utensils! In fact, Claudia&Julia was mainly born to try to bring back these kinds of utensils, because we firmly believe in their advantages when preparing food.
So, as the project took shape, I also learned the name and history of that iron pan that was in my mother's case. It is a Skeppshult frying pan, made in one of the last iron foundries that still makes pans in Sweden. If I already loved cooking in it and its look, learning more about the company that makes them completely won me over, and convinced me that a manufacturer like Skeppshult must be in our catalog.
So we have added frying pans, grill pans, cocottes and some other accessory that I hope you'll fall in love with like I did... especially after knowing everything that goes on behind these products.
What is Skeppshult?
We have been talking with them for some time now because we really like their product and philosophy. Skeppshult is a small foundry named after the village where it is located, in southern Sweden. It has been operating since 1906 and has maintained its artisanal way of working to this day.
Skeppshult uses only renewable energy (hydraulic and wind) in its manufacturing process. They melt the iron and pour it by hand into sand molds to shape the utensils. Once the iron cools, they work each piece by hand, always maintaining an incredible level of quality. Each piece comes out of a unique mold that is destroyed during the process, so each piece is in some way also unique.
Features of Skeppshult products
Skeppshult guarantees that all the materials used to manufacture their utensils are natural and organic, free of any product harmful to health or the environment. In addition they work on all types of stoves, including induction, always with excellent cooking results.
Being made of cast iron, Skeppshult cookware is much heavier than aluminum cookware and even than De Buyer Mineral frying pans. The advantage of cast iron is that it retains and distributes heat more evenly; it also withstands high temperatures without warping.
Grill pan, wok and Swing pepper mill Skeppshult and Skeppshult frying pan
Like De Buyer pans, Skeppshult utensils have no enamel or glazing, we cook directly on the iron, so good seasoning is important. In this case, Skeppshult does a first seasoning of all products with vegetable oil in their own factory, so they are delivered ready to use.
Because they have no enamel and are practically unbendable, Skeppshult offers a 25-year warranty for all cast iron products. Anyway, they are almost eternal products; it's really hard to damage the iron in normal use.
Benefits of iron in the kitchen
For those who still don't use iron utensils in the kitchen, I would like to briefly explain the advantages of this material. In Spain it is not very common to use iron, but in other European countries like Germany or the Nordic countries, iron is highly appreciated and small manufacturers like Skeppshult enjoy great prestige.
The main reason is that although nonstick pans and pots are very practical and easy to use, iron is unbeatable for high-heat cooking such as frying, sautéing, or cooking on the griddle. The flavor and texture that we achieve with iron frying pans or cocottesmore than make up for the greater weight or maintenance of this type of utensils.
Oven tray and casserole Skeppshult
Besides the fact that an iron utensil is for life, we have the peace of mind that we are not using products with nonstick coatings so the cooking is much healthier and more natural.
Care for Skeppshult products
There is no need to do any seasoning before the first use of a Skeppshult utensil. As they come seasoned from the factory all we need to do is run a little water to remove any dust it may bring, dry well and start cooking.
Once we have cooked, there is no need to clean it with soap, we should only use warm water and remove food residues with the help of a brush or soft sponge. It is very important to dry the utensil immediately to prevent rust from appearing, we can leave it on the heat to dry completely.
Why buy Skeppshult iron utensils?
If you haven't tried any cast-iron cookware, I recommend trying a Skeppshult pan or grill. You can keep cooking delicate foods with your nonstick pan, but you'll see that cooking over high heat, mainly frying or cooking on the griddle, turns out much better in a cast-iron pan.
Both frying pans and pots are also ideal for gifting. They are a very special product, with a carefully curated aesthetic, that convey a love for cooking. They are also the perfect gift since they last a lifetime, and the materials used for their manufacture are natural and organic, free of any product harmful to health or the environment.
Discover the full range of Skeppshult products we have in the store here.
