There was a frying pan I had always seen at my parents' house. I remember we used it often, but I never asked where it had come from. I saw it among other frying pans and thought it was one of my mother's eccentricities, another "thingamajig" whose origins I could only guess at.
In any case, it was an iron frying pan that appealed to me with that rustic, countryside look to the max. Besides, those of you who have been following me for a while already know how much I love iron cookware! In fact, Claudia&Julia was born mainly to try to bring back this type of cookware, since we firmly believe in its advantages when it comes to preparing food.
So, as the project began to take shape, I also got to know the name and history of that iron frying pan that was in my mother's house. It is a Skeppshult frying pan, made in one of the last iron foundries that still makes frying pans in Sweden. If I already loved cooking with it and loved its look, learning more about the company that makes them left me completely smitten, and convinced that a manufacturer like Skeppshult had to be in our catalog.
So we have added frying pans, grill pans, cocottes, and a few other accessories that I hope will win you over as much as they did me... especially after learning everything that goes on behind these products.
What is Skeppshult?
We have been talking with them for some time now, since we really like their products 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 kept its artisanal way of working to this day.
Skeppshult uses only renewable energy (hydropower and wind power) in its manufacturing process. They melt the iron and hand-pour it into sand molds to shape the cookware. Once the iron cools, each piece is finished by hand, always maintaining an incredible level of quality. Each piece comes from a unique mold that is destroyed during the process, so in a way each piece is also unique.
Skeppshult product features
Skeppshult guarantees that all the materials used to make its cookware are natural and organic, free from any product harmful to health or the environment. They also work on all types of cooktops, including induction, always with excellent cooking results.
Because they are made of cast iron, Skeppshult utensils are much heavier than aluminum utensils and even heavier than De Buyer's Mineral pans. The advantage of cast iron is that it retains and distributes heat more evenly, and it also withstands high temperatures without warping.
Grill pan, wok and Skeppshult Swing pepper mill and Skeppshult frying pan
Just like De Buyer pans, Skeppshult cookware has no enamel or vitrified coating; we cook directly on the iron, so proper seasoning is important. In this case, Skeppshult gives all products a first seasoning with vegetable oil in its own factory, so they arrive ready to use.
Because they have no enamel and are practically indestructible, Skeppshult offers a 25-year warranty for all cast iron products. In any case, they are almost everlasting products; it is really difficult to damage iron under normal use.
Benefits of iron in the kitchen
For those of you who still don't use iron cookware in the kitchen, I'd like to briefly explain the advantages of this material. In Spain, iron is not very commonly used, but in other European countries such as Germany or the Nordic countries, iron is highly valued, and small manufacturers like Skeppshult enjoy a great reputation.
The main reason is that although non-stick pans and pots are very practical and easy to use, iron is unbeatable for high-heat cooking like frying, sauteing, or cooking on the griddle. The flavor and texture we achieve with cast iron skillets or cocottes more than make up for the greater weight or maintenance of this type of cookware.
Oven tray and casserole Skeppshult
aside from the fact that an iron utensil lasts a lifetime, we have the peace of mind of knowing we are not using products with non-stick coatings, so cooking is much healthier and more natural.
Maintenance of Skeppshult products
There is no need to do any pre-seasoning before the first use of a Skeppshult utensil. Since it comes seasoned from the factory, all we need to do is run it under a little water to remove any dust it may have picked up, dry it well, and start cooking.
Once we have cooked with it, there is no need to clean it with soap; we only need to run warm water over it and remove food residue 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 so it dries completely.
Why buy Skeppshult iron cookware?
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 high-heat cooking, especially 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 very special products, with a highly refined aesthetic, that convey a love of cooking. They are also the perfect gift because they last a lifetime, and the materials used to make them are natural and organic, free from any product harmful to health or the environment.
