Skillet Love author Anne Byrn, left, with Cheryl Barksdale, who won a Lodge cast-iron skillet at the dinner.
A 12-inch Lodge cast-iron skillet was one of the most popular wedding gifts in the United States last year, according to Zola, a wedding planning and registry service. In fact, it was THE most requested wedding gift in seven states (followed by a waffle iron in five).
This is no surprise to Nashville cookbook author Anne Byrn, who was in Knoxville recently as a guest of Union Ave Books to promote her latest tome, Skillet Love. The cookbook features 150 recipes you can make in your cast-iron skillet. To prove the point, Chef Drew McDonald of The Plaid Apron and his staff made eight of the book’s recipes for an appreciative group of diners who paid $80 for the dinner and a copy of the book on a recent Wednesday night.
I have a cast-iron skillet, of course. But I only use it to make cornbread. At least that’s the only use I’ve had for it until now. With this book in hand, I plan to branch out to wilted salads, vegetables, chicken and even dessert. The Mississippi Mud Cake that Chef McDonald turned out from the book ranks among the top five desserts I’ve ever had. Read on to see some of the dishes from this personable New York Times best-selling author. Continue reading
