When does our curiosity turn into a serious interest in learning more about people, places or things? or even shift into obsession? We inherit some cast iron pans. We learn how to properly season them. We find cast iron easy to cook with… for virtually anything… for frying… for roasting… for baking… for broiling… we become dependent on our cast iron… we research manufacturers… we learn the history… the markings… the market value… we find rusty 100 year old waffle irons caked with grease and grime… we dip them them in lye… and vinegar… and season them with beeswax… and other secret concoctions… we increase their value 10 fold… but we can’t sell them because we’re addicted to using them… and showing them… and learning more and more… we’re on the hunt for griddles… and Bundt pans… and we let people know that we’d like this or that vintage cake pan from Blaibach, Germany… for our birthday… Well not “we” really… But my daughter, Tanya. If it were me we’d be talking about pens, or lenses, or… well, actually, I really do love my cast iron waffle iron, griddle, and 6″ cast iron frittata pan.
The Cast Iron Bee arrived, from Germany, on my front porch on Monday. On Tuesday morning Tanya came to unwrap the pan. On Sunday she brought me a delicious (yellow, orange scented cinnamon cake with orange, honey, vanilla glaze)… and incredibly gorgeous Bee Cake with actual pollen stuck to its back legs. The cake received 1,400 likes within 4 hours of first posting a photo on Tanya’s international Bundt Cake Facebook page.
(click photographs for larger view)
Leica M Monochrom, 50 mm Summilux Asph
Leica M, 28 mm Summicron Asph