Dear Backwoods Home Editor,

This is the first time that I read your magazine, and I loved it!

I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and we used cast iron pans to cook every meal.  When I was married 13 years ago, my Dad gave me the complete pan set as a wedding gift. I have 6 pans from the original set that were my Great Grandmother’s and I have added a 12 inch dutch oven with legs and a lid (for camping) and a 12 inch deep sided skillet that I found dirt cheep at a yard sale (it was rusty and the lady did not know how to cure it). The lid from the dutch oven fits my 12 inch skillet and the deep sided skillet, it can also be turned upside down and used as a small griddle when camping.  I will not cook with anything else!

Thank you for the great articles and your publication. I will be subscribing soon!

April Letourneau
Wasilla, Alaska

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In response to a letter of a Reader looking for Canned Bacon. I Found this item while doing a related search (on MRE’s).

Try here (http://www.mrestore.com/products-all.php?page=2&cid=2) for a distributor that has Bacon.

Love the Magazine keep it up.

Yours,

Scott Paul
St. Charles, Missouri

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I enjoyed Jackie’s article on cast iron.  We have collected a number of pots/pans/ovens over the years.

The section of the article addressing whether or not to “wash” one’s cast iron struck me.  My dad was from upstate New York in a very rural setting.  He had some beautiful cast iron skillets (which we now have!) that were perfectly seasoned and he used nearly every day.  I learned from him to use very hot water and SALT to “wash” the cast iron.

The article mentioned the pioneers using a handful of sand.  I think the salt likely provides the same result.  Just toss a little in the very hot water, shove it around with a rag or sponge or whatever is handy, rinse, dry, then we use a paper towel to rub just a VERY small amount of oil on the inside of the utensil, and dry it out in a 200 degree oven.  Once it cools, it’s ready for the next use.

Thank everyone at BHM for all of the hard work, the information, and the willingness to share it all with us.

Best regards,

Mary Nell Condren
DeRidder, LA

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Thanks! Despite loving to cook on well-seasoned cast iron, I’ve never been able to properly season it. After reading your article, I figured I’d give it one more try.

I found a cast-iron griddle at a garage sale last weekend. Although it looked seasoned, it was little used, much like my own, since I was never able to do it correctly.

To make a long story short, I hand sanded that thing for two hours on my deck yesterday. After I got it down to 220 grit sandpaper, I decided I didn’t like it well enough yet, so I started over again at 60 grit. It was as close to glass as I could get it before even attempting to oil it.

After sanding, and cleaning it with paper towels and a LOT of oil (no water) until all the loose iron was gone, I oiled it, tossed it in the oven, and waited …. perfect eggs this morning, and it didn’t stick at all! I now have a couple more things in my basement that need sandpaper….. dutch oven and bigger griddle being the two biggest things.

Paula Werme
Boscawen, NH

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Thanks for the “Whole Wheat for the Whole Week” article. [Issue #117 - May/June, 2009] I changed the recipe to add Whole Grains to it. I found a recipe that tells you how to prepare the grains. I was just putting them in dry before, good but hard on the teeth.

This is what I used.

2 Tablespoons Wheat Berries
2 Tablespoons Oat Groats
2 Tablespoons Spelt Kernels
2 Tablespoons Millet Seed
2 Tablespoons Barley.
(Cracked Wheat, Oats & Spelt).

Cook grains together in 2 parts Water to 1 part Grain (I used 1 1/2 Cups Water): Cook until water is absorbed. Cool to room temperature. I added this just before mixing in the flour.

I had to divide the recipe into 4 parts instead of 3 parts because we like smaller loaves of bread.

Another GREAT BIG thanks for all of Jackie Clay’s articles. Her Canning Article gave me enough confidence to can our meats. I canned as a kid with my Mom but all she really canned was Green Beans.

Angi Weyhrich
Springdale, WA

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Oh my. After a couple days away from your website I logged on and scanned quickly for something to open and of course — my all time favorite subject — CAST IRON COOKWARE!!!!!

I loved the article immensely – almost as much as I love my cast iron cookware. I have 2 dutch ovens, a griddle, many, many skillets (probably at least 6) and just bought two pots with wooden handles at a flea market. I’m always on the prowl for more cast iron. That is my weakness. I LOVE Lehman’s and every time I go, I almost always get a new skillet or some other valuable piece that I just have to have. I typically make soups and stuff over the campfire in my dutch ovens, I have never baked – I’ve been afraid to try. This is the same reason I haven’t bought the cornbread trays.

I’m at work and at lunch so I printed the article to finish reading at home. Thank you, Jackie, for a very informative article (and an exciting one for me). I will try to bake something now, you’ve given me some confidence to try.

Linda Fenk
West Wheatfield, PA

We’re happy you enjoyed the article, Linda and hope you’ll consider subscribing to the print issue. Only a few articles from each issue go online so why take the chance of missing one you’d really enjoy. — Dave

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Hello.

My husband and I are brand new to both BHM and the idea of self-reliant living.  We are moving onto our own acreage to start a small farm in the next week.

I wanted to let you know how enlightening I found the article by Linda Gabris “Homemade Pre-Mixed Foods, They’re Economical and Easy To Make”. [Issue #117]  I can’t believe it had never crossed my mind to make these things at home!  The recipes look easy and included enough detail and variation that I am sure they will become staples in my pantry.

I am hoping to see many more recipes like these for us “New Kids” who can use all the suggestions they can get!  Maybe a cookbook all about this topic?

Thanks so much for being a source of knowledge and support, and we will be counting the days until our next issue!

Kara Fraley
Cornersville, TN

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I really enjoyed Jackie Clay’s article on cast iron. We’ve been using it for years and love it too. Just by experimenting with cooking and cleaning and restoring it we picked up most of the info Jackie covered already–but it was great to see it all in print! I hope that article is part of her new cookbook and I can’t wait to see that–I’ll definitely order one!

She’s a great inspiration and a fount of knowledge.  I’ve had several of my questions answered on her Ask Jackie Blog and am very grateful there’s someone out there who actually knows a few odd things and is willing to share the info.

Mary Thompson

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I have been home canning since 1975 and I don’t think I have ever read a better how-to article. [You can safely and easily can your own meat]

I thank you very much.

It goes to show, you’re never to old to learn some thing new!!

MSG James M Reeder
U.S. Army Retired
Topeka KS

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Thank you for posting some of Jackie Clay’s columns online.

I am learning to can and want to can black beans and she gave me just the right pressure and duration advise.  I had Googled “Home Canning Black Beans” and went to your site first because you’re such a reputable, reliable source of information.

Thank you for all that you do.

Heather Bonser-Bishop
Trinidad, CA

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