The benefits of cast-iron pans are legion. They heat evenly and hold the heat. When “seasoned” properly (see note), they have a nonstick surface that rivals fancy factory coatings. They are affordable and readily available at yard sales and thrift stores, as well as in retail outlets. They last a lifetime, or several lifetimes.

They resist scorching and burning. They can be used for almost any method of cooking: sauteing, frying, broiling, braising, stewing, roasting and baking. From a mess of catfish to a French tarte tatin, cast-iron cookware can do the job.

Lodge Manufacturing, a Tennessee company founded in 1896 that claims to be “the only American manufacturer of quality cast-iron cookware,” recently published “The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook” (Oxmoor House, 2012). This is one of those cookbooks in which nearly every recipe appeals, from Seasonal Breakfast Frittata to Bacon and Gorgonzola Cornbread Sliders With Chipotle Mayo. The fajitas and the potato dish, below, are a tasty sampling.

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