“A party without CAKE is just a MEETING” -Julia Child

This week’s recipe is… Skillet Roasted Chicken and Wild Rice!

Skillet roasted chicken is usually cooked on a cast-iron skillet on one of the lower racks of an oven.  We’ve talked about the history of rice, but what about the tools used to cook it? This week’s recipe dives into the main character of this food story: the skillet!

SKILLET COOKING HISTORY

A skillet, or frying pan, frypan, is a pan with a flat bottom that is commonly used for searing, frying, and browning foods. It’s on the smaller side–8 to 12 inches across the round part and has a long handle.

Skillet’s history can be traced all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia. Frying pans were also used in ancient Greece and Rome. The word that we use, “pan” is from the Old English word panna. In the mid-19th century, a commonly used cast iron cooking pan called a spider had three legs to stand above the coals and ashes of the fire below it. Eventually when cooking stoves became common cooking pots and pans with flat bottoms were designed. This is when our beloved skillet was introduced!

FUN FOOD FACTS!

The materials in a skillet can vary greatly! Some different constructions, or materials they are made of include:

• Clad stainless steel with an aluminum or copper core
• stainless steel
• Copper
• Cast iron
• Aluminum/Anodized aluminum

TRIVIA

Which skillets need maintenance?

Cast iron and carbon steel skillets must be seasoned before use and periodically afterward, and should be cleaned with care. Also, skillets made from copper are tinned to prevent toxic reactions and may occasionally need re-tinning. Some cooks also polish the exterior to remove tarnish.

Junior Chef Stars – The Premiere Cooking School for Kids and Teens

We hope you enjoyed this week’s recipe! April has arrived! Now is a great time to give your child the gift of an April Cooking Class!

To see a list of our upcoming classes, click here!

Which food fun fact was your favorite? What is your favorite meal to cook with a skillet? Let us know in the comments section below!