Dear Ms. Hill,

My sister and I share an old farmhouse now that our husbands are gone and we do a lot of antique shopping in relation to our hobby of cooking. The house is full of antique cook books, pudding molds, serving pieces, grinders and gadgets. We particularly love cast iron cookware and most of our pans and pots are beautifully seasoned. However, we occasionally come across a great piece that needs more seasoning than the coating of salad oil that we customarily give these things. Do you have any suggestions?

Maria and Sylvia, Middletown, RI

Dear Maria and Sylvia,

As I have said many times before, my first resource to consult is something written a long time ago. I like old household encyclopedias, housekeeping books, and how-to manuals used by our great-grandparents. I've got quite a collection of them and their advice is invaluable. I've got a reference that suggests the following. Use vegetable shortening (like Crisco) and apply a thin coating to every surface including the handle and underside. Place the piece of cast iron on a cookie sheet upside down into a cold oven and slowly bring the temperature up to 350 degrees. Once hot, set your timer for one hour; when finished, shut off the oven and allow the piece to cool in the oven. Don't wash it with soap; don't boil water in it; don't let it soak; don't use the dishwasher to clean it. I think you'll like this method.

I found another related tip in a book written in the late 1940s. This tip involves cleaning iron utensils. Clean cast iron utensils with steel wool and feldspar, nature's finest scouring powder. To remove rust, use only steel wool.