How to Season Black Steel Pans

Yay! I hardly ever win anything! I was sooo excited. Dinnerware sets, ice cream makers, Le Creuset, I couldn't decide on what to get when I won the $80 gift certificate to CSN Stores from Gourmet Pigs several months ago.

Half of the prize went toward the Cuisinart ice cream maker, which was also available on Amazon for a few dollars more, so I knew the price was good. Of course, I have to eat down my fridge before I have any room to try it out.

But what else could I get to fill my basket? I kept adding and deleting items. Le Creuset was tempting, but just too expensive when my non-brand name cast iron enamel works fine for me. When it came down to it, I really needed new frying pans. I have a Teflon-coated 10-inch one purchased right after I graduated from college, a 10-inch Lodge cast iron pan that gets a fair amount of use, and a 12-inch Circulon pan that is sometimes too big to be practical.

Which is when I stumbled upon these Paderno World Cuisine black steel pans, also available on Amazon for several dollars more, if you're so inclined. If you like the qualities of cast iron, but don't like the weight, then black steel pans are the way to go.

How to Make a Homemade Cake Stand

It's been several months since I promised a tutorial on how to make a homemade cake stand. I finally got around to doing it when I made a cake stand as a bridal shower gift for my friend E(L).

(Look away E(L) if you don't want to see how little I spent! Actually, we've been friends for so long I know she doesn't care about things like that. Besides, the cooking lesson is worth waaay more. :P)

Anyway, the plates were finally washed and the photos are somewhat styled so you should get a better idea of the possibilities. Think of how pretty afternoon tea can be!

This was the cake stand I made for E(L). I figured simplicity was best so I chose a plate with silver trim and silver leaves on the inside rim. Glued onto a glass candlestick.

My Friend E(L)'s Bridal Shower

I, like, totally, had to go to the "valley" for my friend E(L)'s awesome bridal shower. It was, like, the raddest ever! :P

Gah! She lives in the middle of nowhere. Well, nowhere when it comes to food anyway, I thought as I drove past Encino and Van Nuys and all these other cities that I only knew about through movies or as addresses for television stations before I moved to SoCal. And even after I moved to SoCal, I still have yet to go to the San Fernando Valley for any restaurants.

I've mentioned my friend E(L) before once or twice on the blog. Most of the time, OK, almost every time, we get together, she comes to me so she can get her fix of Chinese and Vietnamese food. If you want to be mentioned on the blog, we have to either try a new restaurant or it has to be a special, bloggable occasion. Ordinary dining excursions to places I've already blogged about won't get you mentioned. Ha!

Anyway, E(L) and her fiance recently bought a new house, and what a house! Take lots of pictures she said after I walked through the door.

As if she had to ask!