Recipes & Cookware Editor

Tess Bowman

Tess writes the cookware and recipe side of The Cast Iron Craft: cornbread that actually has a crust, dutch oven bread that doesn't require sourdough sainthood, and head-to-head reviews of every cast iron brand worth your money. She owns more skillets than is reasonable and has opinions about all of them — Lodge for daily, Stargazer when the eggs matter, Le Creuset when you're braising.

Covers: Recipes, Cookware Types, Buying Guides

Cast iron recipes
Dutch oven cooking
Cookware reviews
Cornbread
Steak technique
Skillet pizza
Enameled cast iron

Articles by Tess Bowman

3 pieces

Buying Guides
Best Cast Iron Skillet: Tested Picks ($30 to $300)

Best cast iron skillet: Lodge for value, Stargazer for smoothness, Smithey for heirloom, Field for lightweight. Honest brand breakdown with prices.

May 12, 2026
Cookware Types
Cast Iron Dutch Oven: Complete Guide (Bare vs Enameled)

Cast iron dutch oven guide: bare vs enameled decision tree, 5qt vs 7qt sizing, brand-by-brand honest breakdown from Lodge ($60) to Le Creuset ($400).

May 12, 2026
Recipes
Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread (With a Real Crust)

Cast iron skillet cornbread: the chemistry behind the hot-pan crust, Southern vs Northern sugar debate, cornmeal grind, and a recipe that actually works.

May 12, 2026