Cast iron pans are a fantastic investment for your kitchen and for your family’s health, but many of us aren’t using them correctly when it comes to seasoning, cleaning, or even following proper steps while cooking. Although I grew up in a family that cooked with cast iron frequently and have a few of my own, I am still learning too.
Some of my most controversial, infamous, and still-talked-about Facebook posts of all time involve something that seems to draw opinions from even the most reserved people I know: expiration dates. Many people believe that the “sell by” or “best by” dates stamped on food are the end-all, be-all, definitive line between “safe” and “not safe” for food, and in almost every case that is not accurate.
Over the past three weeks, we’ve looked at the story of DuPont’s production of the chemical compound C8 despite studies that indicated danger to humans. It appears their replacement chemical Gen-X may cause some of the same problems that C8 did. Additionally although C8 can no longer be produced, it is still present in pre-2015 cookware and other products. So what do we do?
I once heard someone say that turning on your faucet is the biggest act of blind faith you can imagine. Perfluorinated compounds, like those used in the production of Teflon and other non-stick, water-resistant, and grease-resistant products have shown up in drinking water all over the country (not just near DuPont plants) and in materials in every country on the planet.
When I mentioned to my dad that I was researching DuPont, Teflon, and impacts on health, he told me that when he was a kid, he lived next to their Louisville works. I was horrified as he told me how he and his friends would sneak onto the dumping grounds for fun… and how many of those friends have now died from brain cancer.
Over the summer, Christian and I watched a fantastic documentary on Netflix called “The Devil We Know” about a chemical compound used in the production of Teflon and DuPont’s role in covering up potential negative health impacts. With the release of the movie “Dark Waters” in theaters this coming weekend, it seemed like a good time to dive into the details around the subject.