Kitchen Gadget acquisition!

A month after I post about my Kitchen Gadget wishlist and I've already knocked two items off of the list- Whoa!

For my birthday, which is coming up here in a few days, my aunt and uncle got me an awesome 12" cast iron skillet from Cabelas! My uncle is a great cook, and has really gotten in to trying new and creative recipes- it's nice to talk about gardening and gadgets when we visit each other! I'm pretty psyched to use this skillet, and when I break it in, you know I'll be posting about the awesome recipes I try and how to care for it! Skillet Cornbread wins as first skillet-made recipe, hands down.

I also crossed another item off of the list-my mom gave me this Mortar and Pestle set (pictured right), which has evidently been in my family for several generations. I think that it might have been in my family since the Bronze Age- look at that thing! It's sort of a crazy shape, it's narrow and deep, and it seems to be made of brass or something- when I tap it, it sounds like a gong. In short- it's totally awesome.

I'm half-laughing just looking at the picture right now. Does it crack anyone else up? When I set it next to the granite mortar and pestle that my roommate has, it looks totally weird, and it's reeeally heavy. I'm collecting all of these new gadgets that double as weight-lifting equipment :)

I'm excited to use these two tools- cast iron seems to be really versatile and it's so neat that it can go from stove to oven. The mortar and pestle will be great for all those herbs I'm growing outdoors this season!