The Mountain Laurel
The Journal of Mountain Life

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from the
Heart of the Blue Ridge


The Old Iron Frying Pans

By Lora Fleming © 1990

Issue: February, 1990

"Get rid of these old iron skillets."
My daughter, to me said.
"These ugly old black skillets,
Now that you have the ones green and red."

With your modern new kitchen,
You will need them no more,
They won't match the others,
They're really an eye sore."

Get rid of my old iron skillets?
I could hardly hold back the tears,
They were just like family to me.
Some I'd had nigh forty years.

Well I packed up my old iron skillets
And sadly put them away.
Somehow I had a feeling,
I'd need them again some day.

In a few months the new pans warped,
I couldn't get the potatoes brown,
And eggs all stuck to bottom of the pan,
And my bacon made everyone frown.

Now the old iron skillets are back in use.
My daughter loves potatoes fried brown,
Her eggs not stuck and her bacon right
For this no other frying pan's found.

These skillets are like old, old friends,
The ones who are tested and true.
Don't cast them aside - your new friends may warp
And not be a bit suitable for you.