For a while, we were receiving arrays, like the one to the left, on a regular basis.  These arrays usually (but not always) included a note from the customer saying that the array had only been used four times, that we should replace the array because the array didn’t last very long and was therefore clearly defective (or something similar). As someone who has used this machine for four years and knows our systems inside and out, I can tell you with 100% certainty that this array has been used far more than four times. The wear pattern on this array is totally normal.

However, the majority of our customers who send their products back to us do so because they are having a legitimate issue. Sometimes it turns out to be a case of user error. Sometimes the customer  has received a defective part. Sometimes, the machine has been used for many years, and it’s finally reached the end of its lifespan. We may find out about your problem during a phone call, and sometimes we may suggest that  you send the unit in for further troubleshooting. While we can solve many issues over the phone, sometimes it’s easier on everyone if we look at the unit in person.The bottom line is that we do offer a warranty service, and we’re happy to look at one of our units to determine whether it’s working properly or not.

If you want us to contact you after we’ve evaluated the machine, please tell us that in your note and include your phone number or email address. This expedites the repair process, so that our techs can contact you directly. 

This process usually takes 2-3 weeks, so please be patient with us. Our techs (and sometimes office staff, like myself) have to work warranty claims in with the rest of our manufacturing schedule, and sometimes we have to put a warranty claim on hold for a few days before we can attend to it. We are frequently asked to expedite one particular warranty claim or another, but we usually cannot make any promises. If we had several large facilities with a few hundred employees, it would be easy to dedicate a warranty claim team, but at this point in time, we cannot dedicate any of our employees to such a specialized task. We are proud of the fact that our units do not break very often, and we don’t actually need a dedicated warranty team!

If you are having problems, you can send your machine to:

Casas Adobes Design
6336 N Oracle Rd Ste 326-272
Tucson, AZ 85704

Once we receive your machine, we unpack it and do a quick visual inspection to make sure that everything arrived intact. At that point, we begin a Warranty Report.

The technician then moves to the array. Are the outer bars in good shape? Are the plates in good shape? Does it look like the array has been cleaned correctly? In our sample report, the array is in good shape (at least 60% of its expected lifespan remaining) and looks like it’s been cleaned regularly.

Our next section is for your cable. Does the cable itself show signs of water exposure? What about the ends of the cable? Other damage? In our sample, the cable itself doesn’t show any signs of exposure to water. The ends of the cable, however, do show signs of exposure to water. Our technician notes that the blue connectors on one end have corrosion inside the terminals and that they are discolored.  Exposure to water is the #1 way to ruin your cables, and this is what we see most often in cables that are not operating properly.

Sometimes we get things like opened shakers of salt or GFI plugs with your system as well. This section, “Other components returned,” is our comment box to acknowledge that we received them. The technician will indicate whether he has taken photos or not. These photos stay on our hard drives indefinitely.

At this point, I typically have a tech in my office to look up a customer service record. If we receive a unit like our sample unit where we find some kind of minor damage, even if it isn’t covered by our warranty service, we may make a complimentary repair if it is the first time the customer has asked for warranty coverage. In this case, the technician notes that this is the customer’s first warranty claim, and that he will complete a complimentary repair.

If we are making a warranty replacement, we note it here. If we’ve made a repair, we note it in the appropriate field. Sometimes a technician doesn’t need the extra space, and simply notes that he’s already noted the appropriate answer in another field, such as this sample.

I have a friend who has started cooking with cast iron and has been restoring a number of old cast iron skillets she’s picked up in various places around town- Craigslist, thrift stores, etc. With renewed enthusiasm, I thought, “If she can do it, so can I!”

Properly seasoned (oiled) cast iron cookware is free of toxic non-stick chemicals (like teflon, which is a known carcinogen when it starts to break down and ooze into food) and is very easy to use. Cast iron is built to last, so there’s no need to replace pans every few years. Many pans that were made in the early 20th century are still around and can still be used. I don’t think you can say that about the type of cookware that’s made today! You should avoid storing food in cast-iron, soaking in water/soap, or scrubbing really hard at the pan after it’s properly seasoned, as that will strip away the protective coating. If you have an electric stove like I do, avoid any heat higher than “medium.” You probably won’t need it anyway, since cast iron heats very evenly and effectively. Always make sure it’s totally dry before storing- you can put it on your stove on “low” heat for a few minutes to make sure it’s really dry.

I started the restoration process by scrubbing off as much visible rust as possible with steel wool and a little bit of water. I dried it thoroughly with a clean dish towel, then plopped it on the stove and started heating it up slowly. I added some canola oil, and as soon as the pan and oil were too hot to touch, poured in some salt, put on my rubber gloves and started scrubbing with a big wad of paper towels. The pan looked a lot better, but there was still a 1/2″ crust of old, uneven seasoning around the lip of the pan and some uneven spots on the actual cooking surface. I felt like that needed to come off to prevent food from sticking once I started cooking with it.

A week later and several more hours of internet research, I decided to take the risk of putting the pan through my oven’s self-cleaning cycle. I’d read that old cast iron (such as some of the first Griswold and Wagner pans) may not do well with modern self-cleaning ovens, since the ovens can range in temperature from 900-1200* F. Other websites said it was fine. Since there was still too much crap on my pan to tell what it was, it was a bit of a risk. Modern cast iron skillets, like Lodge Logic, are cast in a slightly different manner and aren’t as susceptible to 1200* temps, or so I’ve read.  In the end, I decided that if it did crack, it would be a learning experience for me and only $2 lost. So, Sunday afternoon, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Seven hours later (allowing two hours to cool), I opened my oven to find the pan covered in a fine rust-dust, but otherwise intact. I carefully removed the skillet from the oven, holding a cookie sheet underneath to catch anything that might fall off, and brushed off the dust with a cleaning rag. There was a new layer of rust on the inside of the pan, so I repeated the steel wool/warm water and oil/salt process. There was a little bit I just couldn’t get off, but decided I could probably seal it in by seasoning right away.

Everything else had come off beautifully, and now I could read the imprint on the bottom of the pan. As far as I can tell, it’s a modern Lodge Logic #8 (10.5″ skillet). It would have been pretty exciting to find the “Griswold” stamp on the bottom, but since Griswold went out of business in the 1950’s, it was unlikely. (As a side note, my mother’s maiden name is “Griswold” so that would have been worth a smile and a giggle if I had been that lucky!) Modern pans seem to stand up a little better to higher heat (like in self-cleaning ovens), but the surface is much rougher, so it takes some extra seasoning to get your cooking surface really, really smooth.

The finished pan is in the picture to the right. Please excuse the poor lighting and glare- updating the terrible lighting in my kitchen is my next project. I probably could do a 3rd or 4th round of seasoning, but I think that once I start cooking with it, that will take care of the seasoning for me.

I am looking forward to years of non-toxic, non-stick cooking with this pan. Now that I know how to restore cast iron cookware, I might try to find a few more pieces and slowly replace as much of my cookware as possible. As an added bonus, cast iron can help keep blood iron a tad higher- as you cook, microscopic bits of iron can rub off into your food (much like eating with silver flatware, this is where the phrase “blue blood” came from!).

To clean my shower, I just twist the nozzle to a “stream” setting and blast away mildew and mold from the corners of the shower and along grout lines.  It is incredibly effective, actually a little gross to watch.  Not only does the lemon oil kill the mildew and mold but it seems to help loosen it from surfaces. Lemon oil is safe on finished wood, so I can also spray down my coffee table, end tables, and dining room table and wipe away dirt and dust with a rag.

I’ve also found that it’s great at loosening tough grease build-up in the kitchen. Put 4-5 drops on a wet rag and scrub away that greasy buildup on your range’s hood and vents, top of your range and any other greasy, sticky surface. The best part about this is that there’s no need to rinse away chemical cleaners afterwards- just wipe down with a clean rag! It does take some elbow grease, but I feel much better about this method than chemical cleaners.

The one store-bought cleaner I haven’t yet replaced is Windex for glass surfaces. I haven’t had the same results with ammonia, and the ammonia is hard on my body. For now, the Windex stays in my cleaning arsenal. I have found that a damp microfiber cloth works pretty well on mirrors without any Windex, so I try to save it for bigger jobs, such as dried doggie drool and nose prints on the back door.

I have, however, been spoiled by the Farmer’s Markets in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Harrisonburg’s Farmer’s Market never really disappoints. Their beautiful several-years-old outdoor facility is major credit to the market, and the indoor Dayton Farmer’s Market is pretty cool, too. I don’t know of anywhere in Southern Arizona where you can have a conversation with the farmer who made the cheese you are buying as you are buying it as I have in Dayton, VA. Of course, these markets are driven by the local Mennonite community- most of the vendors are Mennonite farmers, bakers, and butchers. The quality of their food is incredible. If you ever have the opportunity to buy food from a Mennonite farmer, do it; I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

So, how do you eat fresh and local when you don’t have access to a farm-to-market resource? Unfortunately, you’ll have to compromise a bit. Check the little sticker on your produce before you buy; it should give a country of origin. If you can, buy food that’s been grown in the US. If you can’t, buy food that’s been grown closer to home. In my house, this means Mexico in many cases. When you buy a product (of any kind), you’re not only paying for the product, you’re also paying for everything involved with the manufacture and delivery of the product. If your food is grown several miles form your home, the farmer doesn’t have to charge as much to make enough money to stay in business. If your food is grown thousands of miles away, the manufacturer and distributors have to charge slightly more because of the cost of fuel, labor, etc., involved in getting the food to you! Granted, in that case, there’s usually the element of volume that brings cost down a bit.

Why Go Organic?
My experience as a consumer has been that organic food tends to be more local than non-organic foods. I was hesitant to switch to organic produce last year, since I hadn’t noticed a significant difference in taste or quality, but since I have switched as completely as possible, I’ve noticed across the board that my organic produce tastes better, and I feel better. I’ve also noticed differences in texture- root veggies, such as potatoes, garlic, and carrots have a smoother texture. They are creamier. Organic potatoes seem to have a lot more starch in them. Stone fruits, such as peaches and avocados, also have smoother flesh and are easier to cut and slice. The skins may not be as pretty, but that’s a small price to pay for better fruits and vegetables! Organic greens, such as romaine and spinach, are darker in color, which is an indicator of a higher nutritional content. If you are unsure whether something is organic or not, check the PLU sticker. Organic produce has a 5-digit code (versus the normal 4-digits) that starts with a “9.”

Many cities are starting or have already started community gardens. If you don’t have any outdoor space to grow tomatoes, herbs, or smaller veggies like peppers, cucumbers, or berries, consider a community garden. I imagine that most folks who grow produce in a community garden probably share their crops, as space is limited for the amount of different plants you can grow.

If you live in an apartment or have very little outdoor space, consider growing your own herbs (it may take a few tries to get them going as herbs can be difficult to grow) or tomatoes. You can also check PickYourOwn.org to find a farm or orchard within driving distance where you can find the freshest produce available- the produce you pick yourself! The fresher your produce is, the more nutrients it will have available. Produce that is picked before it’s ripe and then artificially ripened with plant hormones (sometimes produced artificially in a lab) do not give the same nutritional value.

My pet peeve when buying summer produce is corn. Apparently, most people don’t know how to buy good, fresh corn without shucking it in the store. My grandmother taught me a few tricks when I was a little girl about buying fresh corn in the supermarket and I’m happy to share those; they’ve yet to disappoint me. Corn husks help keep fresh corn FRESH!! The first thing you want to looks for is tight, green husks around the ear of corn. The darker the green and the tighter the husk, the better. The silk hanging out of the top should as as close to white as possible. There should also be a minimal amount of white fuzz on the husk, but sometimes this is difficult to avoid. The ear of corn should feel firm, but not overly hard or squishy, the same as with other produce. That’s it!

Pulling the husks back exposes the corn and accelerates deterioration- not a good thing if you want fresh corn! When  you shuck the corn, wait until you are ready to cook it. It should take some effort to pull the husks off. You can husk corn more quickly by pulling from the top, half an ear at a time, not one individual husk at a time. This also pulls the majority of the silks off, too! Bonus! Don’t worry if there is a lot of silk on your ear of corn- this only means it will be sweeter. The silk helps deliver sugars to the corn kernels while it is growing- not a bad thing at all.

Now go out and enjoy those cool summer nights! Light up that BBQ grill and throw some of those fresh veggies on!