More often than not, "single subject cookbook" refers to a book that only covers one ingredient or one type of dish. In this case, it covers only one type of pan. The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen contains a number of excellent recipes that are specifically designed to work in cast iron skillets. Each one takes advantage of some of the properties of this type of pan. For example, cast iron retains heat better than most other materials, producing a more evenly heated surface, and can work both in the oven and on the stovetop, for frying and baking. It is worth noting that the cookbook does not entirely neglect the dutch oven, which is also commonly made of cast iron and can have many of the same applications.

From breakfast to appetizers and main courses to dessert, this book should provide plenty of ways to put your skillet to use. The recipes tend towards the American, including Beef Brisket Hash, Moist Cornbread and Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Maple Balsamic Glaze, although there are a fair number of ones with international origins, such as Aebelskiver and Cherry Clafouti.

Do you have a specialty pan at home? It could be something as simple as a specialized bundt cake mold or a bit more unusual, such as an aebleskiver pan. These pans all have fairly limited uses, but if you use them often enough, it's worth the extra cabinet space to save time in the long run.

Some pans, however, might take the specialty concept a bit too far. The Jesus pan might be a good example, except you can still use it for many different kinds of food. This pepper griddle, on the other hand, is made from cast-iron and has eight pepper-shaped indentations that are "recessed to evenly blister the Jalapeno pepper halves." It can be used to make stuffed peppers, and little else.

Stuffed peppers are good, but do you really need a pan dedicated to making them? If so, they're only $15.95 each.

There are a lot of cooks that will tell you all you really need is some good nonstick cookware in your kitchen. There are an equal number who will tell you that all you need is a cast iron pan. Cast iron heats evenly, quickly and lasts nearly forever. The pans can go from the stovetop right into the oven and, once it is seasoned, the pan should be fairly stick-resistant, too. They're all-purpose pans, to say the least. Cast Iron Cooking is a book that is dedicated to the cookware, with fifty recipes that will all be at their peak when prepared in cast iron.

Frankly, this book is a great resource for people who regularly use cast iron, or want to use it more, since so many current cookbooks call for nonstick pans and confusion can occasionally arise over what is the best cookware to use. The book starts out with some basic introductions to those unfamiliar with the material, including a section explaining how they can be used for open-flame cooking outdoors. The recipes range from main dishes to desserts, and once you develop a relationship with your pan, dutch oven, etc., you'll find yourself using it for a lot more.

Like so many other people, I've been using my nonstick frying pans for many years now, in addition to my other pots and pans. With cancer concerns relating to the toxic perfluorochemicals coming to light, it's time for some new cookware. After all, the EPA is only "phasing out" these chemicals to avoid shutting down very large portions of very large companies. PFOA has been shown to cause cancer and, like mercury and lead, build up in the body over time, so there is no reason to continue our exposure to it.