Iron Chef

Many cooks are wondering whether their non-stick pans are safe, and with good reason. Tests show that pans coated with Teflon and analogous products release toxic fumes when heated to high temperatures -- fumes that are fatal to birds and may cause flu-like symptoms in humans. Increasing awareness of the issue has led chefs like the New York Times' Mark Bittman back to cast iron. Seasoned correctly, the old-fashioned, inexpensive cookware is as non-stick as coated pans. What's more, iron heats more evenly than stainless steel or aluminum.