The heavy cast iron cooking pot is also called a caldero or caldron. This main pot is similar to the Dutch Oven. Most times they come with a heavy lid, other times you get the pot and cover separate to buy (those smart businessmen). They come in various sizes, the largest I've seen measures some 3 feet across, and are used to cook meat, stews, soups and rice dishes such as pelau and mixed rice. When it comes to Trini cooking this iron pot forms the core of our style of cooking. It could be passed on from generation to generation.
These pots start their cooking career looking nice and shiny but the real veterans in the kitchen become black with use, over the years. I have learned a couple of things over time about keeping these pots clean. For one thing, never use harsh detergents to clean the pot. Also it is easier to clean by letting it soak with hot water for a little while. It is easier to scrape out anything stuck to it, with a scouring pad or even a spoon. My mother-in-law uses an oven cleaner to remove burns accumulated over time, but uses it with rubber gloves for safety.
The versatility of this utensil lies in the fact that it could also be used on a wood fire outdoors to give the same or even better cooking results. It is said that these pots are better to use than it's aluminum counterparts because the tiny traces of iron that gets in the food, does not pollute the body but rather helps strengthen it; possibly over time you wouldn't need an iron supplement. :-) So if you're into Trini style cooking, this is one pot you got to have.
Iron pots2.
