Today’s  Fancy Free Friday Winner: The Humble Cast Iron Griddle.

Let’s talk about summer cooking, shall we?

You know, that glorious season where we convince ourselves that grilling meat, poultry and fish outdoors while sweating profusely in a cloud of mosquitoes counts as leisure.

There is a tool that’s made it genuinely enjoyable—nay, transformational. No, it is not Bluetooth-enabled tongs. It is my beloved Lodge griddle.

Unlike most things in life such as gas, groceries or tariffed tomatoes and avocados, the Lodge griddle does not decimate your bottom line. It is modest, sturdy and life-enhancing.

Here’s how it works in my backyard BBQ setup:

Steak, poultry or burger? Straight to the open flame. Caveman-approved.

Fish, potatoes or veggies? Onto the griddle, where they don’t fall apart or slip through the grates.

It’s a harmonious dual-zone system. Fire on the left, finesse on the right. Yin meets yang. Carnivore meets pescatarian. Everyone’s happy.

Clean-up? A delight. Well, as delightful as cleaning up hot metal can be. A quick wipe of food residue, a satisfying scrape like you’re erasing the sins of dinners past and then the final spa treatment…a dab of vegetable oil massaged lovingly into the surface like you moisturizing an old cowboy’s face.

That is it. No drama. No dishwasher. No twenty-minute Google search for how to clean cast iron without accidentally ruining the patina.

While some people blow their savings on air fryers with 38 functions and a college degree to operate, I will stick with my simplistic griddle.

It is straightforward, effective and makes me look like I actually know what I’m doing when I cook outdoors.

Let’s be honest, if you can sear salmon, grill a burger, sauté mushrooms and still have time to sip a mango margarita before flipping, you’re not just cooking.

You are living with PFA Free and non-toxic Lodge cookware for only $39.90.

You are welcome.