July 30, 2014
Blu Skillet Ironware
With our first-ever venture into Portland right around the corner, we’re beginning our Maker Spotlights for our Mini Market! Today we’re featuring Blue Skillet Ironware.
Blu Skillet creates iron pans, that are forged rather than cast. This makes the pans lighter and easier to handle, as well as less porous and quicker to season. They can take high temperatures and they can go from stove top, to oven, to table. The blue color is a product of heat treatment, which forms a protective layer of blue iron oxide on polished steel. It is a natural rust deterrent, and combined with organic virgin coconut oil, provides an excellent preseasoned surface – making the pans nonstick and ready to use. They’re iron pans and therefore reactive, so they won’t stay blue – they’ll darken and patina as you cook and season them, and their polished finish will continue to contribute to an easily maintained nonstick surface.
Each pan and product Blu Skillet creates can take a long time and a lot of effort, however, Patrick and Caryn’s diligent and careful work on every product produces incredible results. Blu Skillet takes raw material and gives it form and a purpose, and soon after that, a new home.
Patrick and Caryn kindly gave us a sneak peek into their metal and iron shop and we couldn’t be more amazed!
Every pan is skillfully hammered by Patrick in their Seattle workshop. Caryn carefully adds the final finishing touches to create a one-of-kind long-lasting skillet. 
After researching and testing out their pans, Patrick and Caryn found that blue steel pans aren’t just beautiful, and lighter, they’re also great for searing and caramelizing. They believe that there is something so satisfying and wonderful about cooking dinner in a pan that is made by hand. We can’t help but agree and hope to test out their skillets ourselves!
Currently, Blu Skillet produces about 20 pans per week, which are either sold through their online shop, out of their studio directly, or at their local farmers market. We’re thrilled that Patrick and Caryn chose our Portland Mini Market to showcase their iron pans to the handmade community. 