The cast iron skillet is the ultimate cook's tool. For cooking the perfect steak or handling a fillet of wild salmon, it's sublime. For roasting vegetables it makes the seamless transition from stovetop to oven to table. Upside-down cakes and other sweet treats just turn out better in cast iron. Following up their successful "Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook" (2004), Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne bring a whole world of spices, herbs and preparations to their new cookbook that's all about big flavours. It includes possibly the best steak in the world, a seared rib-eye with truffle butter and smoked blue cheese; a wonderful tamarind glazed crab, sizzling shrimp with smoked paprika; caramelised fennel, shallot and pear tart; and a spicy raw apple cake. The recipes from these authors are sophisticated but easy, not fussy. The results are delicious; this is home cooking at its best.