When Grandma decides it's time to have that "talk," first, assure her she has nothing to worry about — she's gonna live to be 100. That immediately positions you as the caring grandchild. Then, as she talks about her jewelry or her antique dining room table, steer her toward the kitchen. Assure her you would only want one thing: her cast-iron cookware.

Non-cooks might think you are nuts. But if you've ever used a decades-old, well-seasoned and cared-for cast-iron fry pan, griddle or other cooking vessel, you know you have landed a true treasure. It's a family heirloom that won't sit on a shelf or be brought out only on special occasions. Rather, it will be a daily reminder of a most wonderful woman in your life.

(You say your grandmother only cooked from the microwave? No cast iron in the house? OK, then in that case, go for the jewels.)

If you do have to buy a new cast-iron pan instead, you'll have a chance to create your own food memories from scratch (for about $20 to $30 per fry pan).

So why, in this day of high-priced and scientifically manufactured cooking alloys, would anyone want something as old-fashioned as a cast-iron pan? Because it is the best pan around.

It is the original non-stick skillet. It is the best for blackening fish. It can be used for every meal of the day, including desserts (people bake pies in them). It is safe to use on top of the stove, in the oven, on a grill, in a fireplace or even a campfire. In fact, the standard 10-inch cast-iron pan was made to those dimensions so cowboys could fit it in their saddlebags.

It sears meats evenly and is the best pan to use for Pittsburgh Char Steak (more on that later). It's a perfect pan for frying chicken.

So if the pans are so great, why aren't they more popular? The drawbacks are that they are heavy and need a little tender loving care upon purchase and when cleaning. However, I contend those complaints are overstated, and they're no excuse not to include at least one cast-iron pan in your kitchen arsenal.

A properly seasoned cast-iron pan is the perfect non-stick surface. It's easy to do the seasoning, but does take some time. In short:

• Rub the inside and outside of the pan with a thin coat of oil - vegetable, canola, sunflower, shortening, lard or even food-grade coconut oil.

• Place a sheet of foil in the oven that is large enough to cover the top of the pan.

• Place the pan upside down on the foil and turn the oven to 300 degrees. After 15 minutes, increase the temperature to 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then up it to 500 degrees for 30 minutes.

• After an hour, turn off the oven and let the pan cool inside.

• Repeat this process three or four times. It can be done over a couple of days if need be.

The good news is that I shopped around for a cast-iron pan to season, and the preferred manufacturer, Lodge (as recommended by the respected Cook's Illustrated magazine), sells pre-seasoned pans. But I'd still season it at least once before cooking.

Once seasoned, I prefer to use it solely for meat for the first month. Let the natural fats continue the seasoning process. Cast iron is perfect for cooking bacon, and bacon fat is a perfect seasoning product. During this breaking-in period, I'd avoid scrambling eggs or cooking any cheesy casseroles.

To clean during the first month or so, let the pan cool completely and wipe it clean with a damp cloth. Then apply a small amount of oil and wipe the inside and out with that oil.

To store, place the new pan on several layers of paper towels (to keep the oil from leaving a ring in your drawers or cabinets) and place another three or four sheets inside the pan to cover the cooking surface. Then, if your kitchen is like mine, you can stack other pans on top of it.

Your pan is broken in after it starts to lose that "new" look.

Now you can start treating it like any other pan. Well, almost. Cast iron must be hand-washed. Never place it in a dishwasher. No matter how well seasoned it is, a dishwasher will promote rusting.

However, the cast iron is fine in a sink full of suds. You just don't want it to soak. The pan also must be cool to the touch. Never place any hot pan in water. It will warp. I have an expensive grill pan that is now lopsided because of that rookie mistake made years ago.

Use a brush (I like the Chinese bamboo brushes used to clean woks) to remove food residue, and then thoroughly rinse off the soap. While it's still damp, dry it completely with paper towels and then treat as before with a bit of oil to prevent rusting. Sounds like too much work? We're talking all of 3 minutes here.

Remember that Pittsburgh Char Steak I mentioned before? I love this steakhouse specialty. Most people can't do it at home because the resulting smoke will start the fire alarms yelping. However, I found a way to do this at the house.

Start your gas grill and turn the burners on high. Place the cast-iron pan in the middle of the grill with the handle pointing at 3 o'clock. Make sure it is where you want it because once you close that lid, you aren't going to be able to move the pan without risking a hot hand even with a thick cooking mitt.

Leave the pan to get hot for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, season a thick New York Strip. I like to buy one that is almost 2 inches thick and have it wrapped in butcher paper. A pound will easily feed two adults, and your 10-inch pan will hold two, 1-pound steaks without crowding.

On the counter, unwrap it, remove the steak and spread out the butcher paper. On it, blend a mixture of 3 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon nutmeg, 2 tablespoons steak rub and about 6 healthy scoops of ground coffee beans. Combine that until well mixed. Lightly rub the steak with olive oil and then roll the steak in the seasoning mixture until the entire outside is covered. Set the steak aside while the pan gets hot.

When the pan is ready, add about a tablespoon of oil to it and, using tongs and wadded-up paper towels, spread it around the bottom of the hot pan. Place the steak in the pan and close the grill top. Let the steak top and bottom cook for about 4 minutes per side; then the sides get 2 minutes each.

This steak is meant to be eaten on the rare side, so when the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees, take it off the pan and allow the steak to rest for 5 minutes. Shut off the grill, leaving the pan on the grill to cool down.

The resulting steak will offer a flavorful burnt crust on the outside that surrounds the juicy red meat inside. Grilled steaks are a favorite, but to break the monotony of the same old thing off the grill every time, the Pittsburgh Char can't be beat.

It's a cooking memory you can share with your grandkids one day.