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i have found that my very old cast iron pan (one my mother got at an estate sale years and years ago) is superior to my 'pre-seasoned' pan. it has a smoother cooking surface and is far less likely to stick.

that being said, even the pre-seasoned ones, if they are properly taken care of (or seasoned from scratch as mamiller35 suggested) can become as good as nice, old, well-used pans.

also, regarding bacteria - i don't use soap on my pans ever. but i do preheat my pans very well before each use (to kill any leftover bacteria) and i heat them with oil after each use (to kill bacteria and to refresh the seasoning). Detergent works as a physical agent to remove most bacteria (yes, that's right, not all). Heat kills bacteria. (food-service training). of course, i still say do what you're comfortable with - if you won't use the pan otherwise, use soap! :-)

i also suggest getting a 100% blue agave tequila. "hornitas" is reasonably priced and reasonably easy to find. for those of you who do not suffer nasty hangovers with adulterated (note, i didn't say *bad*) tequilas - consider yourself lucky! for others, it's a ticket to can't-even-make-coffee-the-next-morning-cause-the-grinder's -too-loud hangover hell...

i make my coffee turkish style in an ibrik on the stove. i grind my own beans and drink at least 2 cups per morning ... right, i make it 'turkish style' but then drink it in american over-size mugs.

i'm surprised - not very many tea snobs here!
i have a difficult time drinking bagged tea. I like full, long, unbroken loose tea leaves. Brewed in a pot till strong.

In the morning, a malty Assam with a touch of sugar and a splash of milk. It is full-bodied, rich and is as bracing as good coffee.
If I'm drinking by the pot-ful, a pu-erh. No sugar or cream! It is as dark as coffee, earthy, smooth.
For a treat, a super-low tannin black tea, like chocolate on the tongue but with tea's natural sweetness (a Yunnan or even a Keemun are good for that too. Keemun is almost wine-y in scent and flavor)
Or a roasty, smooth oolong in the afternoon, low in caffeine and able to withstand many infusions, yielding slightly different flavors every time ...
mmm. tea.

pasta. cheap, bronze-cut, sauce-holding pasta. fits my graduate student budget and snobbish sensibilities.

Help!!!!
i usually sear steaks in another skillet, and decided to try my cast iron skillet this time. Just as I took the steak out of the pan, flames started in the bottom of the skillet . It was small and i easily put it out with salt, but WHY did it do that. Maybe time to season it again?

Sear a generous pork roast in half butter, half olive oil on high heat so that it gets a gorgeous crust, and then finish it in the oven at 400 for about a half hour. Tent with foil and let it sit to completion for 5-10 minutes while you fix side dishes. I season liberally with salt (Herbamare seasoned salt anyone?) and pepper, and then throw in some sherry just before putting the whole thing in the oven. This is a great quick prep I semi-cadged from W Puck. The pan juices are fabulous!

PS: Costco has a great price on a giant pork loin you can cut into three sections BTW and freeze - and this is good for at least one of the roasts, post-thaw.

where's the link on taking care of your cast iron pan?

@mares: I cook a lot of different things in my cast iron dutch oven, including jambalaya, which is heavy on tomatoes. If your iron is well seasoned, the seasoning will protect it from the acid. I also make spaghetti sauce in it. No problem.

oops, I meant to say, place them in the oven while it's cool, then turn it on to 350 degrees. Cast iron could shatter if you put a cold pan into a preheated oven.