Extraordinary times. But through it all runs three meals a day, four if you are British and have tea, five if you are very very British and have Elevenses, six if you count Madeira and an olive. So this week on the Post: our five favourite kitchen utensils, the ones we literally could not live without and use every day. First up the cast iron skillet. We have had ours since New York 1968 (Lower East Side, working in an art gallery, mini skirts, boots, god we were only a flicker away from being Twiggy). Ours look exactly like these fifty-one years later. The secret is never to wash the skillet in detergent, only use very very hot water; that keeps a very think layer of grease/olive oil permanently on it. Ours is literally our favourite kitchen utensil. Here is a UK website that supplies them. Their advantage is that they provide a wonderful surface for stir fries, fried potatoes, frittata (and obv. can go in the oven although don’t absent-mindedly grab it by the handle). The disadvantage is that they are heavy. But once you have one in your life it will be like acquiring a puppy, you won’t imagine how you survived without it.