Actually, this isn’t a book. It’s a magazine that six times a year comes into our mailbox with high expectation.

Suzi and I own a small herd of cast iron pans. Some folks have none, some have twenty. We’ve got ten. Some odd shapes and sizes to be sure stored on basement shelf. But there are sturdy, and of course quite heavy, 10-inch and 12-inch black beauties right next to our burner area.

Cast iron is not everyone’s favorite, perhaps because of the rudimentary look or fear about how to care for them. The look is surely primeval. The care is simple. And if you mess the pan up, you can readily reseason and keep on using. The cardinal adjective is simple: indestructible.

Southern Cast Iron appears every few months with about 75 recipes spanning every aspect of the meal. The current issue features:

• Fall’s Best Pies
• Cozy Suppers
• Bourbon Desserts

Ah, bourbon. Suzi sips. From a tall glass. And with delight. So, I showed her those dessert pages right away:

Harvest Crisps with Maple-Bourbon Cream

Bourbon-Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Bourbon-Bacon Peanut Brittle

Bourbon Butter Cake

Apple-Bourbon Streusel Pie

Bourbon-Chocolate Bread Pudding

Bourbon-Pecan Upside-Down Cake

Bourbon-Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

That charming list tells you a great deal about the quality of Southern Cast Iron. First, for a given topic, you are presented with an army of ideas. Surely one of those desserts had some appeal for you. Or maybe all of them do. I understand. I do.

Second, the recipes reflect the true Southern traditions of innovative and flavor-packed cooking. These are not “hard” recipes to make, but they are far from simple in their flavor profile and satisfaction.

The magazine has exceptionally high production quality. Excellent full-page photos will keep you from briskly flipping through an issue. You have, you must, pause when you see the spice-rubbed pork shoulder sitting on a bed of broccoli. The green veggie color, the black background of the pan, and mahogany tones of the meat make the picture a work of art. And will surely send you scurrying to procure a pork shoulder.

Oh, pork is not your thing? How about mini-cast iron skillets filled with individual Mexican Chicken pot pies?

There’s something here for everyone. You need some cast iron in your life and you need Southern Cast Iron as your happy traveling companion.