Dining and Cooking
Local Man Makes the French Onion Tarte Tatin! You won't BELIEVE what happened next!
In Serious Eats

Local Man Makes the French Onion Tarte Tatin! You won’t BELIEVE what happened next!


To paraphrase Homer Simpson: Yeah…that's a good looking Tarte Tatin…why the hell doesn't mine look like that?

I knew it would be ambitious but I tried like hell to follow the recipe as closely as possible – timed, temped, everything looking good when I pulled it out of the oven (I even remembered using a kitchen towel this time!)

But nope. The Lodge cast iron said…"nice try, a-hole". Then, to add insult to injury (it almost added injury to injury too) the handle just SNAPPED off my 10" Lodge cast-iron as I was moving it from table to sink to cool off. That's cast-iron! How the hell does that even happen!?!!

by VR_Troopers_WikiMod

39 Comments

  6. funundrum

    Fuck. Sorry about your tarte. Probably worth an email to Lodge because you’re right, cast iron shouldn’t do that.

  7. poncythug

    I actually didn’t believe what happened next, damn.

  8. YupNopeWelp

    Oh buddy. I’m glad there was no injury added to injury.

  9. Minflick

    Send the pieces to Lodge, and ask if they will replace it! They might.

  10. OttoHemi

    When you’re bragging about something, the mic drop is not necessarily literal.

  11. carlos_the_dwarf_

    Can’t believe your tile didn’t crack.

  13. 12dogs4me

    Last insult of the year for you hopefully!

  16. paradox_pete

    was the pan cracked? this doe NOT happen to CA unless there is a crack!

  17. angiexbby

    i’m sorry for laughing. I did not expect the last picture and your post title is perfect

  20. CharmiePK

    I am sorry to hear that, but were you able to salvage a bit of the tarte tatin in the end or did it just got splattered all over the floor? That’s some really crazy story – the pan must have got really mad at you, matey!

  21. AwkwardChuckle

    Jaysus – I would absolutely contact Lodge, that could’ve cause a serious injury.

  24. HeddyL2627

    I clicked on this expecting some crazy shit, and it did not disappoint. Clearly the cast iron gods chose to smite that pan :/ Fatal cast iron imperfections aren’t all that unusual, but we don’t normally see them occur so graphically in home cooking vessels because they’re not under pressure.

    Good job avoiding a real catastrophe — like colliding with a foot!

  25. BarsOfSanio

    In case someone hasn’t asked the igit question… Boiler?

  26. Wabi-Sabi_Umami

    I’m so sorry for your loss! That definitely shouldn’t happen.

  27. Silver-Release8285

    You washed with it soap once five years ago didn’t you?

  29. yung_miser

    What the hell! That’s my biggest fear when I do deep dish

  30. gravitationalarray

    That’s crazy, OP! I’m glad you weren’t burnt, and that it didn’t fall on your foot! Yesterday I knocked my kitchen knife off the counter and caught it in my hand… fortunately the blade needs sharpening.

    Hope Lodge replaces that!

  31. manateeshmanatee

    You’re right! I absolutely would not have predicted that! My eyes got so wide when I swiped to picture 3!

  32. limbweaver

    welp, at least it didn’t crack the tile. It could have been worse.

  33. trustme1maDR

    Oof! Sorry! I accidentally dropped a lodge once and it busted on me too. It does happen!

  34. kGibbs

    Jesus, RIP. 😂 

    On the bright side, this is a NYE memory I feel you won’t soon forget. Hopefully you look back and laugh, because isn’t that what life is all about anyway… 

  35. Super_Cap_0-0

    Dang dude! I feel for you! Happy new years. Maybe it was just 2025 giving one last middle finger.

  38. Real_2020

    Of course the 2025 dumpster fire would take another stab at things.

  39. Real_2020

    Lodge cheap(mg out and using American steel?