July 13, 2010

With the passage of Act 476 of 2001 by the Arkansas state legislature, the Dutch Oven became the official state historic cooking vessel. The first cast iron ovens were probably produced in Pennsylvania or Massachusetts in the early 1700s, and the name is perhaps derived from an early foundry owner who traveled to Holland to learn better casting methods. The oven was brought to Arkansas in early territorial days and, by the mid-1800s, was in widespread use. The vessel is a feature today in cooking competitions across the state.