(AP) -- Phil DeVore pulls a folded piece of aluminum from a murky pond. The aluminum looks like a piece of siding that's blown off a building, but DeVore knows it's much more valuable than that. He slips a rubber band off the aluminum and unfolds it. He likes what he sees -- 50 or 60 glistening black leeches. They're your common ribbon leeches, Nephelopsis obscura to aquatic biologists.
Store the oil to be reused in cooking or deep frying for no longer than three months and avoid re-using the oil for deep frying more than once or twice, as the smoke point of used oil is reduced after multiple uses. Avoid pouring your used deep fryer oil down the drain or tossing it in the trash.
Wash new cast iron cookware with warm soapy water and promptly towel dry. Generously coat cookware with vegetable shortening. Bake in oven for 1 hour. Remove skillet from oven and rub again to redistribute oil. Place in the oven and bake again for 1 hour.Remove from oven.Wipe excess oil off with paper towels, then allow to cool before storing. Store in a cool, dry place, with paper towels below and on top of skillet to protect shelves and skillet.emove skillet from oven and rub again to redistribute oil. Place in the oven and bake again for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Wipe excess oil off with paper towels, then allow to cool before storing. Store in a cool, dry place, with paper towels below and on top of skillet to protect shelves and skillet.