I love this analogy (almost as much as I love my cast iron pans). There's just so many ways his analogy works; off the top of my head:

• Both are old-fashioned
• Both are dependable
• Both look a little dingy and beat-up
• Both are heavy-duty work horses
• Both have some quirks and require a little TLC
• Both are commonly inherited
• Both are "outdated" technology
• Both are go-to tools for Pros in the trenches
• Both are incredibly flexible tools
• Both can handle serious heat
• Both can burn you if you don't learn proper handling
• Both have been declared dead in favor of fancy new replacements
• Both are still in heavy use, if not in high visibility
• Both can be used as a weapon in a pinch
• Both have loyal fans who understand their impressive strengths
• Both bring a big ol' smile to my face

I'm going to have to apologize in advance for "borrowing" this idea, because I have a (strong) feeling I'm going to end up writing my own vision of Perl as my cast iron pan at some point. As the above list likely shows, it just fits my perspective too well to pass up.

I promise to attribute you fully for the original idea and inspiration, though, and if I end up writing something, I'll link back to here. ;-)