Sunday, November 15, 2009

The Thanksgiving Challenge Post 15: All these new contraptions Part 2

It seems that something new comes along every five minutes. Have you noticed that as soon as you get your computer humming, along comes a new program that makes what you're using totally obsolete? Nothing maddens Mac more than that. When he bought me my new laptop, it came with a certificate for the new Windows 7...we've come to expect these changes, often putting off a purchase til the "new edition" has the bugs worked out of it.

What I am most thankful for today has to do with cooking. I can remember my grandmother's big electric range that took up a good part of the kitchen. But sitting squat and black in a corner was the little Franklin stove, the one that had the fire laid in it every night before bed, so that all it needed was a match when her feet hit the floor. The Franklin stove heated the kitchen, cooked the grits and warmed the chilled little bodies that dressed before it, getting ready to catch the school bus. The electric range made the biscuits and cooked the roast, fried the chicken, baked the cakes and transformed little rounds of sweet dough into cookies that melted in your mouth.

Then, along came this young upstart, the Microwave. Everyone raved about it, what a marvelous invention it was, how it was transforming kitchens the world over. Microwave cook books came out with tips on how to use this marvelous new invention so that your bread didn't need an icepick to break it apart for eating. Thing is, I never figured out how to cook one darned thing in one that tasted nearly as good as what I cooked on my electric range...or the wonderful Aga gas range that I had when we lived in England. But you know, sometimes I want a cup of tea faster than the range can do it, at times like that I'm thankful for my darling little microwave...but for the life of me, I can't figure out any other useful purpose for it! One day it's going to make a wonderful little planter.

31 comments:

larkswing said...

lol! so true! When my ex-husband and I went to purchase our first microwave in the late 80's, he did it like everything - had to get the biggest - 1000 watt microwave. I was deteremined if we were going to have one with that power, it was going to be used for more than popping popcorn! He was going to eat meals cooked in that bad boy! So I made meatloaf (yes cooked in the microwave (not very good), chicken all kinds of things. Have not done any of that since, but now I do use it to reheat a lot of different things (and pop my popcorn!)

Anonymous said...

Reheating is about it. Wonder what is next in that type of thing? Good post.
QMM

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Loved this post! My husband has always said that our microwave is the MOST EXPENSIVE TEAPOT we have ever bought :-)
Hugs,
Penny

Anonymous said...

One of my oldest cookbooks informs the housewife that she can have something new, instead of the woodstove, a gas stove, even an electric range. My dad recalls his aunt having this huge wood stove - on top every pie and good thing to eat imagineable. We're talking HUGE wood stove from what I understand. And, in the Texas heat no less. Enjoyed your post! See ya next time. JEnn

CailinMarie said...

HAHA! Pretty much what I use the microwave for too. I do prefer cooking on the stove or in the oven over the microwave myself.

Kathy's Klothesline said...

The microwave oven is good for making rice...... and heating water. I have a wood stove right off the kitchen and I love cooking on it in the winter. We have hickory wood in abundance here and it makes for a wonderful slow cooked meat dish. Smells so good!

Lee said...

Yep, that's what I use mine for too, Sandi. Heating things up, or defrosting them. I guess if I was to use it for anything else it would be for loosening candles from the containers and sterilizing sponges. Fun and memory filled post. My grandmother had a gas stove for us to dress in front of.

Hugs,
Lee

Cathy said...

Hello Sandi
Earlier this year we had to replace our fabulous 1985 model m/wave - Dh found one he said was super duper easy to use.
The previous one had two dials - one for time the other for heat settings and further round defrost. The new one does have melt and soften, but sometimes I just want a quick defrost for a very small amount (say for when I've got a starving cat at my feet and the cat meat which is frozen in small portions hasn't been removed from the freezer in time) its then I forget which is which and end up with something thats started to cook. The actual defrost programme involves weights and measures that would confuse even a statistician as well as cook!!
And of course the b....... thing has that awful beep beep noise - oh the times I tell it (yell at it) I know its finished what its doing lol
Am loving this series of thoughts for each day of November
Take care
Cathy

Hilary said...

I got my first microwave sometimes before my second son was born because I remembered how when my first born came along, every single dinner I had for months (no matter when it was scheduled) was eaten cold because as soon as dinner was placed on the table, he'd get cranky and need to nurse. So it's perfect for reheating of course and also great for pre-cooking. Chicken legs get a few minutes in the microwave before they're put on the bbq grill.. perfect!

Beth P. said...

popcorn?
leftovers?

I'm with you--real food tastes so much better cooked on a range!

You always make me smile!

Sally said...

My microwave "broke" a few months ago, and you know? I haven't missed it at all. It was nice when I was working and using it for Lean Cuisine or other frozen entree's. I use a little electric pot to heat water for my one cuppa in the morning.

Have a great week, Sandi. :)

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

I agree!!!!

♥Mimi♥ said...

What can I say - I had the microwave and, like you, never did much other than make popcorn and warm leftovers. When that huge thing died it was replaced with a much smaller version that is above my stove. Cooking with gas - the ultimate best. I have it and wouldn't give it up for all the tea in China! There are some blessings that we are so thankful for that we'll fight to keep them☺

Justabeachkat said...

So true.

I don't cook in mine, unless you count making popcorn cooking. Otherwise, mine is just for warming things up.

Hugs!
Kat

♥ Braja said...

True....and yeah, I hate microwaves and love the big old Agas of yore :)

Maria said...

I'm contemplating buying one right now....a microwave I mean...

Maggie May said...

Bread in a microwave..... oh no!
They are most useful for heating a second portion that you cooked yesterday and popping in an overly salted and overly packed with additive type of ready meal.......... IF YOU CAN'T GET INTO YOUR KITCHEN!
Three cheers for microwaves for emergencies! A great modern blessing.

Nuts in May

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Aga! Now you're talking. Nothing like it.

Shadow said...

as much as i love the convenience of a microwave, food must be cooked on a proper stove. and an aga is just that!

Nessa said...

You are right. Microwaves are not for cooking but they sure are handy for reheating.

Mnday's MeMe - One is not like the Others

Zuzana said...

I remember when my parents purchased the first microwave in the late 80's. We were so excited about it and my mother even tried to cook in it. ;) Today I can not even imagine my day without this little nifty invention. I dislike cooking and almost everything I eat needs to be reheated.;)
xo
Zuzana

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Sandi: Yes, the world we live in changes so quickly. The microwave does make quick popcorn. I think automatic furnaces are so much better then coal furnaces.

Unknown said...

LOL on the planter idea! When I recall my grandmother's big old stove that seemed to be made of magic, I also recall that I could never, and I mean never, make her biscuits!

Carver said...

Too funny. I definitely know what you mean about computers. I like microwaves for heating up leftovers and for defrosting. I think it's even safer to defrost in a microwave than over time in the frig. Then again somehow we all survived before these safer methods. I remember we always had raw eggs in milkshakes we made at home as children and that's a big no no now.

Suldog said...

It's funny. After years of cooking potatoes in a microwave, I have now taken to putting them in the oven for the hour or hour-and-a-half a real baked potato requires. Much better, and worth the wait.

Akelamalu said...

When I first got a microwave oven I went through the recipe book that came with it and tried everything! I wasn't impressed :(

Woman in a Window said...

HA! And it deserves little more, darned microwave!

I'm electric but long for the days of our old woodstove and the bread, OH LORD the bread, that rose for hours and then my mom would turn like a baby's bottom and butter to brown. Oh yes, those wood stoves. Warmed our buns more than once, too.

xo
erin

Finding Pam said...

I use my microwave to cook my oatmeal and for tea.

Love Bears All Things said...

I know what you mean about computers. I had to download something Saturday because my media player doesn't work on the new DVDs. When my daughter got a new laptop, she paid extra to get windows xp instead of vista. Honey Bear has vista on one of his and hates it. I bought an Indiana Jones Lego game and cannot play with it because I need an graphics card.
It is always something.
Mama Bear

jay said...

So very true!!

I resisted buying a microwave for years, and only gave in a few months ago. Why? Because they're perfect for thawing out frozen meat very quickly, so if I want to feed Sid raw tripe, I can do so within a few minutes, and without stinking up the kitchen!

But we do now use it to reheat things and soften butter which has been in the fridge. We haven't tried actually cooking anything in it yet, but OH is going to - he fancies trying rice pudding, but only because he burned the last one he made in the real cooker and found out how hard it is to get black sugary milk residue off the shelves.

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