Thursday, January 24, 2008

the range


Even a watched pot boils eventually, but, this morning, as I filled my kettle with water and put it on the stove, it occurred to me that I'm just about the only person I know who doesn't have a microwave. I don't want to sacrifice the counter space and, more importantly, I can't think of anything that I'd actually use one for. And you?

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to use mine to heat up water for tea, but people here in London give me really nasty looks when I pull that crap.

Maggie said...

My vote was for you're kidding...because really? You actually don't have a microwave? Seriously? I have one, and although I don't use it all that often, I would certainly miss it if it were gone!

To go without one you are a better woman than I...although this does not surprise me :)

Katie said...

Yes, but at the moment I cook just for me. If I make a big vat of stew or Spaghetti Bolognese a microwave is the best way to re-heat it. I also cook perfect rice in it!

Amelie said...

It was in the flat already, so, yeah... used occasionally for heating leftovers. And actually it is my favorite mirror -- just at eye level, and the dark glass makes all my skin impurities invisible. So it is good for something :)

Kathy McC said...

When we moved into this house, it did not have one. We had an over-the-range microwave put in. I found that while we were without, I didn't miss it as much as I thought I would.

We mostly use it to make popcorn and heat up left-overs. I also steam veggies in it as well.

Caro said...

Don't have one - what do people use them for anyway?

Unknown said...

NOPE! No micro food in this house!

Anonymous said...

I have a microwave and we use it for popcorn, leftovers and sometimes I thaw stuff out in there. I still heat my water in the tea kettle.

Angela

Heather said...

The only use mine gets is heating my buckwheat neck pillow to alarmingly excessive temperatures
(way past the recommended 60 seconds). I'd keep it in the house for that reason alone, I'm afraid.

EmmaL said...

I don't know what I would do without my microwave - frankly, I work so much that I just want a quick dinner half the time. It's too bad, because I love cooking (and I'm good at it) and I have a whole kitchen of cooking tools. (I make the best chocolate ice cream ever I think). Anyway - most importantly - I use the mic to nuke my "cozy bags." Thanks again for sending all the prayers! It means a lot to me!

Julia said...

We heat leftovers once in a while. But mostly it's used for heating up milk so it can be frothed for home made lattes. Ummmm.... I want another one now.

cinnamon gurl said...

We were adamantly anti-microwave until I was feeling miserable post-partum and post-c-section and wanted the last piece of lasagne, heated up, RIGHT NOW, and it was the only thing that would do. So the huz went out then and there and bought one. (I was crying, I think.) We really only use it for defrosting spinach to make lasagne and heating leftovers up.

Waiting Amy said...

Oh g-d, I'm ashamed to admit that my son thinks the microwave is a great way to cook. Although I really use it mostly to heat leftovers like everyone else. I guess we eat a lot of leftovers!

Oh, and make frozen veges. Oh, and chicken nuggets. Oh, and popcorn. Dang.

Kami said...

Oh, we loves our leftovers! We boil water in a tea kettle, however, because like those Londoners mentioned above we don't want to burn our tea because of overheated water. I don't recall the mechanics, but the water can get over 212 F in a microwave - when you add your teabag and the water suddenly boils vigorously - it is over heated.

We mounted our microwave over the stove so we didn't lose the counter space.

It's nice to talk about something so mundane and non-life changing. Thanks!

Unknown said...

what Heather said...and also for defrosting meat b/c I always wait to long to decide to make dinner and then wonder what I should and then think, oh, I know I'll make a stir-fry I think there is chicken in the freezer....
I didn't have one in my last house- but used the one in the attached dorm for the exact same reason I use the one in this house- it helps that it is installed over the stove top and not sitting on my counter. That would annoy me.

Anonymous said...

glad I am not the only one with Two!
One came with the house & the other is also a convection oven... but I use it to reheat my coffee.

S. said...

Nope, we don't have one, we don't want one. It's one of the ways I'm in touch with my inner Luddite. We don't have cable, either.

Unknown said...

I once had a post on my blog being mean to Americans for this abominable habit of boiling water in microwaves. I stand by it. You cannot make a nice cup of tea using water not boiled in an electric kettle/on the stove. It's just not possible. I'm British and therefore allowed to be snobby about tea.

We have a microwave, and it is solely used for cooking potatoes and heating towels for aching joints. Mostly the latter.

Unknown said...
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Anonymous said...

I would be lost without my microwave - what else would I use as a kitchen timer when I have stuff in the oven?

meg said...

Microwaves are the work of the devil!

I have one but NEVER use it. When I sold my last house, I left the microwave there, despite the fact that it wasn't even built in...

I think they are bad for your health, but have no proof (and am too lazy to look it up). But I'm sticking by my statement.

Magpie said...

I only have one because it came with my house.

Anonymous said...

I have one, but am ambivalent about it - my ambivalence expresses itself in the placement of the microwave, which is not actually in the kitchen, but in the hall. Just one of many unresolved issues in my life.

christina(apronstrings) said...

we have one because it was in the house when we bought it. though i do use it for popcorn about once a month. i still use my kettle for water.

Tash said...

I also use the kettle for water, too romantic. I use the micro for leftovers, and I also flash freeze veggies and they're awesome cooked quick in the micro (nothing like summer corn in January!). Also, I'm here to tell you, that the ONLY way to evenly melt chocolate without burning, is in the microwave. Once I discovered that? I would never let it go.

painted maypole said...

we have 2 - beause we had one before and then when we bought this house it had a built in one. I do use it to make tea nearly every day, and to reheat food. And to defrost meat when I forget to get it out to defrost by itself, and dinner is fast approaching

Anonymous said...

Well, one time our stove broke, I learn how to cook veggies, hot rubys, cheese soft crips, and pasta meals, I love it for pasta meals because you boil the past and then add sauce in the same bowl without dirtying up another dish. Boiling organic raw veggies and are very yummy and with microwave it only takes 5 min. I like it for all reason everyone has already posted also.


OOOH BUT WAIT >>> microwave hot homemade fudge! It a must over ice-cream! yummm . Well guess what I will be doing in the next hour lol Forget the veggies! lol

I love your post Niobe! They are fun!

Charlynn

Angela said...

My ex-boyfriend was the first person I'd ever met that didn't have a microwave. When I expressed surprise, he expressed condescension.

He was sort of a dick, anyway.

Beck said...

We don't have a microwave - we got rid of ours. I think that they kill the soul of food - and everything can be nicely reheated in the oven, anyhow.

kate said...

We don't have one either. I use the oven or stovetop to re-heat. Actually now in our kitchen we have a Thermidor range that has two ovens -- a big one and a little one, and let me tell you that little one is *wonderful*. It's a great system.

Aunt Becky said...

I have a tea kettle that I use when I boil water. But I also have a microwave, which I use for other things. I suppose it's never occurred to me that I could use the microwave to heat water.

Lides said...

**blinks**

I do not own one.

I have no desire to own one.

I do not own a car.

For most of my adult life I have not owned a tv.

I didn't have a computer until four years ago.

Apparently, I am in a sharing mood.

Coggy said...

I agree with Meg. Work of the devil. I hate microwaves. I don't have one and don't miss having one. I wouldn't have the counter space for one either.

thrice said...

I don't have one either. Like you, I don't have enough room in my kitchen to even think of it. But, surprisingly, I don't really miss having one.

Unknown said...

I don't have a microwave and I don't want one. Part of my funny organic ideas but actually the easiest to stick to. Maybe I would use it to make hot chocolate or melt stuff but now I'm so used to doing it on the stove that the 2 minutes I would save really don't seem worth it.