What Would I Do?

The microwave of a friend died a week ago. She was between paychecks so she was going to have to cook meals on the stove top for 5 days before a paycheck arrived and she could purchase a new microwave. I spent time commiserating with her over rotten luck.

We have become quite dependent upon these things. My family did not have one for the longest time and the one I currently use is a family Christmas gift from a friend. I didn't use it all that much at first but I wager I use it daily now.

I know how to cook on a stove and in an oven. Heck, I could even build a fire and cook over a fire if I had to. I remember when these first came out, how big and boxy they were. I remember the hew and cry over how people could get cancer from standing next to one. My mother got a microwave before I did and the first thing she had me cook when I came to visit after she got it was ice cream. "But won't it melt?" "It changes the consistency of it. Just try it." It did and that was very interesting.

I still do a lot of cooking on the stove or in the oven so some basic things would not change. But I heat water and melt butter and reheat leftovers in my microwave. My weekend oatmeal is made there. A room temperature mug of tea is reheated.

What would I do if my microwave died? This microwave is pushing 15 years old. I would have to get a new one, there is no doubt about that. I look at the frozen meals in my freezer. There isn't a good way to conventionally heat them. You used to heat in the oven with microwaving optional. It's the other way around now.

Now that my musings are done, it's time to nuke my lunch. Interesting, isn't it, that you instantly know what I'm doing. And it's doubly interesting that most of us use "nuke" for microwaving. If I was to say, "I'm going to microwave my lunch", you'd find me quaint.

Beverage:  Edinburgh's Finest tea

Deb