Ode to the microwave
I had some Chinese food leftovers for lunch a little while ago. Heated them up in the microwave for a few second and voilà! Done.
Which got me to thinking –
Leftovers used to be a chore
Heating them up, a tedious bore.
On a stove in a little pot
And then you’d burn em, like as not.
Then a million years ago
Came microwaves. At first, you know
We tried to cook in them instead.
“This is not so good,” we often said.
But finally the truth got clear
As we all got our acts in gear
And saw that in the acid test
The microwave was at its best
With leftovers. A problem solved.
Just pop ’em in. Don’t be involved
With pots and pans and burnt-on food
No need to fuss, no need to brood.
And we forget that olden day
As though it’s always been this way.
Don’t take for granted the largesse –
The microwave is true progress.
Yes, indeed. That’s a clever little poem, worthy of Ogden Nash. But microwaves aren’t just for leftovers. I microwave eggs with vegetables- vegetables are already cooked. Saves cleaning a pot, as they get cooked in the bowl I eat from.
I also use the microwave for coffee. Heat a mug of water for 4 minutes, which is close to boiling, take out of the microwave, and add a tablespoon of coffee. I have a small kitchen, so microwaving saves space that would otherwise go for a coffee maker. Ditto for tea.
One thing I have learned from trial and error is that flat bread cooked in a microwave is a disaster. Very chewy. Better to cook flat bread on a hot skillet.
Cooking is definitely easier with a microwave.
We have a convection oven/microwave in the motorhome. Two appliances where space is a premium.
Thumbs up! [smile]
Learn to reduce the power setting – this will yield better results and unlock the potential of this appliance… and cooking will still be faster than conventional methods, and give off less heat.
BenDavid:
“Learn to”? What makes you think I haven’t learned that very simple principle? Many decades ago, when I first got a microwave, I followed all sorts of recipes and they gave instructions on what power to use. Even now, when I warm up something delicate, I use reduced power to make sure it doesn’t get toughened in the warming process.
It still is awful at cooking things, IMHO, but great at reheating leftovers. Your mileage may differ.
More true progress: Lime Jell-O Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise!
I have a steam oven. I reheat vegetables in the microwave, but entrée meats are reheated in the steam oven with superior results.
Neo, you are correct–other than a potato–microwaves pretty much suck at cooking.
(OK for melting butter or chocolate.)
BUT–they are exquisite for warming my coffee back up when it’s cooled as I am reading the internet in the morning.
I can definitely see microwaves for reheating. I’ve lived without a microwave since I left San Francisco.
A toaster oven will get you by, but it’s slow.
If you pick the proper bowl, you save the leftover in it, microwave the leftover in it, serve the leftover in it–if you don’t have company.
Saves transferring and messes. Plus washes.
I’ve never owned a microwave. I use them at the office from time to time, of course, but I’ve somehow managed without one at home this whole time. That poem is quite charming, although I rarely burn leftovers using my small pot as indicated in the first stanza.
Sure it’s not “Owed”…?
Real Cooking in the Microwave:
Nuking yields equal/superior results to other methods for:
-Rice, grains and small dry pulses
-Potatoes – steamed not waterlogged. Make the best mashed potatoes and gnocchi ever.
-Vegetables – fresh or frozen
-Rendering schmalz and suet
-Steamed puddings, pates, and flans – reduced risk of scorching
-Baked pasta in sauce – manicotti, lasagna, mac and cheese starting with *dry* pasta and sauce/liquid. Works beautifully and saves boiling all that water.
-Dairy sauces and frostings. No scorching.
-Cupcakes – icing and papers hide the lack of browning. I use a mix of cake flour and starch to avoid gluten problems. Grandkids love doing this.
-Cookies: the more delicate caramelized ones actually do better in the micro. Sesame wafers, Florentines, and tuiles spread out on the (lightly oiled) glass plate. Can use baking paper too
—
…and parts of many other recipes. Defrosting, melting chocolate or butter, etc.
There is always a speed advantage – and as I live in the Mideast the lack of heat in the kitchen is a biggie.
Friends with grill/convection micros say they do even more but I am just listing what I do with my plain microwave. I don’t use any of the special tools that are supposed to brown or toast in the micro.
Related (‘twould seem):
“Should You Microwave Your Underwear?”—
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/04/30/how-to-sanitize-underwear.aspx
Kate,
We remodeled our kitchen 8 years ago and added a steam oven. Best cooking appliance ever! And makes great bread too! We did NOT put a microwave in the remodeled kitchen, and we have never, not once, missed having it. The re-heat mode on the steam oven does a fantastic job with leftovers.
that couldn’t possibly go wrong,
we use that air cooker for most recipes,
some things have to be microwaved,