Microwaves in our Life
My husband pointed out the other day how really old we are. He reminded me that we have been around long enough to remember when “Microwaves” were “Radar Ranges”. This came to the forefront of our lives when our current microwave died. (Hadn’t we gotten a new one just a few years ago?) No. Not quite.
When I drove down to the Maytag store where we purchased the unit that replaced the original stove/microwave combo, they informed me it was eleven years ago! As the original one attached to the stove, we had to replace the microwave AND the stove. This time, I replaced only the microwave.
The most unfortunate thing about the timing of the control panel death, was that I had just baked a bunch of potatoes the day before to use during the week by, you guessed it, heating them in the microwave. I could deal with using the tea kettle for my hot water in the morning, but it is really hard to heat those potatoes without “nuking” them in the “Radar Range”. It was amazing to realize all the little things I use the microwave for. If you don’t believe me, duct tape yours closed for a week and see how well it works for you.
The latest microwave is a sleek, black model that matches the stove. It is so smart, it actually knows when the popcorn’s done. The best and coolest part is that it has a rectangular tray in it. You can actually put in an oblong casserole dish and it won’t knock into the door because it doesn’t spin. The tray moves for and aft while also moving side to side. Fun to watch the first couple of times.
One thing I learned that I will pass on (from actually reading the instruction book) is that you should not leave the metal rack in the oven unless you are actually using it. The rack should only be used when double stacking items in the microwave. Mine is now hanging on a hook for when I need it. How many times have I cooked multiple layers in the microwave in the last eleven years? Maybe four times. I would put the rack away, but then I would forget where it was.
Have a great Thanksgiving everyone. May your microwave last to the next decade!
