Last week I bought myself a post-Christmas gift (although, not post-Christmas by the Orthodox calendar—for my extended Knezovich family, Christmas was yesterday, January 7). I don’t have it yet—Abt (a Chicago area retailer that sells appliances, furniture, electronics—you name it) delivers and installs my new toy this Friday. And I’m on pins and needles—can’t wait to give it a spin.
Vroom-Vroom!
What is this new toy? It’s an induction range. Yep, that’s where I am these days. There was a day when it was motorcycles and drugs and rock-an-roll. Now, it’s a high-tech electric range.
If you don’t know what induction cooking is, think of an electric stovetop on steroids. Each element gets hot faster than a gas stove, and it cools faster. More precisely, these things use magnetism to heat the pot or pan—the element doesn’t heat up, per se, though it does get warm to hot because of contact with the heated cookware.
I’ve known about these things for along while. My work at Phius puts me in contact with cool, energy-efficient technologies and the cool people who build passive house residences typically go whole-hog with efficiency and install induction stoves and combination cooktop/ovens. (The oven parts are conventional electric.)
I’ve got the combination cooktop/oven coming Friday and I actually am kinda juiced to try it. Because the cookware has to be magnetic, I’m losing use of a saucepan and a couple other pieces of cookware. But that’s an excuse for getting a new ones.
I’ve missed cooking on a gas stove—our Printers Row building doesn’t have gas service. Especially when it comes to stir frying or pressure cooking, where you want to be able to get something really hot really fast, and conversely, to turn down the heat quickly. All without any fossil fuel combustion or its byproducts.
I still wouldn’t mind a motorcycle, though.
Mike, please forget the motorcycle. Your induction range will keep you well-fed and alive for many more “Mondays with Mike”. Can’t wait to hear what your first meal will be on this new fangled contraption.
A friend once baked dinner rolls in a convection oven, and I’ve never forgotten it. I’ve even thought of purchasing one just to replicate those dinner rolls.
We aren’t tied to electric cooking in our house. Doug would have to have his hands pried off our gas stove. However, if we only had electric as an option, the induction range would be worth a try. Doug would also have a hard time giving up all his Le Creuset pots and pans but if we ever downsize to an all-electric residence, he would have to. Happy cooking!
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