Cookn' With Propane

I'm back to baking on a regular basis with about seven or eight successful bakes in the last several weeks.  

Heretofore, I thought I had lost my mojo.  'Twas instant dry yeast  that had lost its vigor a year before its x-date printed on the jar.  Believe the results - not the Best By Date.

With the lengthening days and warming weather it's getting close to firing-up the backyard brick oven.  Nevertheless, that doesn't mean you cannot make pizza in you kitchen range.

If you have a stone and get preheat it to 550F you can turn-out a darn good pie with an excellent homemade crust in under ten minutes.  Pro Tip:  Rao's Pizza Sauce.  (Three kinds)

I'm cooking with propane so your mileage may vary.....

 

Backyard Art

I was in the 6th grade when this song was popularized.

Easily the coolest propane tank, ever....

Keeping Cozy

 

Door County’s community-owned propane company has been powering homes, farms and businesses in Door and Kewaunee County since 1983. 

New this year is cellular telemetry on the tank that summons a delivery when needed. 

Temperature this morning was -6 degrees F……

 

 

Staying Warm

click on image to enlarge 

It's not often I'm around for a propane delivery but I was the other day.  Exchanging pleasantries the driver offered that our usage wasn't very high this heating season.  I shared that it might be a consequence of heating with the wood stove at every opportunity.

Either way we're staying warm.

Gas or Electric

click image to enlarge

Been cooking on gas (or propane) since 1992 and after four homes similarly-equipped the apartment is outfitted with (gasp!) some sort of crazy radiant electric cooktop and combo convection/microwave oven.

Having unpacked virtually all of the cookware I stumbled my way thru dinner prep tonight. Cornish game hens (regular electric oven) and farro perlato risotto (homemade giblet stock) - steamed broccoli.

Everything turned out fine but the oven and stovetop are slow to respond both up and down the temperature gradient which is absolutely maddening. I can tell this is going to be a steep learning curve but I’ll figure it out.

Where I need some advice is the convection microwave. The instructions are sparse in the department of directions. Note: Heretofore I only use a microwave for reheating leftovers, heating or melting stuff and sometimes sterilizing potting soil - never actual real cooking.

Not experimenting with anything of any consequence until I master it but the convection oven feature is intriguing.

Any guidance is welcome.