Microwave Ovens

It’s 1984, I’m in my first marriage, and was gifted a microwave oven from my very much a “homemaker” Aunt Liza.  I never used it, and the oven left when my marriage ended.  I never felt comfortable with the notion of “fast and easy” cooking, there had to be a catch.

But from Aunt Liza’s viewpoint a microwave oven was a modern marvel and she liked it so much that gifting me with one was her way of showing her love.  I vividly remember seeing a picture of the kitchen she started her married life in, and believe me I get it.

Fast forward many years later, another marriage and a holiday hosted at our home.  A younger cousin-in-law, with small children in tow, came into the kitchen carrying a plastic baggy of frozen shaped dinosaurs made out of “chicken” to give to her girls to eat.  She asked me where the microwave was?  I said, “sorry, there’s no microwave oven here” and that she would have to use the oven.  Her look of incredulity and horror was precious. Her face said it all “how can I survive without a microwave oven.”

Well, I have for over 50 years.

Turning on the oven, allowing anything removed from the refrigerator or freezer time to “come to room temp“ and then placing it on the stove top or in the oven, is how I roll.  Actually, I never saw the reason to hurry up when it comes to preparing food of any kind.

When I consider the three days and many steps it takes to assemble and bake our Rugelach, I think about the fact that there is nothing fast about making them, and that is exactly what I love about making them, and then sending them off to you, our hungry customers.

Needless to say, when it come to warming up our pastries, cakes and cookies, I recommend  that you take a pause, turn on the oven, pop them in and wait a few minutes for them to warm up. The flavor and temperature will be perfect and their molecules won’t be rearranged in some odd tasting new array.   

Be a little old school, slow down, warm it up, and enjoy.