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| Dinner, simmering nicely. |
We ran out of LPG on Monday. We do this, from time to time, usually when the inconvenience of having done it before has been forgotten.
LPG is what we cook on and we have two jolly orange bottles decorating the wall under the kitchen window. The two bottles are joined by a valve so when the one is empty it automatically swaps to the second and empties that one too. And then we run out of gas.
So my lovely 1100 Stoves range cooker with its seven burners, two ovens and a grill is currently out of action. LPG delivery is Thursday so I've been relying on the microwave, the toaster, the sandwich maker and the camping gas stove to do the cooking.
Of course the wood burning stoves were both lit too so we had the idea (and various people, including LinsLleisio suggested) that we cook on them instead. So I did. It was a big success.
I cooked my usual lentil dahl recipe (buzz an onion and a couple of carrots in the food processor, sweat with a bit of butter and a teaspoon of mild curry paste, add a mugful of orange lentils, stock cube and water, cook until soft) and it was as happy as anything bubbling fragrantly on top of the stove. I did the rice too which was equally content in its little saucepan.
It really just asked the one big question: Why haven't I done this before? I often have the wood burner lit during the day (the computer is in the corner of the same room). I can and I will slow cook meals on it from now on.
So all in all running out of gas has been a nice, big money saving success. We should do this more often...
Great idea staring you in the face - and staring at me too. Well worth doing considering the price of LPG.
ReplyDeleteGood thinking, Mags, proving once again, that you are a true domestic goddess. Our woodburner's got a sloping lid... suppose we could always stick the odd nan on it.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of my childhood. I was born not too far from you, and in our house we had a 'range', not an Aga/Rayburn, but an old fashioned, cast iron range with a little open fire with an oven on the side. This never went out.
ReplyDeleteWe sold that house when I was 7, and I remember my father's disgust that within days the new owners had removed this range as 'she says she can't cook on it!'. I have happy memories of growing up, playing, learning to read, all by the side of a never-ending source of heat.
I had a solid fuelAge for years and although it was more trouble to manage than the modern oil fired one that I have now, the heat was better, I could control it much better and I am sure it was much cheaper to run. Just going to put the kettle on the log burner such a good idea.:)
ReplyDeleteAs someone else suggested, mulled wine sounds a good idea - wouldn't have to move very far to top my glass up then either (saving my energy this time).
ReplyDeleteGreat for one pot cooking, thought about it, but never tried it. Well done you for showing us how successful it can be.
excellent idea. With life so bloody expensive, any doubling up makes complete sense. I write this, it goes without saying, trussed into my dressing gown. Which, sadly, I cannot cook on!
ReplyDelete"When the inconvenience....has been forgotten" - that made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteThe house must smell lovely as the dinner simmers on the stove...
What a great Idea, I adore Dhal and I too wish for a wooden stove
ReplyDeleteNever thought of that! How dim of me. We could definitely do the same and I could stop being so paranoid about running out of LPG.
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