In article registered.motzarella.org>,
"Dee Randall" shentel.net> wrote:

Dee Dee,

First, let me say that I applaud you for making your decision not by
prejudice, but by trying things out and going the way you are most
comfortable with. All too often, people make decisions simply because
everyone else does it, no one else does it, it looks cook, etc.

But I wish to defend the microwave as a weapon in one's culinary
arsenal. So often, with microwaves, people just plug in some minute or
half-minute interval, and expect miracles. That cannot be. Each
microwave is different, and even microwaves from the same maker with the
same power will be different.

In my own cooking, I have found various odd numbered time intervals for
different foods, sometimes combined with reduced power flows. And I
have found that when used judiciously, the microwave can affect results
that other forms cannot replicate. One quick example is when I do a
marinade. I heat the liquid base at medium to medium-high for about
22-28 seconds, then stir to incorporate herbs and spices. This brings
just enough warmth to allow faster infusion of flavors into the fluid,
which is then applied to the meat, where the more volatile fluid can
then carry the flavors deeper into the meat.

But like my 30+ pans, 3 food processors, 2 KA stand mixers, 4 bread
machines and 3 ice cream makers, I have to look at microwaves carefully,
and match up what I am going to cook with the right implement of
culinary magic. And there are many jobs for which the microwave is not
suited.

jt