From the fevered minds of a loose grouping of self-appointed cultural commentators comes a weekly side-swipe at the issues of the day, providing a pithy and often heated debate on pop culture as they see it. Welcome, friends, to The Hot Topic...
This week's burning issue: Do You Buy Into The Demise Of Cooking?
From: Bennett Dawson To: The Hot Topic Team Re: Microwave Foodstuff
In an age when it looks like microwavable foods are taking over the gastro tracts of the world, I wonder if I'm part of a vanishing breed that still cooks food the old fashioned way.
Not owning a microwave, it seems to me that these little radiation ovens have created their own captive market. A market based on reducing questionable concoctions into a sterile and banal fuel for the ever growing population of lazy lard-asses, and it makes me fear for the future of the classic, home cooked meal.
My local supermarket is devoting increasing shelf space to brightly colored packages of food designed to be cooked only in a microwave. The cooking instructions assume that you will use a microwave, and there are no directions for using a conventional heat source. In fact, many of them have the words "Oven or stove top - not recommended".
And I'm not talking about regular frozen vegetables here, 'cause I see nothing wrong with frozen corn or beans as a side dish if fresh veggies are out of season, and admit to being in love with Green Giant frozen Creamed Spinach. I can even go for the frozen oriental meals (just add meat) that come with an icy chunk of mystery sauce. The veggies end up soggy and bland, but sometimes the trade off (freshness for convenience) works out. I have to admit that the pictures on the boxes are first class, and make the food look so damn tasty! This is a marketing lie, as it never comes out looking like the picture.
But it's the new generation of microwavable main courses that gross me out, the precooked foods sitting on the shelves of the supermarket at room temperature. Some of these vacuum wrapped entrees have chunks of chicken or beef in 'em, am I the only one who finds this disturbing?
Meat - frozen or refrigerated, okay? Room temp for weeks or months in a plastic envelope? C'mon folks, this is a crime against nature! How is this different from a can of soup, you ask? From a purely sterile point of view, it's probably no different, but my mind rebels, knowing that a CAN is safer, more secure, physically impenetrable. How DO they sterilize those plastic bags 'o food?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Nancy
Putting on my tin hat, I have long suspected that the additives in processed food are the source of increasing health problems in the US & other tech-happy countries, & I wonder what effect TV, microwaves, etc. have had on us physically as well. But I'm sure about the food additives, & a lot of science research recently bears me out: this stuff is poison, & now we've got 3 generations that were entirely raised on this junk. No wonder we've got every syndrome & disorder under the sun, including AHDH & various psych problems, too, no doubt.
Personally I prefer using the stove/oven - and even from time to time resorting to the fireplace/dutch oven/"spider" for REAL old-fashioned cooking (if you haven't had baked beans done in a crockery pot, cooked over 24 hours in the hot ashes & slow coals of a fireplace, you haven't lived). And of course, the grill when a little carbonized protein is in order.
But I gotta say, microwaves do a great job re-heating food, quickly, easily, and without unduly overcooking it as can happen more easily with stove/oven reheating, and when I'm starved, I do bless that microwave for warming up my leftovers/dinner.
2 - The Countess (Trish Wilson)
I have to agree with Mark about the lack of time people have today to cook meals because their lives are so busy. They have to carpool the kids around. They have long commutes from their jobs, and are too tired to cook a full meal when they get home from work. There are a lot of two-income households out there, plus people holding down more than one job. Microwaved cooking, pre-packaged meals that need only to be heated up, and fast-food are cheap and easy and time-saving, but much less satisfying gastromonically. Plus, those options aren't exactly the most nutritious things around.
My husband and I cook. I found out a year ago that I have a talent for baking desserts. I make my own creme brulee, sachertorte, chocolate truffles, chocolate mousse, and other treats for us. I'm about to make some pinwheel cookies. My husband has always been an excellent cook, and my son and I have benefited from it. I also cook from scratch. Tonight we're having a pork loin roast with herbs. I don't know what the side dish will be yet.
I think more people would cook if they had the time, and if they felt comfortable with it. Cooking for me is very relaxing. I play some nice music, and putz around in the kitchen.
I wonder how the lousy economy affects how people eat? I don't know whether or not more people are trying to cook from scratch at home to save money, or if they are buying pre-packaged food from the grocery store. I know that those little "bachelor chickens" are popular with lots of people because they're cheap, and they provide a good meal. Those are the little rotisserie chickens you find in supermarket delis. They usually cost about $6 or $7 dollars. I heard them called "bachelor chickens" recently, and I thought the name was very fitting. Rather than order a pizza, buy one of those little chickens.
Still, I wish more people cooked from scratch at home. If they had the time, weren't exhausted, and didn't have such long commutes, I think they would. Plus, it feels like an accomplishment to cook a delicious meal that ends in a delicious home-cooked dessert.
3 - Eric Berlin
Great job putting this together, Bennett!
4 - Nancy
I do all my cooking on the weekends; really it's the only time I've got, since I'm too tired during the week after work. I make 3 or 4 different things, large batches, then divvy them up & freeze til needed. Hence the use of the microwave. That way I know what goes into them, control the portions & the Q.C., & save a lot of money, 'cause those processed store-bought things are not only loaded with junk additives, they're expensive.
5 - Bennett
I have a one of the tin hats too, Nancy. Thanks for those points!
Great stuff Trish! It does provide so much more than sustenance. Such pleasure, eh?
Thanks EB!
6 - Nancy
Excellent & entertaining dialogue, Bennett.
7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Bennett, you rule! (still compiling my shamefully late response)
8 - The Countess (Trish Wilson)
Thanks, Bennett. I find cooking to be so relaxing that I enjoy it now more than ever before. Plus, when I try something new, I feel great when it turns out perfectly. An added advantage is that my son gets to try out some very tasty treats. He had creme brulee at a restaurant, and loved it so much he ordered a second helping. I make it now, and I even have my own creme brulee blowtorch.
We've found that our cooking is better than what we've found in restaurants. We don't even eat out anymore. A home-cooked meal sure fills you up better than pre-cooked stuff from the supermarket. I found that we eat less, and feel sated.
9 - Bennett
Too true! When I moved to the boonies from Seattle, I was lost. Even though I had always cooked, there were so many great resturants in the metro area, every ethnic flavor you can imagine. Here in Northern Vermont, 12 years ago, there was frozen haddock.
Although it's gotten better in recent years, the biggest boon has been the availability of Thai curries and such. The things one needs to put together some of the fine Asian dishes I had come to love so much.
That said, you have truly impressed me with the thought of a creme brulee blowtorch!!!
Go Trish Go!
btw, Thanks Duke, and Nancy, for the warm compliments.
10 - Eric Berlin
Bennett -- What say you with regard to my comment in post about camping-related fare?
11 - Bennett
EB - I havn't seen any that were dehydrated per se, but in order to do a thorough job on this article, I actually bought a few examples of the room temp pre cooked foods...
Chagrin here: Tasty Bite - Roasted Eggplant Something (babaganoosh maybe) was excellent! Damn near burnt my mouth off with the Indian spices. I also have a Kashmir Spinach that I'll try out in a day or so. These are boil pouches - stove top or microwave (but you have to put it into a bowl to use the wave on it. (hah!)
I suspect that Indian cuisine works well for this because of the amount of spices.
I'll be on the lookout for the "add boiling water and wait" type foods. I did a lot of backpacking years ago, and whatever you cook up after a ten mile day tastes like heaven.
If we ever hook up, you'll have to prepare your blue ribbon MW special... I can't imagine, but am willing to try just about anything. As a side note, beef and turkey pot pies were a staple during my early twenties...
12 - Aaron Fleming
Excellent stuff guys!
13 - Natalie Davis
Microwaving is for reheating only (or for popcorn). Otherwise, I much prefer traditional cooking. Don't like to boast, but I am a really good amateur gourmet cook. It gives me such pleasure to spend hours in the kitchen preparing food. Few things are better than planning a huge get-together and catering it. The culture reveres sex; I revere cooking. With music playing in the background. Just wait 'til I publish my cookbook... No Nukes!
14 - Mat Brewster
Nicely put together Bennett.
Countess you are my new hero. A creme brulee torch! Thats fabulous. There is nothing as fine as a good brulee.
I must admit I am quite the fan of those little "bachelor chickens" - great name by the way - they are fast and quite tasty. Saves time as well. All I need is some roasted potatoes and some green beans and all is well.
15 - KYS
Great post!
I gave up my microwave several years ago in an attempt to get back to a healthier, basic way of cooking. Since then I have learned to make great meals with just a few ingredients. I try to use seasonal produce and grow my own herbs when I can (from an apartment windowsill).
Reheating is a pain. It's slow and there are more pots and pans to wash. But over the years I've gotten a bit creeped out by watching something steam up in that little electric box...
16 - Bennett
No, thank YOU Mat (and all the folks) for participating in this. I was curious how other people viewed the food choices coming on the market, and it has been facinating.
KYS - there are tricks to reheating food, just like anything else, and setting a timer while I get some other household task delt with works well for me.
Cheers!
17 - The Countess (Trish Wilson)
Cool! I like being someone's new hero. ;)
A commenter on my blog told me about creme brulee blowtorches after my first try making creme brulee. I put the ramekins in the oven and turned on the broiler, according to the directions. The caramel topping was okay, but I didn't have any control over it. The blowtorch gives me all the control I need.
I know I can use the blowtorch on meringue. I've never made a meringue before, but if I do, I'll definitely blowtorch it. I like coconut cream pie. My grandmother used to make it. That has a meringue. I see another cooking adventure in my future.
The pinwheel cookies turned out great. I had trouble rolling them the first three times I made them. My husband just swiped three of them to have with his coffee. I have a feeling those cookies are going to be gone in no time.
We used to use the microwave to heat up leftovers, but the leftovers tasted better and didn't dry out if we heated them up for an hour in the oven. So that's what we do now.
Mat, I love those "bachelor chickens". When I don't feel like cooking, I usually get two for the family. There are three of us. At only $7 per chicken, they're cheap. Half a chicken is a good serving. Plus the cats love those chickens, too, so they always get some chicken while we're eating dinner.
If anyone here wants to try to talk people into cooking their own meals instead of buying pre-packaged stuff from the frozen food section of the grocery store, I think Julia Child's chicken breasts are great to suggest. Her chicken breasts are very easy to make, and they bake fast. You just season them with rosemary, garlic, onion, thyme, and oregano, and broil them for about fifteen minutes on each side. Baste every five minutes. That's only a half hour of cooking time, and it doesn't take much effort. Plus the chicken is delicious. That's how I bake chicken breasts.
18 - Bennett
Thanks for all of that, Trish! I wonder how my welding torch would work? Re: the reheating, damn straight! It's all about flavor to me, and what a MW does to food with reheating is tragic.
For those who have nothing to compare it to, I pity you!
Salut!
19 - Mat Brewster
I'd like to see you with your welders torch and a creme brullee, Bennett. Just dont' burn the house down.
I still reheat with the microwave. It certainly isn't as using the oven, but since I usually eat leftovers during the lunch break, I don't have time for the slow methods.
Oh, and as my new hero, Countess you are formally invited to start sending me all the extra sweets you can find!
20 - Lisa Hoover
Great post guys!
First, about that "meat in a baggie" stuff: I was so grossed out when I first saw it there was almost a call for a clean up in Aisle Nine. After Hurricane Charley dropped right into my town for a visit last year we were without power for, oh, eight or nine days. These scary meat products really saved our ass because we were able to use the grill as a stove and pretty much cook whatever we wanted. In fact, we ate pretty darn well. I've never bought Baggie Meat again though so what does that tell you? LOL
Like many commenters, I use my microwave mainly for reheating, defrosting or nuking a Lean Cuisine for lunch. Occasionally I'll use it to make one of those rice or noodle dishes (Pasta-Roni or whatever) but other than that, I use the stove, oven and crockpot since I really enjoy the process of cooking.
21 - Bennett
Me and the Gents thank you Lisa!
That's a really good point ya know. In the event of a national disaster, plague, killer asteroid or whatever, the survivors will eat pretty good for the first few weeks.
Then it's varmit stew and canned veggies until the cans run out.
22 - KYS
Bennett,
You're right. I've invested in a little wind-up timer to coordinate the rest of my life with reheating. =)
When I put in my new kitchen, I will get a stove with a grill on it. HEAVEN!
Does anybody get a funky ridge on MW'ed defrosted meat? That really grossed me out.
23 - Bennett
"funky ridge" Heh! Not sure I've ever seen those two words put together...
Yeah, we're planning on building next year, and my lovely has her eyes on a stove with a grill. Doing up a couple of rib eyes on one of those has got to be the best. But there's nothing wrong with the broiler, once you get a feel for it.
BE the steak!
24 - The Countess (Trish Wilson)
Ha! I have this image of Bennett wearing a protective hat with a long clear visor while he uses a welding torch on those delicate cremes brulee. That reminds me of a guy I knew who worked in medical research office. One year for Thanksgiving, he brought home an IV, and cooked his turkey on IV drip. The turkey ended up being delicious. At least he said so. I'll take his word for it.
Mat, the next time I make fruit tarts, which will be very soon, I'll think of you. ;)
Ooh, a stove with a grill. That sounds divine. We'd love to have a gas stove, but the house isn't set up for it. We have to settle for an electric stove. *Sigh*
25 - Bennett
Heh, the IV is a good idea! Poor you with the electric situation, but we really shouldn't get started on the evils of electric ranges. ;-]
I grew up with a gas range/oven and it wasn't until I rented a place with an electric set up that I realized how much better gas is for cooking.