Kitchen disasters
B and Jacob often post their delightful culinary delights. I, too, on occasion have shared some of mine (though less delightful than theirs mine might be). Lately though, I'm having nothing but bad luck in the kitchen. I used to be able to make it all up and have it taste delicious. Like knitting patterns, I made it up as I went along and it turned out alright and often tasty enough to be an addition to the regular rotation.
As of late I've made yummy smelling chicken soup in the crock pot that were ruined by the early addition of rice noodles (turns out that they can't withstand long cooking times like wheat noodles), as well as a whole roast chicken that turned out dry and salty even though it was cooked like every other roast chicken I've ever made, and today soap. Yes, soap. I ruined some soap but hopefully didn't ruin any kitchen implements.
My crafty and thoughtful sister-in-law has a birthday coming up very soon. Last night I knit her a beautiful flower shaped face cloth from some heavenly hand dyed, fair trade, Chilean cotton. I thought that the addition of a piece of soap would be quite nice. I *thought* I remembered reading about shredding a bar of soap and then pouring it in a mold to recreate it. So I pulled out a bar of plain soap and got to shredding (it and my fingertips as usual). I put it in a glass jar and added in some expensive vanilla, tangerine, and lavendar essential oils along with a bit of olive oil, dried flowers, and oatmeal. I put it in a pot of boiling water to create a double boiler. After waiting for 5 minutes the soap was still quite solid. So after burning myself quite badly on steam I thought the microwave might work better. This is where it gets bad. I put it in for two minutes and then checked on it after the first minute elapsed. There is a reason why they say that essential oils are caustic when heated. Its because they are.
I now have a microwave covered in shredded soap, oils, and little dried flowers as well as burning eyes and an overtaxed nose. I admit that I just shut the door and walked away to nurse my burned fingers and hurt self esteem. It might just be time for some dinner I can't screw up (Hello, quesadillas) and some more knitting.
As of late I've made yummy smelling chicken soup in the crock pot that were ruined by the early addition of rice noodles (turns out that they can't withstand long cooking times like wheat noodles), as well as a whole roast chicken that turned out dry and salty even though it was cooked like every other roast chicken I've ever made, and today soap. Yes, soap. I ruined some soap but hopefully didn't ruin any kitchen implements.
My crafty and thoughtful sister-in-law has a birthday coming up very soon. Last night I knit her a beautiful flower shaped face cloth from some heavenly hand dyed, fair trade, Chilean cotton. I thought that the addition of a piece of soap would be quite nice. I *thought* I remembered reading about shredding a bar of soap and then pouring it in a mold to recreate it. So I pulled out a bar of plain soap and got to shredding (it and my fingertips as usual). I put it in a glass jar and added in some expensive vanilla, tangerine, and lavendar essential oils along with a bit of olive oil, dried flowers, and oatmeal. I put it in a pot of boiling water to create a double boiler. After waiting for 5 minutes the soap was still quite solid. So after burning myself quite badly on steam I thought the microwave might work better. This is where it gets bad. I put it in for two minutes and then checked on it after the first minute elapsed. There is a reason why they say that essential oils are caustic when heated. Its because they are.
I now have a microwave covered in shredded soap, oils, and little dried flowers as well as burning eyes and an overtaxed nose. I admit that I just shut the door and walked away to nurse my burned fingers and hurt self esteem. It might just be time for some dinner I can't screw up (Hello, quesadillas) and some more knitting.
posted by Megan at
2:32 PM
2 Comments:
Worry not, we all have our share of horrible kitchen and crafting disappointments, though rather than telling the world about them I usually sneak into the back yard in the middle of the night and bury mine by moonlight so no one will ever find out.
But in the end, it really is the thought that counts, right?
And just think, love. When you do get around to cleaning that microwave (or better yet, calling up C, coupon in hand) it will be REALLY clean!
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