Couldn't resist this perfect Swiss chard
What list, you ask? The list of things that you never expect will happen to you. These are things you hear about on television, you read about in the newspaper and you chat about with a friend. The top of the list are fires and floods and tornados and dread diseases. Somewhere around number 19 is a faulty gas line in front of my building in Manhattan. I never expected to come home this afternoon and find a notice that the Department of Buildings had shut off the gas to my building, and that it might be shut off for "many months." Many months!
I'd like to say that I was totally calm about the news. Wrong, but not totally hysterical, either. I use my stove a lot. Two favorite meals are omelets and pancakes, which are quickly cooked on the stove. I'm also on a spinach/kale/Swiss chard diet for my macular problems and I stir fry spinach at least four times a week. These foods came to mind immediately.
But about an hour later I calmed down. My microwave will be my best friend and I did a search for microwave baking recipes. There seem to be thousands and I will start pinning on Pinterest. I have an air fryer that I have used twice. I'm going to start looking for recipes to make that appliance earn its counter space. I'm not buying any new small appliances until I know that I have a need for something that can't be filled with the ones I already have. I'm also going to pray that "many months" become many weeks fewer and by veggie roasting time my stove is back in business.
Fortunately I'd already cooked the majority of the rainbow Swiss chard in the photograph. I've got a few peaches I planned to turn into spiced peaches. They can be cooked in the microwave. It's not my first choice, but I'm sure they will taste good. I'm not a particularly creative cook, but it's time to become a more creative one.
There have been two terrible gas explosions in Manhattan in the last few years and despite my annoyance, I'm grateful that we are not a third. I'm also grateful that we can remain in our building while the pipes are fixed. I'm profoundly grateful that this is number 19 on the list and not numbers one to ten.
That's my news. I hope your news is that all is well and that you're keeping cool.
As ever, thanks for visiting and appreciate your stove!