Before marching ahead to Christmas and Hanukkah and all the New Year's festivities, there is still Friendsgiving to get through. This means that even though the gas company has yet to stamp my stove with an approval card, I am going to use that sucker anyway.
Yup, I am making pumpkin bread, a pumpkin pie, and an apple pie. I figure that the stove must be okay since it was installed by a licensed plumber, and also since I haven't smelled gas seeping out of it in the week or two that I have been awaiting the gas company to return. I have been using the burners, but I hadn't yet turned on the oven to do any baking.
First, I remove the tape that the plumber left stuck to the inside of the oven. That would've been an adventure had I lit the damn thing without an extreme perusal on my part. Next, I have to burn off the initial metallic stench when the oven goes on for the first time. Lastly, I need to put some stuff in the oven and see if it actually works.
After spending hours cooking today, I am pleased to report that I have not yet blown up my kitchen, my home, nor myself. I should also report that I'm not certain the oven temperature is actually calibrated because it seems to be under-heating. I suppose this is good because I once had a stove that broiled everything regardless of the temperature settings.
Today is the day that I test-drive the new stove, bake a whole bunch of good stuff for Friendsgiving, and I save the neighborhood from becoming a giant hole in the ground. It's a win-win all around.
