I use a double burner induction cooktop in my tiny kitchen because the gas range that came with this apartment is a crappy quality, inaccurate POS. I’ve been using the induction cooktop every day for about two years now, I usually leave it out too, since it’s a really nice glass surface. I just don’t give it power unless I’m actively using it. My cooking has vastly improved since I switched over to this thing. I wish I could toss the gas range. As for aesthetics, I honestly think it looks pretty cool on my counter.
I’m totally not going to talk you out of it because this is what I would love to do. The apartment I live in has a tiny kitchen with hardly any counter space. If I could rip out the stove, replace it with a counter top, and use individual burners I’d be happy. I can’t so I won’t, but if I could I would. I’d only need two because I hardly ever use all four burners at once.
Less tools and dishes in favor of better tools and dishes - at least, better for what you cook. Less stuff means less clutter per cabinet means easier to keep organized and easier to grab something when you need it. Knives and spoons/spatulas are a big one - there just isn’t a time that I need three sizes of large spoons or a 12 piece knife set. I have 2 metal spatulas, one flexible one stiff. Three knives, small medium large (and could reduce this to two). How many mixing bowls do you really need? Minimal dishes - I keep some extras out of the kitchen in case of guests but a dozen place settings day to day is too many. Anyway, if you have more than one of something really think about the use case and if you have items that you haven’t used in months/years just get rid of them or store them in an overflow cabinet so you can get them out for the one holiday. This also reduces the amount of things that can end up dirty at one time.
No stacking (except identical items or small things like measuring cups). Ideally I can grab anything I need with one hand. Because I have less stuff than I could fit I have room for a shelf of unstacked mixing bowls (two sizes) - when I need one (or need to put one away) I don’t have to deal with unstacking/sorting them. Same for large measuring cups, dishes, glasses, pots and pans, etc. Exceptions for me are baking dishes (only have so much room and I use these less) and some other specialty rare use items.
Urgent needs go closer to the prep areas and stove. When I need a spatula or something right this second to keep something from burning those are close by. Baking supplies are far away because if I need those I’ll get them all out at the same time before I start. This is really specific to you. Pay attention to what you really use and how and sort accordingly.
Don’t worry about perfect organization. I have a drawer by the stove/prep area with my spatulas, tongs, spoons, food scissors, etc. It has dividers in it but nothing has a ‘place’. The dividers at least keep everything pointing the same way but it’s a sparse junk drawer - I can see everything so it doesn’t matter if it’s jumbled a bit. Same for most of my cabinets - if I can see it and get it with one hand that’s good enough.
If at all possible the triangle of stove/fridge/sink with prep area next to all of those is ideal.
Overall my current kitchen is pretty good. I have some cabinets I’d swap for drawers if I had a bit more room. I’d like to reduce a few things but it is fun to have some extras for special things (specific ramen bowls, unique coffee mugs to rotate through, a waffle maker). Extra storage (maybe in the pantry) would be good for larger less used things but I don’t have that…
A set of 4 medium-ish sized one piece rubber spatulas. Great for stirring, cooking, eating yogurt with, cleaning a bowl, get the last few drops of sauce out of a pan.
Im in the UK. A set of measuring spoons in tsp/tbsp/ml and a set of measuring spoons/vessels in the funny American sizing of cups :)
A good 8” chefs knife, sharpening steel and stone (and learn how to use it. Its not that hard)
I’ve never made a pie with zucchini, but my concern with cooking twice would be the moisture content more than the consistency. Water is going to start coming out and it would be your crust that would be mushy.
You don’t need to pre-cook apples when you make apple pie, and they’re maybe slightly more firm, so I don’t think I’d do that with the zucchini. I’d peel them and then either dice them smallish or cut them into slices maybe a quarter inch thick. Whatever you did with the jam is probably going to work out in a pie shell, except you might consider how sweet it should be.
but my concern with cooking twice would be the moisture content more than the consistency.
Ah! That’s something that escaped me. I’ll need to remember to add a little flour/cornstarch to the filling.
I’d peel them and then either dice them smallish or cut them into slices maybe a quarter inch thick. Whatever you did with the jam is probably going to work out in a pie shell, except you might consider how sweet it should be.
That’s how I sliced them for the jam. As for sweetness, that won’t be a problem. I’m not a heavy sugar eater, so a small amount will go a long ways, and I have a good eye for the amount I like.
Hmm! The part I’m mostly wondering about would be the convection currents (I think convection is the correct term, 🤔 . Currents caused by heat). Would the 45-55 minutes in the oven yield enough currents to mix the flavors so the squash gets infused with the other flavors? (Zucchini can lose almost all its flavor in place of the fruit). I know cooking the fruit within the shell works with rhubarb and apple (A small tart green apple, tree 15 feet in height, that can be found somewhat wild here in Western Kansas) , rhubarb and grape, and rhubarb and blueberries…
I think I’m just going to have to try it. Nothing attempted, nothing tempting.
Huh! I’ve found recipes for both types, but the precooked filling was all the ones using a pre-cooked crust, and all the others would be better described as a crustless quiche. However, the cooking timee for the latter were nermal cooking times for a pie. Still, though, diluting the zucchini with fruit flavor, is going to be the trick. I know it’s possible cooking and manually stirring it on the stove. Constrained within a pie shell?
Again, I think I’m just going to have to try it.
Alsn, I cut the outer skin off when turning zucchini into a fruit. Plus, I think a larger one might yield more flesh (as I cut out the seed and pulp from them). if I can remember it and am able to, I’ll document the process. (chronic pain sufferer, so I don’t exactly put a lot of effort into being presentable. Just existing is exhausting, Hah!).
I’m curious what was difficult about cleaning your gas stove? The range I’m getting rid of had a self-cleaning oven, just like many electric ones, and the stovetop has sealed burners where all the exposed burner parts could be picked up and thrown in the dishwasher. It’s quick and easy to clean, but I don’t know how typical that is
For me, its the 3 large cast iron grates that sit above the burners.
Gotta remove them to do even the most quick/basic wipe down & they’re awkward/heavy. They dont fit in the dishwasher & only fit in the sink at an angle, which leads to scratching up the sink.
With an electric stove, it doesn’t matter if the vent exhaust goes outside. For gas stoves it’s recommended that the gas byproducts are removed from the home. Sorry if this wasn’t clear.
You are probably going to fail some dishes at the beginning, it’s okay. To know how hot it is, look at the flame underneath the pot, not all dials are reliable. It’s my favourite way to cook meat, as it actually turns the heat down when you reduce the flame, unlike resistance electric that takes ages or induction that works as long as you haven’t been cooking too long. Get yourself an electric kettle or you will need ages to get warm water for your pasta.
Get yourself some gas detector and get in the habit of opening the windows to ventilate. Take the normal recomanded precaution around open flames, turn the gas off at the arrival when you leave the house for longer than 36 hours.\
I think it depends on the kind of gas stove for if it gets as hot, definitely agree to an extent, for gas stoves a lot of the heat is lost anyways due to dissipating into the air and not into the pan.
But I suspect if you’ve got one of those jet wok gas burners you’re getting pretty darn hot.
That’s a good point. I know they have crazy jet gas things for woks, but I felt like the regular hobs I’ve used have taken a little longer to boil water than on our electric. It wasn’t a big deal, I just expected the opposite when I first fired it up
Yeah, also the efficiency of electric just heating the surface that the pot is directly sitting on probably helps transfer the heat to the pot faster even if it isn’t actually getting hotter than gas.
I’m quite happy with my electric I think the only thing that would be better is if I had an induction burner for when I want it really hot really quick.
Maybe. My gas stove is an older low end model but the oven is electrically controlled: I can’t use it without electricity. The stovetop is fine, since the electric ignition works on gas flow and the knobs physically turn a valve, but that’s not true of all stoves
Have induction now and used to have gas. It took a while to get used to, and I often miss the what-you-see-is-what-you-get aspect of gas. But induction nowadays is pretty damn sweet. And fast too.
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