Hi. How are ya? Sorry I've been so MIA. A lot of
things have been going on and I haven't been baking. And admittedly,
this maybe isn’t the best post idea as there is no new recipe to share but I
kinda feel the need to write this. I guess humor me?
I do have some no bake stuff, or ice cream, yeah, could've been doing that. Alas....
It’s an obituary to an oven. Part I. And probably more than you ever would want to read on a blog about baking. And I will readily admit, having been so spoiled by this oven love-of-my-life, I am now an oven snob. -ish.
Yeah, I admit too, this seems very weird. And odd, and strange. But, I’m a weird gal so…
So...
My oven died. My Bosch 300 Series Gas Range. Right in front of me. While I had cookies in there baking. Actually, I’ll re-share what I was baking below.
Interestingly. First recipe in, last recipe out. Like bookends. Sigh.
Right. I don’t mean to appear dramatic but its death was a devastating moment. Granted, not the same as the times I
witnessed it with
Hailey
and
Finn, or
my dad dying, but it brought about surprisingly similar feelings.
Back at the time of purchase of this house about twelve years ago (what the…um where did that time go?), I bought from a, shall we say, under-qualified flipper. Hence my other blog if you’d so graciously follow me there as well.
Anyway, like many an unqualified flipper, he tossed whatever cheapo, barely held together appliances in. At the closing table, I learned they were all purchased at Abt, a local mecca of all things plugged in. And more.
What to do about the appliances came up quickly as, let’s just say they were made of aluminum foil.
Based on a recommendation from someone for the very best Abt salesperson, up I went to meet him with solely the plan of replacing these tin cans.
Right off the bat, my new best pal said he'd take everything back as a return (whaaat?!) since they were in new, unused condition and give me store credit (whaaaaatt?!) to replace. I mean, jaw drop. Like whaaat?? Unheard of.
Abt.* “Pleasing People Since 1936,” is their slogan.
Not having done any appliance research before heading up, how atypical of me, I poked around and more or less randomly went with a suite of Bosch, with salesmanship encouragement ahem, resulting in my Bosch 300 series gas range.
It was the only kitchen appliance I had from the original purchase left; everything else has been replaced, some too many times. Stink-eyeballing you, fridge.
Anyway. Over the years I became quite attached to this oven. Maybe unhealthily so. Devoted? Obsessed? Maybe. It was proving to be the very best oven ever.
Mind-blowingly best. Like intensely best.
Set the temperature, it stayed at that exact temperature through the course of the entire bake. I kid you not. Dreamy. It was heaven. How did I know? Oven thermometer,* of course. Industry standard concept.
Most ovens vary. By ridiculous amounts sometimes, twenty five to fifty degrees. And that, my friends, is unacceptable.
We have the technology. Make it right, or don't make it at all.
Baking requires the oven temperatures it does for a reason and variations can ruin a bake even if you've done everything right.
So, right, never had any problems, not a single repair or service call, no doctor's visits, nothin'. It lasted twelve years. Twelve. Shocking for this day and age of disposable everything.
Every baked good rolled out (ah, baking pun) exquisitely, near spot-on on time, minimal hot spots...the 300 was a glorious beast and I loved it with a raging passion. Again, probably unhealthily so.
Hey. Baker. What can I say. And, I, I love deeply.
It provided not just baked goods but love, warmth, joy, sustenance. In a world where everything takes, it gave.
I had long dreaded the day it'd have a problem. It was a constant low level, increasing stressor as time marched on. I did not, did not, want to contemplate what I'd do without it.
That day came in January this year.
It had been acting funny but I pressed on as if it'd work itself out. Pretending. Hoping. Deluding.
Well. It didn't. It died. As I was standing in front of it. Watching it unfold. It was horrible. I cried. Literally.
My inclination was to repair it, not wanting to let transcendence go but I was overruled.
Back up at Abt, back looking at Bosch ovens* because the 300 was discontinued only two years ago or so, a new Bosch 800 series gas range was purchased and a few days later arrived.
I was hesitant, not gonna lie.
And? It was not the same.
At all.
At. All.
Something was very much not right about this oven. I didn’t know what.
Things were not baking up properly. Especially the Buttermilk Dutch Baby. Total fail. Twice in a row. And the solidly reliable The Best F'ing Chocolate Cake. Not rising. Just flat, dense, oily rounds.
Nothing was rising as it should. Things were taking twice as long as the stated baking time. Twice. I joke not. Twice.
I have a small baking business now. And I have you all. Ain't got time for this schnizz.
I tried messing with the temperature offset which I shouldn't have to do; no change.
I couldn’t figure it out. It was stressing me out to no end. Was
it me? Was it my ingredients? Was it the oven?? Like actual
sleepless nights ensued.
Baking is my soul.
I just so desperately wanted my sweet baby 300 series back, like gut-wrenchingly badly.
What was I to do? Good heavens, what the hell was I to do?
So. To my beloved Bosch 300 series gas range. (sorry, friends, humor me) I love you. I miss you. You had my full trust. My every confidence. You made everything right in the world. You were brilliant.
Stay tuned for Part II. Meantime, bake up some cookies please!
*The Abt links including the Bosch 800 Series ovens are Abt affiliate links. The oven thermometers are an Amazon affiliate link. Happy baking, thanks! Please see the "info" tab for more, well, info.
I do have some no bake stuff, or ice cream, yeah, could've been doing that. Alas....
It’s an obituary to an oven. Part I. And probably more than you ever would want to read on a blog about baking. And I will readily admit, having been so spoiled by this oven love-of-my-life, I am now an oven snob. -ish.
Yeah, I admit too, this seems very weird. And odd, and strange. But, I’m a weird gal so…
So...
My oven died. My Bosch 300 Series Gas Range. Right in front of me. While I had cookies in there baking. Actually, I’ll re-share what I was baking below.
Interestingly. First recipe in, last recipe out. Like bookends. Sigh.
|
| If you're sensitive, look away. This is seconds after her light snuffed out. |
Back at the time of purchase of this house about twelve years ago (what the…um where did that time go?), I bought from a, shall we say, under-qualified flipper. Hence my other blog if you’d so graciously follow me there as well.
Anyway, like many an unqualified flipper, he tossed whatever cheapo, barely held together appliances in. At the closing table, I learned they were all purchased at Abt, a local mecca of all things plugged in. And more.
What to do about the appliances came up quickly as, let’s just say they were made of aluminum foil.
Based on a recommendation from someone for the very best Abt salesperson, up I went to meet him with solely the plan of replacing these tin cans.
Right off the bat, my new best pal said he'd take everything back as a return (whaaat?!) since they were in new, unused condition and give me store credit (whaaaaatt?!) to replace. I mean, jaw drop. Like whaaat?? Unheard of.
Abt.* “Pleasing People Since 1936,” is their slogan.
Not having done any appliance research before heading up, how atypical of me, I poked around and more or less randomly went with a suite of Bosch, with salesmanship encouragement ahem, resulting in my Bosch 300 series gas range.
It was the only kitchen appliance I had from the original purchase left; everything else has been replaced, some too many times. Stink-eyeballing you, fridge.
Anyway. Over the years I became quite attached to this oven. Maybe unhealthily so. Devoted? Obsessed? Maybe. It was proving to be the very best oven ever.
Mind-blowingly best. Like intensely best.
Set the temperature, it stayed at that exact temperature through the course of the entire bake. I kid you not. Dreamy. It was heaven. How did I know? Oven thermometer,* of course. Industry standard concept.
Most ovens vary. By ridiculous amounts sometimes, twenty five to fifty degrees. And that, my friends, is unacceptable.
We have the technology. Make it right, or don't make it at all.
Baking requires the oven temperatures it does for a reason and variations can ruin a bake even if you've done everything right.
So, right, never had any problems, not a single repair or service call, no doctor's visits, nothin'. It lasted twelve years. Twelve. Shocking for this day and age of disposable everything.
Every baked good rolled out (ah, baking pun) exquisitely, near spot-on on time, minimal hot spots...the 300 was a glorious beast and I loved it with a raging passion. Again, probably unhealthily so.
Hey. Baker. What can I say. And, I, I love deeply.
It provided not just baked goods but love, warmth, joy, sustenance. In a world where everything takes, it gave.
I had long dreaded the day it'd have a problem. It was a constant low level, increasing stressor as time marched on. I did not, did not, want to contemplate what I'd do without it.
That day came in January this year.
It had been acting funny but I pressed on as if it'd work itself out. Pretending. Hoping. Deluding.
Well. It didn't. It died. As I was standing in front of it. Watching it unfold. It was horrible. I cried. Literally.
My inclination was to repair it, not wanting to let transcendence go but I was overruled.
Back up at Abt, back looking at Bosch ovens* because the 300 was discontinued only two years ago or so, a new Bosch 800 series gas range was purchased and a few days later arrived.
|
| Installation day. |
And? It was not the same.
At all.
At. All.
Something was very much not right about this oven. I didn’t know what.
Things were not baking up properly. Especially the Buttermilk Dutch Baby. Total fail. Twice in a row. And the solidly reliable The Best F'ing Chocolate Cake. Not rising. Just flat, dense, oily rounds.
Nothing was rising as it should. Things were taking twice as long as the stated baking time. Twice. I joke not. Twice.
I have a small baking business now. And I have you all. Ain't got time for this schnizz.
I tried messing with the temperature offset which I shouldn't have to do; no change.
|
| Side eyeing you now, freshly installed oven. And yes, I had to redo my backsplash because of you too. |
Baking is my soul.
I just so desperately wanted my sweet baby 300 series back, like gut-wrenchingly badly.
What was I to do? Good heavens, what the hell was I to do?
So. To my beloved Bosch 300 series gas range. (sorry, friends, humor me) I love you. I miss you. You had my full trust. My every confidence. You made everything right in the world. You were brilliant.
Stay tuned for Part II. Meantime, bake up some cookies please!
*The Abt links including the Bosch 800 Series ovens are Abt affiliate links. The oven thermometers are an Amazon affiliate link. Happy baking, thanks! Please see the "info" tab for more, well, info.
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