An Introduction to Cooking By Induction.
Foreword
In 2010, we had photovoltaic (solar) cells installed on the roof of our home. Now on sunny days, and not so sunny days, we were supplied with abundant, clean electrical energy. I actually had more panels installed than what was needed for our usage at that time, but I had an ‘end game.’ I realized that our gas-fired water heater and gas clothes dryer were on their last legs and would soon need replacing. I decided to replace them with electric utilities. Only drawback, they would need a 220/240 Volt power supply. When the solar panels were installed we had to have our old breaker box replaced and as the solar installers were putting it in, I mentioned to their supervisor what my plan was, he was more than happy to ‘stub’ off some 220 Volt lines to the attic to facilitate my idea. With my stepson’s, Larry, help (well, it was more like me helping him) we soon had the new water heater and clothes dryer running.
I charted the production of the panels and our energy consumption and realized that we still had power to spare. There was an idea that had been percolating at the back of mind, to replace our gas cooktop with an electric induction unit. Why would I want to replace our reliable gas cooker with this relatively new induction technology? The first one is, I like to cook and when I get going I can use prodigious amounts of gas, the power source for induction would be, for most of the year, free. Secondly, good cooking with standard electric coils or elements is clumsy – do you ever see any cooking programs on the TV using them? Induction heating is as fast as gas, both raising and lowering the heat, if not faster. Thirdly, and the most important thing, was my wife’s safety. Some years ago, she was diagnosed with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and had become unsafe around the gas cooktop. There was a considerable risk of her causing an accident due to an unlit burner or actually injuring herself on a flame. Induction gives out no heat until a ferromagnetic (Materials that respond strongly to a magnetic field) vessel is placed on an activated element. I won’t go into the physics of this technology, but suffice it to say, that the vessel itself now becomes the generator of heat, not the ‘element’ under it. This did require a little reprogramming of my cooking techniques however, so I went in search of an ‘Induction Cookbook.’ Guess what? There is plenty of advice on induction technology, but as far as I could discern, zip, zilch, nada on ‘Induction Cooking.’ While the basic recipes vary very little, this new technology, I would find, opens up new procedures. Wow! Here was my cue! Two things I enjoy doing, cooking and writing coming together. In the words of Larry the Cable Guy, “Git ‘er on!”
Index
