The fine old gas stove that cooked so many meals since we moved into this house since 3 years ago, a top of the line model built back 60’s, failed it’s carbon monoxide test when the State of Vermont inspected our dwelling prior to the week long weatherization that was done back in December. Of course parts haven’t been available for that beautiful old stove for about 15 years so it just had to go.

And our landlord replaced it with a new electric model.

I’m not sure what it is about electric stoves vs. gas stoves but what used to be “bake at 350 for 40 minutes” is now “bake at 400 for 40 minutes”. Now why would that be?

Could it be that while both types of stoves maintain temperature by cycling the burners on and off, the burner on the gas stove’s oven provides instant heat while the electric burner has to “heat up” for bit before it reaches full burn so to speak? Dammit Jim! I’m an old computer/electronics hack not a stove tech! (–but it sounds about right anyway.)

Whatever the reason may be, it’s taking quite a bit longer to cook a couple of nice thick pork chops than it used to (you know…the other white meat?) and it’s no easy wait when your tired and hungry after a long day at the quilt shop (her) and a long day fishing a sick cat out from the under the workbench down in the basement and force feeding him 5 times a day (me).

I wonder if you can calibrate those things? The stove I mean, not the cat.

Well, maybe the cat as well?