Julie, this was a joy to read, with your humor and wit, on an important topic that we can often feel bored by or even defensive about. I really enjoy our 8 burner 48 inch gas range, and though we looked at induction ranges, access to high quality ones was a factor when we built out kitchen. I would love to know how you end up liking yours.
I also know a thing or two about methane from my investing days, and I think its an area that's getting attention but needs that full force push that only a dedicated effort like the moon landing can achieve. We should recap every oil well ever dug, because even the ones that were sealed don't seem to be holding. And then rethink all of our infrastructure that's leaking. There are solutions out there, but relying on the markets hasn't worked thus far.
Great post. I'll get off my high horse now. Thanks for letting me stand up here for a minute.
Always! Glad this resonated. A peek behind the curtain - I'm leaning more into humor as a way to write these tough subjects. For some reason, strident sincerity just doesn't cut it. Who knew?
I've been obsessed with methane for a decade. One of my favorite craft techniques in writing is "defamiliarization" - where stuff we don't bother to think about is suddenly drawn in a clear light, and we're like, WTF? Who ever thought THAT was a good idea?? Gas is a perfect example - we bring this highly combustible, explosive gas into our homes and buildings - what did we expect? Same for building with wood. It rots, burns, buckles, etc. If someone tried to bring it to market today, knowing what we know now and with current building codes, every code official and fire marshal in the land would laugh them out of the room.
"I do worry, though: revamping our centuries-old energy system is bigger than our single household’s choice of stove. Personal responsibility can only go so far." Each of us is but a drop in the ocean, but if each drop changes, the whole ocean can produce a new wave - a new wave of the Rise of the Divine Feminine we can all surf together 😁 I love your Sub-heading Juie 🤷♀️🙏🥰
and p.s. when we bought this decades-old log cabin we live in, we renovated the kitchen and installed an electric Aga cooker with the intention that we will eventually install solar to power it. And I have to tell you that I LOVE cooking with it. People get obsessive about Agas and I understand why!
I will continue to lament the loss of incredible, precise cooking technology. We have to leave it behind (for now, anyway), just as we managed to leave behind leaded gas in the 70s. I learned how to really cook on a commercial gas range, and every other sautéing experience since then has been crap. That said, the problem won't go away by me pretending it's not there, alas.
Also: I would NOT underestimate what Corgis can do! After all, they surrounded themselves with royalty and managed to become a meme.
I loved the humor! I recently have switched to cooking almost exclusively with the Instant Pot though not because of global warming. To stop cooking with gas felt like a rejection of the patriarchy. 😀
Have you listened to the 99 Percent Invisible episode titled Cooking with Gas? I love that the realities of the health risks are finally being given more priority than the argument that food can be better cooked with gas stoves. Also, I checked out that back-and-forth comment section of that article. That guy seemed to be picking fights and trying to provoke every single commenter. Must be exhausting.
No! I somehow missed that! Love 99% Invisible! Will definitely look it up. My 5-year plan for my Substack is to have enough subscribers to have my own pair of paying trolls. 😂
Noooo. I love cooking with gas. My heating is gas, so is my cooling (I think). I love cooking with gas for all the reasons you mention. Methane tanks are used all over Italy to power homes. Is that bad?
I know! When we renovated our house 19 years ago, we actually *brought in* gas to heat and cook with. Now that we know more about methane’s role in global warming - not to mention the local destruction to ecosystems where it’s extracted - it’s really best to phase it out. 😢
what a totally fun post on a difficult issue (difficult for all the reasons you mention, not to mention the sheer economics of such large-scale change :)
Thanks for reading. Love these details. I don’t actually cook tuna - that was more for humorous effect. 😬😱We do eat wild-caught salmon on occasion - our neighbor is a fisherman in Alaska in the summer, so we buy from him.
No need to apologize! I get it! (If I have to explain “it’s funny,” chances are . . . It’s not!) 😂 Do you know about that app from Monterey Bay Aquarium called Seafood Watch? It’s excellent. They rate various types of fish for sustainability.
Julie, this was a joy to read, with your humor and wit, on an important topic that we can often feel bored by or even defensive about. I really enjoy our 8 burner 48 inch gas range, and though we looked at induction ranges, access to high quality ones was a factor when we built out kitchen. I would love to know how you end up liking yours.
I also know a thing or two about methane from my investing days, and I think its an area that's getting attention but needs that full force push that only a dedicated effort like the moon landing can achieve. We should recap every oil well ever dug, because even the ones that were sealed don't seem to be holding. And then rethink all of our infrastructure that's leaking. There are solutions out there, but relying on the markets hasn't worked thus far.
Great post. I'll get off my high horse now. Thanks for letting me stand up here for a minute.
Always! Glad this resonated. A peek behind the curtain - I'm leaning more into humor as a way to write these tough subjects. For some reason, strident sincerity just doesn't cut it. Who knew?
I've been obsessed with methane for a decade. One of my favorite craft techniques in writing is "defamiliarization" - where stuff we don't bother to think about is suddenly drawn in a clear light, and we're like, WTF? Who ever thought THAT was a good idea?? Gas is a perfect example - we bring this highly combustible, explosive gas into our homes and buildings - what did we expect? Same for building with wood. It rots, burns, buckles, etc. If someone tried to bring it to market today, knowing what we know now and with current building codes, every code official and fire marshal in the land would laugh them out of the room.
"I do worry, though: revamping our centuries-old energy system is bigger than our single household’s choice of stove. Personal responsibility can only go so far." Each of us is but a drop in the ocean, but if each drop changes, the whole ocean can produce a new wave - a new wave of the Rise of the Divine Feminine we can all surf together 😁 I love your Sub-heading Juie 🤷♀️🙏🥰
and p.s. when we bought this decades-old log cabin we live in, we renovated the kitchen and installed an electric Aga cooker with the intention that we will eventually install solar to power it. And I have to tell you that I LOVE cooking with it. People get obsessive about Agas and I understand why!
Wonderful! I didn't realize Agas were electric. Thanks for your thoughts - always welcome. 🥰
I think you can get them in gas, electric, and the older ones were even powered by oil, coal or wood!
"Here, I bet you’re wondering how it took us FOUR YEARS to diagnose his cat allergy. Mind your own business! This is about stoves, not parenting."
This part got me 😂 I so appreciate the sass!
Just so we're on the same page: "cooking with gas" actually originated with fossil fuel execs?
It 100% did. I’m already listening to the 99% Invisible podcast episode mentioned
In the comment above and they confirm that exact fact.
I will continue to lament the loss of incredible, precise cooking technology. We have to leave it behind (for now, anyway), just as we managed to leave behind leaded gas in the 70s. I learned how to really cook on a commercial gas range, and every other sautéing experience since then has been crap. That said, the problem won't go away by me pretending it's not there, alas.
Also: I would NOT underestimate what Corgis can do! After all, they surrounded themselves with royalty and managed to become a meme.
Hahahahaaaaa!!! Brilliant!! Corgis will rule the world one day.
All of the ghosts of my senior Dachshunds past are saying in unison, "they can pry it from our cold, dead paws!"
😂😂
I loved the humor! I recently have switched to cooking almost exclusively with the Instant Pot though not because of global warming. To stop cooking with gas felt like a rejection of the patriarchy. 😀
Have you listened to the 99 Percent Invisible episode titled Cooking with Gas? I love that the realities of the health risks are finally being given more priority than the argument that food can be better cooked with gas stoves. Also, I checked out that back-and-forth comment section of that article. That guy seemed to be picking fights and trying to provoke every single commenter. Must be exhausting.
No! I somehow missed that! Love 99% Invisible! Will definitely look it up. My 5-year plan for my Substack is to have enough subscribers to have my own pair of paying trolls. 😂
Noooo. I love cooking with gas. My heating is gas, so is my cooling (I think). I love cooking with gas for all the reasons you mention. Methane tanks are used all over Italy to power homes. Is that bad?
I know! When we renovated our house 19 years ago, we actually *brought in* gas to heat and cook with. Now that we know more about methane’s role in global warming - not to mention the local destruction to ecosystems where it’s extracted - it’s really best to phase it out. 😢
what a totally fun post on a difficult issue (difficult for all the reasons you mention, not to mention the sheer economics of such large-scale change :)
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Here's a great article about a chef switching to induction, complete with clear explanations and the model she installed, thanks to Laura Fenton, of the Living Small Substack: https://zerowastechef.com/2023/09/14/if-my-new-induction-electric-range-were-a-man-id-marry-it/
Thanks for reading. Love these details. I don’t actually cook tuna - that was more for humorous effect. 😬😱We do eat wild-caught salmon on occasion - our neighbor is a fisherman in Alaska in the summer, so we buy from him.
No need to apologize! I get it! (If I have to explain “it’s funny,” chances are . . . It’s not!) 😂 Do you know about that app from Monterey Bay Aquarium called Seafood Watch? It’s excellent. They rate various types of fish for sustainability.
Not even close.
I know, right?! I’m always amazed by what they come up with.