No nukes

It has been at least six months since our microwave oven conked out. Remarkable how little we’ve missed it. Left-overs heat just fine in a pan on the stove—just add a little water—and “nuked” coffee tastes of metal anyway. The only other thing we used it for, besides occasional defrosting, was popcorn. That, too, is better done in a pot: It comes out less dry and airy, and more flavorsome, and you aren’t a hostage to additives.

Lola’s mom wanted to buy us a new one. She couldn’t survive without hers, and our deprivation seems unimaginable to her. My folks, too, are in the habit of using their “micro,” along with their George Foreman grill. They use it most to heat water for tea, which may be the perfect example of how modern gadgets can take the soul out of cookery. What could be more satisfying, more peacefully engaging, than the simple ritual of preparing tea, or coffee, the old-fashioned way?