October garden– dahlias, tomatoes. (we got the van back!)
I love dahlias because they are late and overly dramatic.
When everything else is dying back and looking sad… they are HELLO!
Here are my favorite dahlia varieties.
Here is an index of all my garden posts.
Up until last weekend— when it finally got cold— the tomatoes were still going.
I have spent the last forever, roasting and freezing… roasted-then-frozen tomatoes are INFINITELY more delicious than raw-frozen tomatoes; also infinitely more work.
I basically manage a tomato-processing plant, where I am also all of the staff.
The flavor is worth it, and being reminded of how good they are, makes me mad that I ate so many raw tomatoes this summer… Federal law prohibits us from using our oven during hot weather– it dements my husband.
But since getting the kitchen floors done, our kitchen is in the basement, and now I realize: you can have a stove ANYWHERE!
Literally.
So.
Next summer I can have an oven out in the garage and run it ALL DAY LONG.
Also. Zucchini.
Anyway.
I frequently get the question – HOW are you living without a kitchen!?
Sadly, we are not.
There has never been even one day without a stove, sink, prep area… a kitchen. It’s not Pinterest-worthy, but it reminds me that my husband is amazingly good at mitigating horribleness.
Speaking of stoves – I mentioned that I am way-more-loving European options for wall ovens… (we are doing an induction cooktop, in the antique piano kitchen island, WITHOUT a range hood because I loathe them).
Incoming text I tried to edit but got bored.
Euro regular baking ovens are compatible with American hertz but their microwaves are not… unless we do a converter thingy? Which seems… iffy? Like, your electric should run just without extra STUFF.
WHY do I need a European microwave? I don’t… what I DO need is a pair of stacked wall ovens– one of which will be BOTH an oven AND a microwave<– that is a US version, they all look similar. Self is unsoothed.
I’m still trying to get to my point:
the microwave is not a fake oven! It’s a normal oven heating element… AND IT IS ALSO A MICROWAVE.
Magic.
Also– OBVIOUS.
So. Obvious.
But despite the OBVIOUSNESS, not that many American manufacturers offer it, and so my options are limited… and I don’t love any of them… which is why I am now asking you if you know how to magic a Euro combination oven into an American combination oven. Because they have lots and they are pretty.
Either way, this amalgamation solves the issue of where to locate the microwave AND it gives me a second oven! I do not frequently need to bake at different temperatures but since I’ve been doing mad tomatoes, I have several times wanted to cook sweet potatoes and skipped them. (FYI: if you cook your sweet potatoes at a low temperature, it makes them sweeter.)
In other news– we got the van back… you can drive it, if you have a few basic tools.
The police reiterated what some of you already told me– old model vans are popular for theft because they are so easy to steal; then you can use it to go steal something else.
So.
Now I never have to pay for anything ever again.
LONG before the van was stolen, it was time for a new car… but cars are of negative interest to me, so when Paul would bring it up, I would be like– no. Stop inviting the universe to get involved. Everything is fine.
So I hoped that Paul would say he would just replace the stuff in the steering column that got ripped out… but once he drove it there was a new clanking and the window seal where they broke in and nine thousand other things and he is saying that it makes no sense to put more money into this car.
I suggested NOT putting money into it and just driving it with a screwdriver and wrench and umbrella… Paul suggested a compromise: rather than replace the van, we will get me a moped; and some goggles for the kittens.
Then we will get a trailer for the big stuff.
I am pleased with this plan.
October 24, 2018 @ 10:37 pm
First, your dahlia’s are AMAZING. I am so jealous. I live in Michigan where you have to ‘lift’ them, i.e., dig them out in the fall. No thank you.
***Second, be careful about buying a European appliance and your homeowners insurance! We purchased a microwave/regular oven that was NOT Canadian, we got it in the US and had it installed. After, we found out it does not meet the weird code of Canada, and that if the house burns down because of it, we are screwed. It was all too late, and no one knows it isn’t Canadian (Shhhh). Just giving you a head’s up that whatever you buy, make sure it is to the US code. Precautions.
October 25, 2018 @ 9:59 am
Photos of the kittehs in goggles, please. You’ve covered the dahlias and we are duly envious.
October 25, 2018 @ 1:11 pm
I have a canning stove in my garage. Had to wire a special plug for it but it is TOTALLY WORTH THE HYPE. You can have a roasting stove if I can have a canning stove. At my old house it was in the basement, which was better than the garage but in this current old farmhouse, the basement is tiny and gross. So is the garage– but the stairs to the garage are less treacherous. Let’s go with that. Anyway, I highly recommend a second stove for whatever you need it for.
October 25, 2018 @ 1:32 pm
And now the only thing I can think about today is KITTENS! WITH! GOGGLES!
October 25, 2018 @ 3:47 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72Jo1tJrZpU
If your budget will stomach it, I recommend the GE Advantium microwave which is also a convection oven and a Speed Cooker (which means it cooks with light). I once cooked four sweet potatoes in 9 minutes using the Speed Cooker mode.
So I actually have two ovens now if needed. Just a suggestion.
October 25, 2018 @ 4:52 pm
I NEED to see your kittens in goggles! So funny!
Gorgeous dahlia photos.
Seriously, buy another older van–they are the best! So very useful. We went without one for a while, but I am so happy to have one again, for hauling yard waste, for buying craigslist furniture, etc.
October 25, 2018 @ 8:43 pm
I really did laugh out loud about European microwave ovens. Nine of us shared an Air B&B in Prague this summer,(prior to an amazing 7 day Prague to Vienna bike trip….I digress) and it took me about a half an hour to make microwave popcorn…I couldnt figure the darn thing out! BTW, I truly believe Prague is the Mecca for all GFT’s. You should plan a trip there…..OMG, beautiful!
November 1, 2018 @ 10:52 pm
We have an American made combination microwave/convection oven that actually works!
DACOR is the brand
Convection microwave
Miele also has one – German, more expensive, but all my other appliances are Miele and they are the best!
http://www.dacor.com/products/collections/heritage/microwaves/discovery-24-convection-microwave
November 7, 2018 @ 3:57 pm
Sorry I have no info to share on the European oven combo, but I hope it works out! As for your moped/trailer idea… only if the trailer holds bigger gianter fancier things than the van! Otherwise, a used van that holds even more GFTs than your old one. Or maybe a pickup truck with a cab that can be removed if necessary??? 😉