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[Bevanron <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Comments interspersed below....

sjc wrote:
> At 03:38 PM 6/22/2006, Lynda wrote:
>
>
> > ........Also, as I said, electric is cleaner.  Burning gas is a 
> > dirty business and your walls and ceiling will attest to that.  I,
> >  personally, hate having to clean the gas guck off ceilings and 
> > walls and inside the vents, etc.  ..............
>
>
> It that's the case you need to adjust or have someone adjust the 
> burn.  I have never had to clean gas residue off walls, vents, 
> anything else. And for the record I learned to cook on an electric 
> range and happily used that until I moved as a 30 y/o adult to 
> housing where the provided range was propane.  Believe me, I've never
>  looked back, and I've done a whale of a lot of cooking and canning 
> since then; at one time there were about 20 of us to cook for.


I have never cooked on a propane range, but I have using natural gas and
electric.  I don't know, but is there any chance that this whole 'gas is
dirty' thing is a result of a misunderstanding/confusion over the
difference between propane and piped natural gas?  I don't know what the
effective difference is since I never had a propane stove, but I do know
what Lynda is talking about when she refers to cleaning the grime in the
kitchen.  I had a lot more grime at my other house than I do here with
the electric range, but I never related it to the gas stove, I just
thought it was my slovenly housekeeping when the kids were
small <g>  All things being equal, I would have actually predicted more
grime here due to the fact that we don't have central heat and air and
nothing is vented.  I know the stove was vented when we used natural
gas.  Anyway, I know next to nothing about such things.

> I can simmer anything I wish, in any amount, in as large or as small
>  a pan as I wish.  Never occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to. 
> Maybe an adjustment again?

I can simmer anything, too.  I have two 'weak' burners on my current
range, and all they do is simmer. <g>  I do however miss that instant
heat of gas, and the 'instant off'.  I keep a tea kettle of water on the
stove now so that I don't touch the still hot electric burner or toss a
towel on it or something equally stupid.   Now, as I turn off a burner,
I grab the kettle and move it to the hot burner to cover it up.

> And canning on an electric range just plain is a drag, if possible at
>  all.  Always having to find the optimum size pan and number of jars
>  that would actually work........ugh.  I never had an electric that 
> was up to that task (admittedly never had one of the superduper 
> pooperscooper types.).

Yes, that is my main complaint as well.  We bought a propane burner just
for canning because I could never get my electric range to get hot
enough, and like you say, I used to have to downsize to a Dutch oven
instead of a canning kettle and that makes fitting jars in there a pain,
and more dangerous since there is no rack.  Now, I set up the propane
burner on level ground outside and my water is hot in no time.  I can
pressure can outside and not worry about cleanup should the damn thing
ever explode.(I never have really overcome that fear)  I can use the
canning kettle and jar rack and my kitchen stays relatively cool.

> Susan Jane, in Maine, who was sure glad to hear from Bev again! 
> Welcome back!

Thank you Susan!  It's good to be back and good to see you again, too!
I still haven't made it up to Maine-still hoping to do that one day.  My
son is in upstate NY right now, and he has ventured over into Canada,
Vermont and NH, but has yet to make it over to Maine.  We are hoping to
go to Saratoga Springs in August when he graduates, but that may not be
possible.  We are in wait and see mode right now.  I'd hate to travel
all the way up there and not have the opportunity to really see New
England.  My husband is currently building a canoe, and I keep pushing
for a Maine canoe outing.  Maybe next year.... I'd like to meet you if I
ever get up that way.

Bev


--
erthnsky AT bellsouth.net  BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm      NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W