I cooked some carrots this morning and didn't pay enough attention to them until I became aware of an obnoxious smell wafting my way. (OK, I confess. I was too involved with the computer to notice before then.) As I dashed over to assess the damage, it became more and more obvious that those carrots had done more than just go dry. The burned smell got stronger and stronger the closer I got, especially when I took the lid off. Oh wow! The top part of the carrots were still orange, but the whole bottom of the pan had a thick, impenetrable-looking black, gunky coating.
Woe is me. That was my favorite pan! I use it almost every day. I wondered how long it would be before I could use it again, or if I ever would. Some time ago I learned that boiling water with cream of tartar in a burned pan would usually loosen the burned stuff. Alas I was out of cream of tartar. (Hadn't burned enough pans lately, I guess--or perhaps too many.) I asked myself what I might try instead. What came to me was BAKING SODA! I remember once seeing a whole book on the wonderful stuff that can be done with baking soda, do I decided to try it.
I poured some water in the pan, glopped in a generous amount of baking soda and brought it to a boil. After just 5 or 10 minutes I decided to scrape at it with a spoon to see if I could tell if anything was happening. Imagine my surprise when practically all the black stuff came off! Just like that! With the addition of a minimum of scouring with a scouring pad, the pan was as good as new. I was amazed. When I've used cream of tartar it always took me several sets of boiling and scraping, and adding new stuff before the pan came clean. Here it was clean and shiny in a matter of minutes. It was so easy. I was impressed. Yay for baking soda!--K
p.s. The burned carrot incident has taught me that the computer renders me brain dead to everything around me (just like Jim with the newspaper.) :-) Now that I'm more aware, I will pay more attention. I promise! :-) I hereby pledge that I will not allow the house to burn down around me while I am blogging…
Barbie sent me the following comment: "I set the timer when I'm doing laundry to remind myself to go change it. Maybe you should set the timer when you have something on the stove just so you don't forget!"
She thought it was "too funny," that I pledged to not let the house burn down around me while blogging. :-)
Woe is me. That was my favorite pan! I use it almost every day. I wondered how long it would be before I could use it again, or if I ever would. Some time ago I learned that boiling water with cream of tartar in a burned pan would usually loosen the burned stuff. Alas I was out of cream of tartar. (Hadn't burned enough pans lately, I guess--or perhaps too many.) I asked myself what I might try instead. What came to me was BAKING SODA! I remember once seeing a whole book on the wonderful stuff that can be done with baking soda, do I decided to try it.
I poured some water in the pan, glopped in a generous amount of baking soda and brought it to a boil. After just 5 or 10 minutes I decided to scrape at it with a spoon to see if I could tell if anything was happening. Imagine my surprise when practically all the black stuff came off! Just like that! With the addition of a minimum of scouring with a scouring pad, the pan was as good as new. I was amazed. When I've used cream of tartar it always took me several sets of boiling and scraping, and adding new stuff before the pan came clean. Here it was clean and shiny in a matter of minutes. It was so easy. I was impressed. Yay for baking soda!--K
p.s. The burned carrot incident has taught me that the computer renders me brain dead to everything around me (just like Jim with the newspaper.) :-) Now that I'm more aware, I will pay more attention. I promise! :-) I hereby pledge that I will not allow the house to burn down around me while I am blogging…
Barbie sent me the following comment: "I set the timer when I'm doing laundry to remind myself to go change it. Maybe you should set the timer when you have something on the stove just so you don't forget!"
She thought it was "too funny," that I pledged to not let the house burn down around me while blogging. :-)
2 comments:
Hey, that's a great idea - I'll have to remember that about baking soda. What type of metal is your favorite pan?
Hi Jill,
Our pans are stainless steel.
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