Movens are Japan's solution for the oven shortage. Personally, I would think that in a cold and damp country that does not believe in insulation OR central heating, having ovens come standard in the kitchen would be a no-brainer. You can bake delicious things AND be warm. But no, instead, we have movens. What is a moven you ask? A moven is like the confused love-child of a microwave and a convection oven. Is it a microwave? Yes. Is it an oven? Yes. And there you have it, the beauty of the moven.
We decided to put my friend Katy's moven to the test last weekend and bake a pie to bring to the Thanksgiving potluck in the Noto Pennisula. As we put the foil pie pan in to pre-bake the crust, I think my heart may have stopped for a moment. I mean, FOIL?! In a microwave?! You have got to be kidding, right?! Nope, the crust came out just barely browned and delicious. No sparks, no fires, no explosions. Just one awesome moven.
After my nerves were calmed, we went at the pie baking with enthusiasm that can only be explained by 4 months sans oven. I piled the filling as high as physics would allow, and we crossed our fingers as we set the timer on the moven. About 30 minutes later, we opened the door. It smelled like apple pie. In fact, it smelled like really GOOD apple pie. The top was slightly singed, but considering that we had just baked a pie in a tin foil pan in a microwave, I would say that it was a glorious success.
I need a moven.
We decided to put my friend Katy's moven to the test last weekend and bake a pie to bring to the Thanksgiving potluck in the Noto Pennisula. As we put the foil pie pan in to pre-bake the crust, I think my heart may have stopped for a moment. I mean, FOIL?! In a microwave?! You have got to be kidding, right?! Nope, the crust came out just barely browned and delicious. No sparks, no fires, no explosions. Just one awesome moven.
After my nerves were calmed, we went at the pie baking with enthusiasm that can only be explained by 4 months sans oven. I piled the filling as high as physics would allow, and we crossed our fingers as we set the timer on the moven. About 30 minutes later, we opened the door. It smelled like apple pie. In fact, it smelled like really GOOD apple pie. The top was slightly singed, but considering that we had just baked a pie in a tin foil pan in a microwave, I would say that it was a glorious success.
I need a moven.
Karen and Katy
a very multicultural Thanksgiving around the kotatsu (heated coffee table)
eating chili and mashed pumpkin with chopsticks (Katy, Rachel, Sarah, Karen, and Chris - the host)
the cutest Japanese blur I have ever met
It was not the most traditional Thanksgiving that I have ever had. After all, the closest thing we came to poultry was some incredible fried chicken, and eating chili with chopsticks just doesn't scream "Thanksgiving!". But at the same time, (forgive me as I get a smidge philosophical here) maybe it was more traditional than any turkey and cranberries Thanksgiving can ever be. What is Thanksgiving really? It is a day to gather together, to share food, and to be thankful. And that is exactly what we did.
I did miss the fake cranberry sauce though. :)
1 comment:
I brought some fake cranberry to the McCarron Thanksgiving in your honor!
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