Friday 19 December 2014

Dearest Smeggy......

Just wanted to share with you this: that I have a cooker now working. No, not the Rayburn, but the SMEG which has stood in the hallway, still in its cardboard box, for months. Now it is working. It has lots of rings, several ovens, is cream, clean, and sparkly. It will not stay that way for long, not once I start using it.

But first I have to read the instructions, and overcome my terror of it. I know I am being silly, but ............ Apparently two ovens are fan assisted, but you can have half a fan, bottom fan, all fan, etc..... All I want is to switch the SMEG on, not have to worry about what bit of the fan to have on as well.

It would seem that I am being ungrateful for this step forward in the saga of me getting a 'proper' kitchen, and please believe me when I say that I am as pleased as anything to have a decent cooker to cook with. The old calor gas one has been slowly failing, with only three of the four rings working and even they do not work to their full capacity, making the cooking of food a slow and arduous job. I have, on occasion, felt like flinging the thing out of the door.

But now it is me and SMEGgy, learning how to get along with each other, our first engagement being cheese on toast this evening. And oh what a treat is to have a grill, and one that lights up too!

Now, the reason why I chose Smeggy was because it has sufficient gas rings to cook various things at the same time.....like the pot of dog food, the pot of pig food, the kettle, our dinner, the pressure cooker, etc...... It also has two ovens ( I did not know about the third until just a few minutes ago, and I did not know they were fan assisted either until just now) which will be handy when I cook for guests. But more that anything, the SMEG chose me, just like the kitchen kept on about wanting green floor tiles.

So what happened was this: I liked a friend's cooker, and saw the same cooker in a local electrical shop, but could not justify the expense of buying it at the time. Months passed, and still the cooker stayed on display. Then on one particular day I had an urge to go and have a proper look at it, thinking that soon it would become old stock and perhaps even become out of stock. So I took at look at it, and was dismayed to find that the quality of the cooker was not very good, and then my feet started walking down the rows of other cookers on display, and then they suddenly stopped in front of the SMEG, and without any proper look at it, quite clearly 'This is the one' came into my head. So we bought it, but without not really knowing exactly what the cooker could do.

Not to worry, I shall start exploring its potential tomorrow, I have to, because the old cooker has now been sent to its eternal rest, bless it.

And Lissie is with calf, being a week overdue, but Bonny was done again by the nice AI (artificial insemination) man.We have dispatched two male piglets, one more go go. It is still mild here but damp. It is surprising just how much mud can be made just by it being damp.

And I have got a proper cooker! Wahooooo!

So am off to read the instruction manual, and then have a trot around YouTube to see if anyone has posted anything up about the SMEG which might help me understand how to use it.


18 comments:

Kerry said...

How exciting. I've always liked SMEG cookers. But where is the photo of your new toy? :)

John Going Gently said...

A SMEG
How bloody wonderful
You posh cow
X

Elizabeth at Eiffel Tells said...

Smoggy is in situ just in time for some Christmas cooking. I found the accompanying manual invaluable when learning about the nuances of my oven. Enjoy

Vera said...

Kerry, will post a photo up asap!

John, posh? Me? Not a hope in hell's chance, not with the state the rest of the house is in!

Elizabeth, oh you have a Smeg as well! The manual seems quite clear, so will delve into it later on today!

northsider said...

I look forward to seeing your culinary delights cooked on your new SMEG cooker, Vera.

Ohiofarmgirl said...

i'm going to need a link because i dont know what this is! when i looked up SMEG all that came up were some refrigerators. link please!

Janice said...

I,ve never heard of a SMEG and only heard of a Rayburn from reading blogs. We don't have either one over here. When you get the Rayburn installed you'll be able to cook for an army with the two stoves. Does the Rayburn also heat your water and provide heating in the house? It all sounds very exciting. Am I right in thinking that you said at one time you might have a B&B when all the renovations are finished?

Jean said...

Smeg is an excellent choice, an excellent make.
My mum used to say "if you buy cheap, you buy twice" and I have always thought there's no point in having a cheap version of anything. You might as well manage with what you have until you can afford what you want.
Getting used to a new cooker, especially the oven, is exciting and scary.
I hope you really enjoy getting to know yours and I look forward to reading all about it!

Tim said...

We have a SMEG hob...
we didn't like the ordinary gas hobs we could find here in France.
They all have the pot stands raised up above the burner... which is almost level with the cooker top...
a potential spill hazard...
especially when most of the pot stands have no corner supports, just a simple cross...
the "FALCON" [I've got a small badge that says Falcon... to cover up the word SMEG when we have visitors]...
the SMEG has its burners set low in the top...
with the pot stands level with the work surface.
Much safer... and also easy to slide a pot partially off the burner.

With our first complex "piano"...
a DeLonghi...
I photocopied important bits...
and laminated them so that they were wipe-clean.
These are still in use...
even tho' we now have the 6-burner hob...
and a single 60cm Electrolux electric oven...
because much of the main control is now almost identical cooker to cooker.
Have fun playing your other new "piano"...

Vera said...

Northsider Dave, will get cooking on the Smeg when I have time to read the instructions!

OFG, will put a link asap.

Janice, the Rayburn does indeed heat the water and a few radiators, and yes, you are right in thinking that we hope to have a B&B when we are more tidier!

Jean, I am starting to think the same as your mum, and the Smeg was a bit expensive but looks to be well worth the money. It was a treat to myself for having to cope with camping cookers for so long!

Tim, I am sold on the Smeg! It does feel very safe to use because you can't actually get anywhere near the burners even if you tried!

Mizumatte said...

I'm very glad you have finally a deasent cooker. I whish you and all yours very happy Christmas and looking forward for many readings in 2015. Jaana

Tim said...

Happy Christmas Vera...
and may 2015 see you with TWO cookers, plenty of storage...
a healthy hubby and herd... which includes pigs and chooks!!

Ohiofarmgirl said...

hi Vera! totally off topic... but i want to do a traditional Full English breakfast. do you have tips on how to make this? or a link with good instructions? i think i have the general idea - i was able to find the British version of Heinz 57 beans... and i have just about everything else. thanks for any pointers.
:-)

Vera said...

Jaana, wishing you all the best for 2015 as well. And thanks for nudging me to write when I get lax about posting blogs! Vx

Tim, bless you, and thank you for all the help you have given me this year. Vx

OFG, good luck with the English Breakfast project. Have left the instructions on your blog. Vx

Ohiofarmgirl said...

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!! cant wait to give this a try - and i've also discovered "beans on toast" - it's a sensation!

Niall & Antoinette said...

Oooh a SMEG -- good for you :-) Fan assisted ovens are great once you get used to them -- I find you just have to alter [lower] the temp a bit.

John Going Gently said...

If I don't get the chance
Happy new year to you
Jxxxx

Vera said...

OFG, yummy, beans on toast are delish, especially if topped off with grated cheese!

Niall and Antoinette, am in total love with my Smeg! And have learnt through trial and error that the temperature always needs to be on the lower side after a few crispy cakes!

John, bless you.