Thence to the butteries!

I like making toast on the stovetop - you can use the warm pan to melt the butter that goes on the toast! I wonder, though, how many children brought up in the age of toasters have ever done it this way. Or how many have ever boiled water in a teakettle.

I have a very small kitchen and very few appliances. Here are some of the things I've done away with:

1. Microwave. Just about the only thing I miss is reheating rice and pasta. What amazes me the most is how amazed people are when I tell them I don't have one.
   
2. Toaster. Turns out this just doesn't do as good of a job as the stovetop.
   
3. Coffee maker. I live within walking distance of a coffee shop that makes better coffee than I ever could. If I need something at home I make tea.
4. Garbage disposal. Ok, I kind of miss this one. However, one beneficial side-effect is that my trash goes out almost every day, keeping my kitchen nice and tidy. It also makes my trash really, really nasty which prevents the alley scavengers from digging through it too much.
5. Dishwasher. I really miss this one, actually. I don't like doing dishes at all.
   
6. Counter-top blender. I use a hand blender, which does a better job on smoothies and is easier to clean, to boot.

Looking over these discarded items, it's interesting to note that they all run on electricity. So I'm probably saving money and the environment along with space and ownership headache.

I will note, however, that teakettles do seem to encourage drinking more than just one cup of tea. I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing yet.

(I also love the fact that my apartment came with a quite serviceable four-burner gas range, with a smallish stove underneath. Gas rocks for real cooking, and the small stove is a huge benefit in terms of time - a small stove heats up much faster than a large one. I kind of like the soft "wooshing" sound it makes, too. :)

Extra credit to the person who knows where the title for this post comes from.