#cookingisgreat

[marcelriemer-blog]

How Important Is Cooking? - Is it a valuable Skill?

[timeintogo]

Frying Pan

I know I've already pronounced several items as "the thing I am happiest that I brought with me," as the most indispensable. Well, I'm putting in a vote for my frying pan.

This was one of the more random items on the Peace Corps packing list. Sandals, lightweight clothing, books, frying pan, camera - wait, what? And yet, I bought (or to be precise, my doting mother purchased for me) a lightweight, backpacking nonstick frying pan.

And it's the greatest. I won't say since sliced bread, since I have yet to see that in Togo, but since electricity, for sure. I can fry an egg without any butter or oil, and it sticks to the pan not at all. I can saute veggies and make a mean frittata. I have only to swish some water around and it comes clean. (Yes, occasionally I even wash my dishes with soap!) The handle never gets too hot. My other main pot is the bane of my existence. It boils water for coffee and manages oatmeal, but this afternoon I burned some popcorn into it. It's heavy, and is given to burning my hands because it retains heat so well.

So there's one to add to my list when counting my Peace Corps blessings. My hammock, sriracha, electricity, and my frying pan, roughly in that order.