December 08, 2011

When the oven breaks

Sometimes, your oven will break. For example, the heating element might snap in two, shorting out, turning white hot, melt onto the bottom of the oven, and, essentially, try to burn your house down.

Now what do you do? After you've run the Apfelkuchen you were baking to the neighbors, of course.

If there's absolutely no power, cold drinks like an Aperol sprizz or Kir royale are still possible. A large enough rolling pin and a ziplock bag can substitute for the food processor to crush vanilla wafers for rum balls or B-52 balls.

If you have power, but no range or stovetop, and you have a crock pot, you can make almost any of the hot drinks, especially mulled cider or Glühwein. In the microwave, you can make Haferflockentrüffel (chocolate-oatmeal "truffles"). With a food processor, rum balls, more rum balls and B-52 balls are simple. Key lime pie requires only refrigeration.

If the burners are still working, you can also make holly cookies or the aforementioned Haferflockentrüffel (chocolate-oatmeal "truffles"). Or you could deep-fry some doughnuts. For a savory dish, try corn pudding. Finish off with a hot drink, like Mokka, minty white hot chocolate or Wintermilch.