Boiling water

When my neighbor moved out of his house in June, it was kind of a mad scramble at the end. I’d open my door in the morning and find bags or boxes of things he was jettisoning—foodstuffs, linens, even small appliances.

Yes—one morning there was a box with a toaster and an electric kettle. Well—I have a toaster oven, but I thought I might quite like the kettle. Boy, was I right. That sucker was a game changer—heats water for tea like a champ and then shuts off.

Until a couple of weeks ago when it didn’t any more. Whenever it was on the plate, it was heating. Once I didn’t hear it when it boiled and by the time I got to the kitchen, I had to use a hot pad to take it off.

So, I had a decision—do I buy a new kettle or go back to using the whistling one on the stove? Or continue to use it in its current condition?

Eventually I opted for replacing it, but with a kettle that will heat to different temperatures—for green tea, French press coffee and black tea, amongst other settings. (I make a quart of iced tea about every other day, and starting in October every year I make a pot of hot tea almost daily.) It cost a few bob (although on sale), but once again, my life is changed.

I do have to remember to poke the setting for green tea instead of just “boil”, which will take some training. (Also—I'm not quite sure of the point of "keep warm".) But it is da bomb.

 

 

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