Snippets from the Italian Scene
Explosive water from the
Microwave
Returning more towards food, I recently got a chain letter warning of the dangers of heating water in the microwave oven that's worth passing along:
"...About five days ago my 26-year old son decided to have a cup of instant coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before). I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he told me he wanted to bring the water to a boil. When he timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling, but then the water in the cup "blew up"into his face.... His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face, which may leave scarring. He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that this a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc. It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in a tea kettle."
The danger is real; I once had a (small) pitcher of maple syrup boil up explosively and coat the inside of my microwave oven.
A presto,
Kyle Phillips
Webweaver, About Italian Cuisine
Thoughts on Italian food
On Italian wine
On living
in Italy
Send a card from the Italian
Cuisine Post Office, or browse the photos!
