Achievement unlocked

[enemyofperfect]

I set a potholder on fire today!

Or more precisely, through negligence I allowed a potholder to be set on fire.

After sparing a moment for heartfelt curses, I picked it up by the non-burning side and carried it over to the sink to douse the flames, which activity grew more exciting when I noticed little burning pieces falling as it moved. I did question my choice of methods at that point, but since I was already in motion, I reasoned that I would deal with the biggest fire first, and if any others sprang up, I would deal with them next. Fortunately, the sparks seemed to extinguish themselves, leaving only bits of ash to clean up once the potholder was safely sodden and inert.

It's pretty new thing that I attempt any cooking more complex than can be accomplished with a few presses of the microwave keypad, so I'm still very much learning. From this adventure, for example, I have learned that before turning on a burner, it's important to make sure that nothing flammable is lying near it.

Anyway, dinner turned out pretty well despite the excitement! Plenty of black beans and rice, and not a bit of it scorched.

Comments

[amovingtarget]

You graduated from microwave to stove, and with it came a whole new level of burning. :'T

[enemyofperfect]

Oh my gosh, you creature!

I'm not actually sure which incident was worse. Obviously the actual flames were much more immediately alarming, but the soup I burned in the microwave... made so much more smoke. O_O

[amovingtarget]

Well, I once set one on fire too -- we just use old tea towels mostly, cut in half, and the cut ends fray with use which leaves dangly bits for the burners to get at while you're trying to move pots around. Fun times.

I also actually set a potato on fire in the microwave...

(Love your post title, btw, you gamer nerd :'T)

[enemyofperfect]

It's so kind of you to share these stories. Accidentally setting things on fire solidarity!

(I have no idea why you would claim that I'm in any way a gamer. The fact that I voluntarily game almost seven days a week is entirely irrelevant!)

[amovingtarget]

(:T)

[violsva]

Yikes!

I'm glad the fire was as minor as possible for fire, and that dinner turned out okay anyway.

[enemyofperfect]

Thank you! I later found out that the other people in the house had no idea anything had gone wrong, which was gratifying.

[jmtorres]

i once melted a cutting board into a burner

oh also the reason all my implements are silicone now is it will not melt if I do dumb shit like that

[enemyofperfect]

OMG, somehow I'd assumed that anything that wouldn't burn would melt instead. I'm delighted to learn I was wrong!

(I'm pretty sure my household as a whole has managed to melt more than one cutting board. I guess I can take comfort in knowing my inattentiveness is familial.)

[jmtorres]

silicone implements usually rate their highest safe temp around 450 or 500F. i asked the internet what the melting point of silicone is and it gave me 300C, which is apparently 572F.

so like it will melt eventually but probably not at cooking temperatures?

[enemyofperfect]

Right, I expect that if I dropped anything into molten lava it would join the mix. But that's awesome news about silicone at cooking temperatures!