Microwave

I remember when microwave ovens first came out. Yes, tomorrow is Respect for the Aged day, a national holiday in Japan...but I digress.

Anyway, when they first came out my first thought was that there wasn't anything they could do that a stovetop or oven couldn't. Then my parents got one, and they gave us one when Rob and I got married and I've had one ever since.

Until I came to Japan. I had considered buying one when I first came here. I based that on the price I paid for my last on at Wal-Mart. I remember seeing the small, dorm-sized ones for maybe $30-40 and figured I'd get one of those.

They are more expensive here. I haven't seen the small, cheap ones at all. They generally run at least 10,000 yen, although I'd seen some for a little as 7900. But when I saw the lower priced ones, I didn't have a car available to transport it. So I decided I could live without one. I have a stove top and a rice cooker.

Unfortunately, some food processors have caught up with the idea that everyone has a microwave, and make things that can't be properly heated up any other way. I've seen pre-popped popcorn. microwave popcorn and Jiffypop popcorn, but no regular popcorn. And cocoa mixes call for hot milk instead of hot water. I'm nervous about cookikng milk on the stove because of its tendency to burn.

So today, I was very happy to see that Beisie had a microwave on sale for 4980 yen. AND I was with my friend who has a car! So now I am ready for winter, able to prepare hot beverages easily! (Hot lemonade, anyone?) I'll also be able to reheat anything I get from the deli, as well as my own leftovers.

Of course, now I have to figure out where to put the rice cooker, since the microwave takes up the top of the fridge....