The Joy of Cooking with a Two-Burner Stove
I’m pretty much an experimenter in many areas of cooking. I turn to cookbooks for most of my ideas and end up ignoring half of the ingredient lists. My broccoli soup becomes potato, carrot, broccoli soup. The chocolate chip cookies have peanut butter and oats. And the roasted applesauce always changes. Most of the time, my theory of mass alteration works; sometimes my brownies collapse.
It’s hard for me to follow every rule and do exactly like everyone else. A lot of self-expression vanishes when I follow the standard mold, and I guess I find that our kitchen is really no different. Everyone have some very basic ideas about what a kitchen needs like a big sink and an oven. We also believe that every kitchen has to have a four-burner stove. Yet when Martin and I paused to reflect on exactly how we cook, one thing was very obvious: we rarely used more than one, maybe two burners at a time.
So we decided to pick a two-burner stove. In addition to saving us a few bucks, you can see that it’s certainly the most practical solution for our 36 square foot kitchen:
So we’re dying to know: how many burners do you use?
This week, consider stepping back a moment as your family prepares meals just for curiosity’s sake. Not a Thanksgiving day, just an every day sort of day. Then tell us! Think we could we swap spaces?
(Image by Katie for Making This Home)
Keep it green and simple with 2 more ideas:
January 20th, 2009 at 5:52 am
I’m pretty sure I could make do with 2 burners! the more one-pot-thiry-minute meals the better, right? p.s. i can never follow recipe directions either! it’s not worth doing if i can’t put my own spin on it!
January 20th, 2009 at 6:59 am
We only use one burner right now, because we don’t have a stove and are relying on a single electric plug-in burner for our cooking needs. We’ve been doing this for a year! Sometimes it would be nice to have a second burner… but you’re right – I’ve rarely thought, “boy, I could use 4 burners for tonight’s meal…”
Having said that, I still can’t wait for a stove. :)
I think you’ve done a great job with the space that you have!
January 20th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Truth be told, I rarely use more than one burner at once. Except if I am hosting a meal during the holidays or some other day. Actually many days we use the microwave and not the stove. So for most situations two burners would be enough. Clever that you decided to save space by getting only a 2 burner stovetop.
January 20th, 2009 at 8:37 am
On an average meal, I probably use 2 burners. Occasionally I need 3, but only occasionally. I bet I could get away with just 2 if I needed to.
Your kitchen really looks great! Look at all that countertop space!
January 20th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I have 4 burners, but have not used all 4 at once. I usually just use 1 or 2. In the event of having people over for a big meal, I might use 3…then you would be in trouble! :)
January 20th, 2009 at 10:53 am
I’m loving the countertops! Martin fixed the cabinets nicely.
I use just one or two burners, too :o)
January 20th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Interestingly it seems most of us do use only 1 or 2 burners…myself included…probably because of the microwave…it takes a load off the cooktop for me… ;-) Bo
January 20th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
I can’t think of a time, ever, when I’ve used more than 2 burners. Although we do use our whole oven regularly, and since we have your standard North American stove / oven combo unit, we go with 4. You’re right, though, this is one of those things I just always assumed I needed, that I actually do not.
January 21st, 2009 at 1:55 pm
You’re right. Most every time I cook I only use two burners. I can’t think of the last time I used three, other than a holiday meal. Looks like a perfect solution for you space!
My creativity thrives on structure, I have to have a recipe around but I’m definitely an improvisor :).
January 21st, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I’m pretty sure I could make due with 2 burners as well. It seems like that’s all I ever use anyway! I think you made a great choice. :0)
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:06 pm
I cook all day long…everyday….on only 2 burners….I have a JennAir range with a grill on one side and two burners on the other….breakfast is a pain. I have to cook it in shifts…
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
You’re so right! We only ever use 2 burners (unless it’s a holiday meal or something).
Your stovetop makes so much sense!
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:33 pm
In a kitchen the size of yours, this really does make more sense. And you’re right–I rarely use more than two burners at the same time. Funny I never really thought about that before.
Thanks for joining my party! I always enjoy your posts, Katie. Have a great weekend! :-)
January 25th, 2009 at 4:48 am
First – I love your countertop — gorgeous!!! And the striated wood cabinets are to die for.
I personally could make do with two burners, as my most frequent meal in my single days was an egg with a side of stove top stuffing! hahaha – makes even me cringe now!! but my husband is a fabulous chef and used three burners just last night making us my current favorite meal – enchiladas and rice. Sooo good to be eating home cooking again – one thing I really missed in Wales!
January 26th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
For 10 years I lived in a house with 2 burners and a grill option where the other burners should be. We are a family of 5 and at least 3 times a week I longed for more burners! Never once did I use the grill because it was too hard to clean. Then I moved to Belgium and have a lovely stove top with 5 burners!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!! I use more than 2 all the time just because I can.
By the way, you did an excellant job on your kitchen. If you ever move, the next owner will love the “American kitchen”.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
LOL right now I use ZERO burners because I broke my stove. Ugh. It’s a glass top electric (yuck) and I accidentally (I swear) dropped a corelle bowl on it. When they say corelle is tough stuff, they mean it. The bowl didn’t even chip but the stove top cracked in two.
So …. one burner remained semi usable provided we were careful not to let any liquid spill. I managed through Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners even! DH wanted to buy me the beautiful stainless gas stove I want but I said NO. We don’t know for sure we’re staying here and if we spend all that money on a stove plus the money to have the gas lines run and then put it on the market, we’ll have to change out all the other appliances too. Let’s wait I said.
Well, we’re still waiting and just last week the oven went out. So now I have one burner (sort of) to cook on and one of those open top rotating pizza ovens that I bake on. It’s big time gourmet around our house!
We should know within a month if we’re selling or staying and then we’ll replace accordingly – gently used white smooth top if we’re selling or nice gas stainless if we’re staying.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
I had an ‘apartment’ stove with three burners for years and it handled everything. Even now, with a ’standard’ American stove, one of the burners is more or less just a place to store the teakettle!