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Raisin Escapades
Feb. 7th, 2004 12:00 pmI discovered this morning, the experiential way, (that's college speak for "I did it and lived, so it counts as experience") that you should not put raisins in the microwave.
I was trying to make granola. It's really good when you bake it for 60 minutes on low heat, but this time I thought I'd try the microwave way. One minute and thirty-eight seconds later, my breakfast was on fire. (The last time I went from expectation to catastrophe that quickly, online dating was involved. But I digress.)
I have seen metal objects catch fire in the microwave, but as a general rule, granola is not known for its incendiary tendencies. Fortunately, when I opened the microwave door, the flames stopped, leaving a small pile of smoking granola and several raisins that had been reduced to carbonized shells of their former selves. Carefully reading the recipe after the fact, I noted that it specifically said, "Microwave the granola, then add the raisins". (Score one for people who read the directions and follow them.)
I will now prove to you all, as if you needed any further proof, that I'm nerdy: I tried again with grapes. This time, it took about four seconds before the grapes exploded into flame.
Grapes? On fire?
Needless to say, this wasn't one of the things I expected to learn in graduate school. I can personally verify that there are all kinds of fruits and vegetables that don't catch fire when you microwave them. I also know that oatmeal with raisins does not catch fire in the microwave, and I now know that grapes covered in water don't catch fire or carbonize either.
A few emails later, someone suggested that the (red) grapes caught fire due to an iron-containing compound that they contain. Okay fine. I will microwave some green grapes and report back.
I was trying to make granola. It's really good when you bake it for 60 minutes on low heat, but this time I thought I'd try the microwave way. One minute and thirty-eight seconds later, my breakfast was on fire. (The last time I went from expectation to catastrophe that quickly, online dating was involved. But I digress.)
I have seen metal objects catch fire in the microwave, but as a general rule, granola is not known for its incendiary tendencies. Fortunately, when I opened the microwave door, the flames stopped, leaving a small pile of smoking granola and several raisins that had been reduced to carbonized shells of their former selves. Carefully reading the recipe after the fact, I noted that it specifically said, "Microwave the granola, then add the raisins". (Score one for people who read the directions and follow them.)
I will now prove to you all, as if you needed any further proof, that I'm nerdy: I tried again with grapes. This time, it took about four seconds before the grapes exploded into flame.
Grapes? On fire?
Needless to say, this wasn't one of the things I expected to learn in graduate school. I can personally verify that there are all kinds of fruits and vegetables that don't catch fire when you microwave them. I also know that oatmeal with raisins does not catch fire in the microwave, and I now know that grapes covered in water don't catch fire or carbonize either.
A few emails later, someone suggested that the (red) grapes caught fire due to an iron-containing compound that they contain. Okay fine. I will microwave some green grapes and report back.
