A lingering aroma in the microwave. (Photo indebtedness to my friend, Jane Albrecht, who happened by shortly after my kitchen trauma.)
Searching for a Solution
I did the darndest thing recently. I had a chunk of artisan bread that had gotten a bit hard, so I tossed it in the microwave for a few seconds. Well, I thought I set it for a few seconds, but apparently I over punched. The next thing I knew, smoke was wafting from the microwave, my bread looked like a lava rock, and a burnt smell filled the oven and drifted through the condo.
I opened windows and doors, turned on the exhaust fan and sprayed air freshener about the kitchen. But the microwave still had the smell of singed carrots.
The lemon-water solution
Google the Answer
I googled my problem and found such suggestions as: heat a mixture of water and bicarbonate of soda in the oven or a lemon-water combination. Or rub down the inside panels with vinegar-water. It took two days of treatment using all of the above to rid the oven of the odor. I’m not sure whether I’ve succeeded or just gotten use to it.
Baked Cookies to the Rescue
I followed the advice of one online guru, who said that baking cookies would mask any lingering kitchen aroma. I had all the ingredients for cookies, so why not? Well, it worked! I wound up with a fresh-baked smell in the kitchen and a freezer container of chocolate chip cookies. All’s well that ends well—though my oven may need another round of soda-lemon-vinegar before it’s back to normal.
Moral of the Story: Don’t try to salvage a crispy loaf of bread in the microwave. Turn it into crumbs and freeze it for a casserole topping.
