My Favorite Food Things - Day #13 - Ranges and Ovens

I prefer gas ranges over electric.

A gas range will better distribute the heat and make for more uniform food. They also produce a wider range of temperature than electric. Low enough for that slight boil when making things like fumet or confit. High enough for that flash pan fry on items like asparagus and prawns seafood.

Not only will gas give you lower and higher temperatures than electric, it will also give you instant control of the heat. This is probably the best attribute of gas ranges. Once you turn the dial on, the heat is at the desired temperature – no need to wait for it to warm up. Likewise when you turn the dial off, the heat is instantly off.

Now when it comes to ovens, I am not sure. Older gas oven technology was poor - often having cold spots in the oven. Gas ovens also used to have no or limited broiling capabilities. From what I hear gas ranges have dramatically improved over the years. Cold spots and an inadequate broiler are no longer the case. Is that true? Perhaps you can give me some guidance on this one!??!

If we were to talk about brand, we would be talking about Viking and Wolf. My dream is to have a home kitchen stalked with these brands. Viking is probably the more well know of the two, but not necessarily the best.

Viking has long been known for its high standard of quality and performance. Viking, American made and owned, has also been known for its high price. Additionally, repairs with Viking can be extreme and sometimes burdensome.

Wolf, also an American company, has been known for the quality with a slightly smaller price tag. Wolf also owns Sub-Zero, which is the best refrigerator. So, often you can get a nice kitchen ‘package’ with a Wolf range and oven, and a Sub-Zero refrigerator.

I will also admit that I do not know much about European or Japanese manufacturers of ranges and ovens. Maybe my fellow international readers can add some of their two cents to this post, helping us all out.