Barbara Kafka RIP

[liuzhou]

Food writer Barbara Kafka, recipient of the James Beard Foundation lifetime achievement award has left us.

 

I only have one of her books - Microwave Gourmet - but read many of her articles over the years. I still make her microwave risotto when I can get hold of risotto rice here. Don't scoff! I did, but it works a treat.

[Anna N]

 Sorry to hear of her passing. I searched and searched for Microwave Gourmet at one point. When I did finally find it I don’t believe I ever used it. That is not a reflection on the book. That is a reflection on me. 

[liuzhou]

38 minutes ago, Anna N said:

I searched and searched for Microwave Gourmet at one point. When I did finally find it I don’t believe I ever used it.

 

I used it a bit when I first got it, around 30 years ago, but the only real keeper was her risotto. That is not a reflection on the book. That is a reflection on me. I just prefer cooking the traditional way more, for most things. And, it was one cookbook that didn't follow me to China. China had no microwaves when I came,  so that was a more powerful reason.

[TdeV]

@liuzhou, I was going to ask for Barbara Kafka's recipe and then I found

https://www.thecitycook.com/recipes/2011-06-02-barbara-kafka-s-microwave-shrimp-risotto

 

I'd never heard of Barbara Kafka but it is always sad to hear about the loss of a valued person. I will surely try her recipe.

 

 

[SLB]

Man, that soup book.  It was beautiful!

[TdeV]

I'm reviving this thread because I've recently purchased Barbara Kafka's Microwave Gourmet ©1987. I'm interested in finding out more about COOKING with a microwave and this is always the recommended book.

 

Kafka's very clear that different wattage ovens behave differently and gives multiple recipes for different ovens. She also states that one can't just double or halve recipes, or change pan sizes. BUT most of her recipes are for 650 to 700 watt microwaves.

 

Any idea how I should translate that to a modern microwave? FWIW mine is 1200 watts.

 

[Smithy]

Here's one small data point: my husband adjusts the time for reheating coffee proportionally to the microwave wattage to get the temperature he wants. While he uses 60 seconds in our home machine (1500W) he needs 90 seconds for our 1000W machine.