"Paul M. Eldridge" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:12:46 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Paul M. Eldridge" wrote in message
. ..
On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:08:11 GMT, "J.Lef" wrote:

Sometimes better cookware or, more correctly, cookware that is
intended for the task at hand, will provide better performance. I
might explore this option first, prior to making a commitment to
swapping out your current range. Good luck!

Cheers,
Paul


Or, put the lid on the pot of water you want to boil. I used to have a web
link to a video showing this procedure, but I can't find it at the moment.
Sorry. :-(

Hi Joe,

Good point. A tight fitting lid can dramatically reduce the number of
BTUs (and length of time) required to complete the job.

I have a propane cook top and, in my case, propane is significantly
more expensive than electric, plus due to the nature of the design,
much of the heat is lost around the sides of the cookware -- this
waste heat and additional humidity during the summer months is
particularly unwelcome. Thus, if I have a large quanity of water to
heat (e.g., cooking pasta), I first bring it to a boil in an electric
kettle, then transfer it to the pot. The amount of time works out to
be about the same, but it's less expensive and helps keep the kitchen
more comfortable.

Cheers,
Paul


I've also found that cutting a potato in half will help it cook faster.
However, I need to submit my findings to some reputable research
organizations, to be sure others can duplicate and confirm the results. I've
tried to contact the appropriate people at Oxford and Harvard, but I haven't
gotten any responses yet. I suspect they're very busy.