Warming Drawers: Appliances 101

A few weeks ago, we discussed the misunderstood convection oven in our first lesson on appliances. Today, we’re going to delve into another appliance that I’ve had trouble with in the past: the warming drawer.

During my kitchen remodel this past year, I debated adding a warming drawer to the layout. In my experiences with the appliance, food always turned out dry and lukewarm…not exactly what you want to happen after you’ve spent time cooking something delicious!

Though I was reluctant, the experts over at Sub Zero Wolf set me straight and explained why a warming drawer should be my new best friend. Let me set out a few problems you might have encountered before:

• You’ve fried a pile of bacon, but the ginger pancakes need a bit more time.
• A 7 year-old someone left a bag of tortilla chips wide open in the cabinet.
• The pizza delivery for your kid’s birthday party came an hour before dinner-and-cake time.
• Your mother-in-law’s Thanksgiving stuffing is taking a lot longer to make than your quick and delicious garlic-parmesan potatoes did.
• You want to serve your blueberry cobbler in a warm dish with melty vanilla ice cream on top, but your oven is already full.

The solution to all these problems? A short jaunt in the warming drawer! With the right temperature settings, you can make stale chips and cereal crispy again. Who knew? It’s great for entertaining because it gives you a little wiggle room with timing when dishes will be done cooking– just pop the ones that finish early in the preheated drawer.

Needless to say, I’ve warmed up to the warming drawer and can’t wait to find new uses for it. Do you have a warming drawer? Tell me about the ways you put it to use over here.