Getting to grips

I've always had a gas oven. Now following a bit of a kitchen reno, I have a fan forced electric one and the inedible and overcooked leg of lamb in the bin to prove it. I also have a few new burns to add to my already unattractive hands. It's not the oven I know, I'm just getting to grips with the super fast cooking times. I miss flame. Really, there's something Martha Stewart like about the satisfaction I get in sliding a loaf of freshly baked bread out that seems to be missing when there's not that blue tipped flickering flame at the back of the oven. Plus flame doesn't hurt as much when you accidently touch it as electric bars do.

I don't know if it's my imagination either, but my new oven doesn't seem to emanate smells as much either. I never time anything, but have always used my sense of smell to know when something was done, but am having trouble now- hence the overcooked leg of lamb. (A very expensive organic one too!) Actually, come to think of it, it's probably the rangehood sucking smells away. I never had one of those in my primative previous kitchen either.

I know I'll come to appreciate my new oven in time, but for now, I'm feeling a bit regretful about the demise of the old one. It's gone to a good place though-my ex cleaning lady took it. OK, the truth is I gave her the whole kitchen in the hope this might persuade her to come back- I'll need someone to clean my new oven after all!