I happened to notice today is Easy-Bake Oven Day. I have no idea why, but it seemed like a good idea. Celebrating the toy that likely got many children interested in baking. And possibly led to the creation of half the programming on the Food Network.
But it did get me thinking. Is the easy bake oven still around? Didn’t they use an incandescent light bulb? Where do they find those things these days?
Actually, that last one has been a question I have been asking for a few years now. This time of year, I tend to use an incandescent bulb near my water pump. It’s just enough to keep it from freezing on cold nights. But I’m soon going to have to come up with a different plan. Those bulbs are nearly impossible to find.
So I checked into the evolution of the Easy-Bake Oven. Apparently they now have a small heating element. No more baking by light bulb, like they did back in the day.
But they did teach us a lot of things. How to mix up a little tiny cake mix. Put it in a pan. Slide it into the slot. And burn your fingers because you couldn’t wait until it cooled down before you ate it.
That was the big lesson. Light bulbs are hot. Which may have also led to many children thinking they could touch a thermometer to one and fake having a temperature. Then they could get out of school and watch Mr. Dressup and the Friendly Giant, just like the little kids.
I never had one of my own. Although I won’t say I didn’t bake as a child. On occasion I was pretty good at coming up with my own treats. But I had to use the regular oven. And had to ask permission. And have adult supervision. Which may have kept me from devouring an entire baking sheet full of chocolate chip cookies in an afternoon.
But I always wanted an Easy-Bake Oven. A place to cook my own treats.
Maybe I’ll celebrate the day by baking a little tiny cake.
