The Freshman Cook: Do I really Need That?

This is a Kitchen Torch. Do you need one? Probably not, unless you want to make creme brulee, melt cheese on top of French Onion Soup, or brown the top of twice baked potatoes. Ok. You don’t really need one, but you won’t be sorry that you have one.
A long time ago, I bought a wonderful kitchen torch at Big Lots for $5.00!! I know, can you believe it?! It was a great quality product. It was made well. It worked great. It was a true deal, and I used it all the time. Fast forward about two years. My son, who is 14 at the time, is installing a car stereo in a friends car. I was not at home, so he needed a lighter to do something with the wires. He couldn’t find the one we used for the grill, so he borrowed my torch. Really, that’s no problem for me. I would have said yes if I had been home. A few days later he is installing a stereo in another friends car, and then a few days later, another stereo job, and before long~the torch is no longer mine!! Then the worse thing~it breaks. I tried not to be upset, I mean, it’s only a thing. I can replace it. Only when I went to replace it, they wanted $35.00. Big Lots’ supply was long gone!! My son was upset. He said the flame was perfect for what he was doing. ~~I’m so glad!!~~ I mean, too bad! So, no more kitchen torch. But last Christmas my son bought me a new one. It works great. I love it. It is perfect for caramelizing the sugar on top of creme brulee, and it does wonders for melting cheese, finishing Baked Alaska, and a host of other wonderful things that I am sure you can dream up. Now you will need this with it.