AGA experts -help please!

[Kittypickle]

My fabulous friends are about to catch the ferry to spend a couple of weeks in France and are lending us their house during half-term. They have an AGA and no microwave. I know the left hand ring boils, the right one simmers and the top oven is the hottest & we'll need to turn it up when we get there - is it obvious how to do that? Is there anything else I need to know to avoid doing anything awful to her pride and joy ?! Also she said something sticking a frying pan in the oven for sausages, did I dream that bit ? Many thanks

My Mum had a Rayburn (v similar to an Aga) in her old house and she sef used to do the pan in the oven thing ! No other advice though I'm afraid, I can barely cook on our standard gas hob and fan oven combo!

Dear Kittypickle, panic not! On my aga the knob for turning up the heat is on the outside on the at the bottom (you will probably need to turn it up to full (6). As for cooking, it's easy! Yes you can put a frying pan in the oven but I would make sure it is all metal with no plastic handles, etc. I cook sausages on a baking tray in the top oven with no oil or fat added, just prick each one with a fork.

Agas are dead easy and wonderful. The bottom oven will cook things slowly so casseroles and stews and I always use the top oven for onions and stuff. Are you turning it up or properly on when you get there? My aga has a pilot light whihc I leave on when I am away on holiday and then turn it on when I get home. You can fry eggs in the top oven as well. The only thing I would say for protection is dont scrape pans across the top it is glass and scratches so when you move a pan just lift it up and replace.

Thank you all, sounds pretty simple, even I can manage that I think ! I will be SO careful not She said it needs to be turned up to 4 I think. They were staying with us to catch the ferry this morning and this was a last minute thing, so I didn't get a chance to quizz her before she went.

Probably depends on the AGA but if I turned mine up to 6 it would be far too hot and make the kitchen unbearable. 4 sounds about right. They take time to heat up/cool down so don't expect an immediate change in temparature. Top oven is great for doing anything that you would normally fry eg bacon, sausages and you don't get all the smells. If rings seem too hot, move things to one side. Beware if you're using the rings a lot - the temparature in the oven will drop.

Oh yes, I forgot that mine is about 30 years old and was converted from solid fuel to gas so needs to be set at 6.

Agas are womderful - beware you will be a convert!!
I presume you are turning it up because she has turned it down due to going on hoiliday?? - I'd agree with 4 too but remember you then leave it at 4 ALL the time you are there.

It is old fashioned cooking - ie forget the fan assited oven - the higher up you go the hotter it is. At the very leat you will have a "hot" oven ath the top RHS and a "lower cooler" oven, you may alos have a simmering oven in whcih case the other oven is a baking oven - ie cooler than raosting oven, warmer than simmering oven.
Aga's do vary dependent on the age buthe principles are the same.
One V. impt thing to remember is that you cannot smell things burning like a conventional oven - so rmember that you have put something in the oven!! - or burnt offerings will be all you have left when you do remember.
have fun!!

You will find a thermometer on front RHS of aga, black on left, red on right and a line in between, you want the mercury on the line, every aga is different so its trial and error...

Our kids do nearly anything for drop scones on the aga, basically butter, flour an egg ts of salt and suger AND cream, wisked up and poured on the simmer plate, about 20 seconds each side and straight on the plate! Yum Yum

Have promised dw either a 4 oven aga or a fourth child...!