As seen on TV

I have managed to live my whole life without a Memory Foam Pillow, a set of Ginsu knives, or a Veg-O-Matic.  And I admit, I do get a little smug about it.  But Santa got me this year.  Right there under the tree, it was:  a Pasta Boat.  Yes, this thing:

Like the world needed yet another useless Popeil product.

First of all, it takes twice as long to cook pasta in the Pasta Boat in the microwave than it does on the stove in a pot of water -- 2 cups of macaroni requires 23 minutes.  The box says 11 to 12.

It has handy round handles that double as spaghetti measurers.  Oh, puh-lease.

You leave the lid off so that the chances of it boiling over in the microwave are good, and nowhere in the instructions that deal with the amount of pasta and the amount of water and the amount of cooking time does it mention you might want to put some salt in it since, as every cook knows, the only time you get to season pasta is when it's boiling.

Well, just to prove that Ronco needn't bother, I gave it a try.  I figured half a box of macaroni was a small price to pay.  I grudgingly admitted that it was relatively easy to get the thing in and out of the microwave.  The handy straining lid let me pour off the water without the sorts of mishaps I have when I'm aiming a pot of pasta at a colander.  And then, the worst of all -- the macaroni was perfect.  Oh -- and it cleans up in the dishwasher beautifully.

I have since used it to cook spaghetti and more elbow macaroni.  Also perfect.

Damn it.