Microwave Metal?

[Laurence Horn]

At 2:52 PM -0400 8/16/02, Douglas Bigham wrote:
>Okay, so I'm cooking chicken and I just freaked out.  I figured I'd share.
>Here are the preparation directions for the chicken:
>
>"Arrange breasts in a single layer on a microwave pan.  Cover with wax paper.
>  Blah blah blah"
>
>My problem is, "a microwave PAN".  Does this bother anyone else?  I've always
>assumed that PANs are METAL and, therefore, not microwave friendly.
>
>So, two options now exist: 1.) Pans aren't necessarily metal.  2.) Fancy new
>microwaves are metal safe.

I'd guess 1), although in my experience they're usually called dishes
or plates.  I have glass and ceramic "pans" that can are nukable, but
I wouldn't call them pans either.  Language change in action!
(There's actually a possibility 3) which is 2) in reverse:  special
metal pans that are microwave-safe.)

L