I don't burn myself though [knock wood]--I think we all learn what our threshold is as far as dealing with heat, and people who cook a lot are in a good position to refine this sense. I wouldn't pick up anything out of hot oil, for example, or stick my hand in boiling water. But the physics of cooking (in conjunction with the chemistry of cooking) is such that it can be a hands-on process. As Moonglow noted to me a little while ago, it's like knowing if you can reach in (sans implement, in our case, bamboo tongs) and get that slice of toast out of the toaster without burning yourself.

SRS