tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post538612727025463449..comments2023-10-21T16:38:35.007-05:00Comments on Thoughts from Frank and Fern: How Many Different Ways Can You Cook?Frank and Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-79852622938566046612015-10-31T22:23:08.427-05:002015-10-31T22:23:08.427-05:00Thank you for the recommendation, Bellen. I will l...Thank you for the recommendation, Bellen. I will let you know how my first experiment turns out.<br /><br />FernFrank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-53185597978214783312015-10-31T16:38:55.675-05:002015-10-31T16:38:55.675-05:00Thank you for sharing your friend's blog, Kymb...Thank you for sharing your friend's blog, Kymber. There is some interesting information there.<br /><br />FernFrank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-35316598918521938852015-10-31T16:37:54.411-05:002015-10-31T16:37:54.411-05:00It's amazing, the things that are being tried ...It's amazing, the things that are being tried in an effort to control. Too bad everyone doesn't see it that way, then it wouldn't be allowed to happen. As long as some folks find it useful or fascinating, it will continue.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-65090969652221429952015-10-29T05:40:08.354-05:002015-10-29T05:40:08.354-05:00For a first trial meal I'd try just heating up...For a first trial meal I'd try just heating up something like soup - it's not going to be done in 15-10 minutes, more like 60-90, maybe longer if you want it to simmer for a while. Sometimes you have to re-position the oven to get the most direct rays of the sun. Just takes some practice. Bellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17249001827113998376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-63105509759694923902015-10-28T20:15:00.806-05:002015-10-28T20:15:00.806-05:00Fern and Frank - we have similar backups to backup...Fern and Frank - we have similar backups to backups for cooking that you mentioned in the post...and that commenters have left in the comments.<br /><br />i just want to direct you and your readers to my friend Dani's blog...she lives in south africa and has been cooking for years in her solar oven and has a recipes of all of her tried and tested solar oven recipes...Dani is the real deal, lives 100% off the grid and cooks in her solar oven all of the time. if anyone is interested here is a link to her blog:<br /><br />http://ecofootprintsa.blogspot.ca/<br /><br />and here is a link to some of her recipes:<br /><br />http://freefromthesun.blogspot.ca/p/introduction-to-solar-cooking.html<br /><br />i hope that you all enjoy!<br /><br />your friend,<br />kymberkymberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02607117635648274823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-2483205287821973542015-10-28T19:45:13.819-05:002015-10-28T19:45:13.819-05:00Off topic, but did you see this, Frank and Fern? ...Off topic, but did you see this, Frank and Fern? Terrifying!<br /><br />http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/11961415/Google-wants-to-monitor-your-mental-health.-You-should-welcome-it-into-your-mind.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-71604935249123295202015-10-28T17:17:43.842-05:002015-10-28T17:17:43.842-05:00Although solar ovens may not emit those enticing c...Although solar ovens may not emit those enticing cooking aromas to us, that doesn't mean that the critters can't smell them! Several years ago, I was cooking fresh corn on the cob in my solar cooker. Went into the house for a bit - when I came back outside to adjust my cooker to a more optimal angle, I made the unfortunate discovery that the raccoons thought the corn was "done!" Yup, tracks everywhere and the cooker was a mess. Gotta laugh at mistakes like this while it is still a "painless" mistake. ;-)<br />I sure won't repeat it when things get more serious. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-8522584773348537892015-10-28T17:16:53.616-05:002015-10-28T17:16:53.616-05:00MatSu here again with something I forgot to mentio...MatSu here again with something I forgot to mention. Several years ago, we bought five heavy duty Dietz hurricane style lanterns (http://www.lanternnet.com/); one has a little cook unit that goes on top for emergency heating a metal pot of water - of a cup of coffee. ;-)<br /><br />These lanterns are great for traveling from the house to the barn, etc. or even for use on boats. The glass lantern latches down and the wind won't blow them out. Besides being heavy duty and for indoor or outdoor use, they can use different grades of kerosene/lamp oils AND they are exceptionally bright -much brighter than the average kerosene or oil lamp. Some of them have a 45 hour burn time. For a farm, they are perfect for tending to animals in the dark.<br /><br />While we would love to use solar power, it's not possible here most of the year. :-) We're stuck with the invigorating smell of kerosene or lamp oil.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-47305235486496882652015-10-28T14:25:27.534-05:002015-10-28T14:25:27.534-05:00It's very interesting that using a Sun Oven do...It's very interesting that using a Sun Oven doesn't emit a lot of cooking odors. That is good to know. I have Enola's cookbook on the shelf. Looks like I need to revisit it again. Thank you for sharing.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-47486481917205341482015-10-28T14:22:51.136-05:002015-10-28T14:22:51.136-05:00Calidore, the comments here have been great! Talk ...Calidore, the comments here have been great! Talk about food for thought, everyone here has added morsels to the plate. Thank you for your portion.<br /><br />FernFrank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-58148307112425238762015-10-28T14:21:39.085-05:002015-10-28T14:21:39.085-05:00These are things that I have been thinking about t...These are things that I have been thinking about too, Carl. We'll start another conversation about things like water, washing clothes and dishes, and hygiene in some upcoming articles. Good thoughts, keep them coming.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-14910799391186051212015-10-28T14:19:37.812-05:002015-10-28T14:19:37.812-05:00Good suggestion on the concrete block grill-stove,...Good suggestion on the concrete block grill-stove, Bluesman. Thank you for giving us more to think about.<br /><br />FernFrank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-16852832107365028242015-10-28T14:18:03.747-05:002015-10-28T14:18:03.747-05:00We have some matches, SJ, but learned in Alaska th...We have some matches, SJ, but learned in Alaska that there is nothing like a Bic lighter (disposable lighter). They work even if they're old and rusted. We carried them everywhere we went up there, just in case. You know, just in case the plane went down and you were caught out in the middle of no where.<br /><br />It's interesting how other people's comments make us sit back and re-evaluate things. Thank you for adding to the conversation.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-88710649774019179872015-10-28T14:13:55.476-05:002015-10-28T14:13:55.476-05:00Hi Matsu. All good suggestions. The Wartime series...Hi Matsu. All good suggestions. The Wartime series has been suggested before, and is a good reference for folks that haven't heard of it. As long as we have coffee, the percolator will probably live on the stove, or side of it keeping the coffee warm. That is something we will really miss when we run out. Our lighting will be 12 volt, run from the solar panels and battery bank. We do have some emergency candles stored, but the 12 volt will be our first choice. Great additions to the discussion, Matsu, thank you.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-20956131049095992132015-10-28T14:10:27.873-05:002015-10-28T14:10:27.873-05:00I have read a little about thermal cooking, but no...I have read a little about thermal cooking, but not enough and have never tried it. Very good advice, thank you for bringing this idea to the discussion.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-49230674434490482562015-10-28T14:09:21.557-05:002015-10-28T14:09:21.557-05:00Sounds like you have many options to keep you goin...Sounds like you have many options to keep you going initially, then some firewood to back it up. We have a good selection of cast iron that I use regularly. Then we have more cast iron stored for when more folks will be cooking outdoors. They will need some. The Coleman ovens aren't hard to find, Amazon and a number of sites carry them. Thank you for sharing.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-37536123533413542072015-10-28T14:07:17.442-05:002015-10-28T14:07:17.442-05:00Your experiences with your Sun Oven give me encour...Your experiences with your Sun Oven give me encouragement, Bellen. I think mine will be coming out of the box in the next week or so. I've watched the videos and read the instructions, but I'll need a refresher. What do you recommend for a first trial meal?<br /><br />Thank you for sharing these ideas, it gives us more to think about.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-59756502840138873702015-10-28T14:04:54.724-05:002015-10-28T14:04:54.724-05:00Very good thought process, Vicki. I wonder if we c...Very good thought process, Vicki. I wonder if we can figure out how to heat up a jar of food using the sun, kind of like sun tea. Sounds like your family has a plan in place and that's good. It's more than most do.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-20005906619138643782015-10-28T14:02:30.181-05:002015-10-28T14:02:30.181-05:00I use my cast iron dutch oven in the oven all the ...I use my cast iron dutch oven in the oven all the time, but not on the woodstove or anywhere else. That is something I need practice doing. There are lots of folks that use them for just about everything. Thank you for the suggestions, Meary.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-86347225762825142712015-10-27T20:34:19.422-05:002015-10-27T20:34:19.422-05:00Oh, and I forgot to mention that there's littl...Oh, and I forgot to mention that there's little or no smell from the solar oven while it's cooking.<br />We have a summer kitchen out in the 30 x 40 shop (so it's protected from weather and wind) with a couple of propane burners (for summer canning, currently). We also have a charcoal/wood/propane grill-smoker, a couple of fire-pits/tripods and 2 flat-topped wood burning stoves, as well as my late father's antique wood cookstove with oven. While we haven't figured out where to put the cookstove (there's a laundry chute between the kitchen and the chimney), I have added Enola Gay's "The Prepared Family Cookbook" to my collection, which has great information on cooking with wood.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-28109374509769665582015-10-27T20:24:07.519-05:002015-10-27T20:24:07.519-05:00Another option for coffee is to use a french coffe...Another option for coffee is to use a french coffee press. Not only do I have my stash of coffee, I've got back-ups for my back-ups for making it. :) And if that runs out, I'll learn to like it with some grounds in it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-83524547563370005802015-10-27T20:12:13.041-05:002015-10-27T20:12:13.041-05:00I have 2 sun ovens, a Solar Oven Sport and a Sun O...I have 2 sun ovens, a Solar Oven Sport and a Sun Oven. The Sun Oven is my favorite, primarily for ease of use. I started out simple, with crock pot type recipes, with great success. In my Sun Oven, I've done everything from roast veggies to meat loaf and a pretty successful run at bread baking. I still have yet to try cooking from dry beans, but that's next on my list (Scotch broth turned out great, though).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-47565920868018306032015-10-27T19:42:53.363-05:002015-10-27T19:42:53.363-05:00Your post defiantly created food for thought Fern ...Your post defiantly created food for thought Fern - if you will pardon the pun. DD and I were discussing this topic this morning as we baked. We came up with a list, which while offering options, also showed us how limited we could be. <br /><br />We have an electric oven and gas stove top. Both fine until we run out of gas or the power goes out. DH has a generator that will run the entire house and would run the oven - but it would need fuel which, when it runs out, rules out that option. Plus the generator is noisy and could attract unwanted visitors. I have a wood stove with oven in the kitchen that heats our water as well as warms the house. As long as we have wood we are ok - but how much wood do I need to stockpile? It's like asking how long is a piece of string. We live in town and where we get wood (for free) is a friends farm about half an hour away. That might not be an option in a grid down situation. I have a huge wood fired pizza oven that runs on very little wood. Fantastic and DD and I were thinking that we could cook a weeks worth of meals - but then how do we keep them cold until we are ready to eat them and for that matter how do we heat them up again? There is also the outdoor fire place that I could put a camp oven in it and bake or BBQ on a grill set over the fire - but again that relies on wood. We also have two small gas stoves that are designed for camping and run on small gas cylinders easily purchased in camping stores - Note to self must get more of those cylinders. I bought DS a Trangia Stove which runs on tiny amounts of metholated spirits with no smoke but you would get the smell of cooking. It is still an option though and metholated spirits keeps and isn't expensive.<br /><br />As for lights well I have candles and the old fashioned kerosene lanterns. Our house is also wired for solar so even in a total grid down situation we would still have light. Heating is another issue - if we run out of wood. Summers heat are super hot - so a solar stove might be a good option for cooking. Keeping cool is another matter. Thank goodness DH super insulated this house. <br /><br />I also have to agree with Vicki to. Canned foods will at least mean we could eat meals even if they are cold. Not perhaps the tastiest but in a pinch it would do.<br /><br />I can see more thinking and discussion happening in this household on this subject. Thanks Fern for this post and for the upcoming brain storming. Thanks also to everyone else for posting. The more ideas the merrier.Calidorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07118238727781108509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-18377612814848225022015-10-27T15:24:50.709-05:002015-10-27T15:24:50.709-05:00Fern, after commenting this morning, I was out pic...Fern, after commenting this morning, I was out picking apples and got to thinking about this some more. Besides cooking itself, what about clean up like washing pots and pans as well as dishes and utensils? Heating water will be similar challenge. For me I have a couple of large pots designated for this. One of the many things I learned in Boy Scouts back in the 60's was how to set up a sanitation station by heating water over a wood fire in pretty large quantities.. Just thinking the whole thing through.<br /><br />Carl in the UPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-84928378485501394992015-10-27T15:10:19.988-05:002015-10-27T15:10:19.988-05:00I also highly recommend th "Wartime Farm"...I also highly recommend th "Wartime Farm" series, I watched it on YouTube. Besides showing how to make do, they also showed how to garden in unexpected places - like the side of the road. Also made a major point of how much food England imported and what measures they took to change that.Bellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17249001827113998376noreply@blogger.com