Aloha kakou,
I'm starting to experiment again with solar cooking, here in the S.F. Bay Area. Anyone else here who is doing this, or who is interested in to doing it?
There's lots of good info on the internet about how to build cookers, or get low cost ones. I'm using a folded shiny screen from Solar Cookers International, a great nonprofit group and it works pretty well with one pot.
These are also good for water purification, too. Good for disaster prep.
I'd love to try some kinds of Hawaiian food in a solar cooker, but haven't quite got the nerve to experiment.
Hope to hear from someone!
Amy
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I think it is great that you cook with solar. Yes, list any websites so we can see what it looks like. :) I'd love to learn more about it. I would like to someday build outside stone barbeques maybe a stone oven too. Would definitly like to explore all the options that are economical.
Aloha mai e Momi,
Try www.solarcookers.org. They're the organization that has so much info on the cookers, and also sells them cheaply. I'll find some of the other links too that tell how to make them. There are lots of ways!
One thing I'm realizing, is that you need less liquid to cook vegetables, for example. I used too much the other day. Still turned out good though.
Malama pono,
Amy
Aloha mai,
I've got the little Solar Cookit, which has a black lidded pan and a foldable foam covered with shiny silver plastic. You put reflective foam someplace outside, position it so that the sun really shines on it (wear sunglasses!!! really important!) and put the pan on a trivet or grill or something so that air can circulate under it.
Sometimes the recipes I have recommend bringing stuff to boil first, then putting out to finish cooking. So that's still economical, but makes some use of gas and electricity.
They also recommend putting the solar cooker outside to pre-heat too. Makes sense. I haven't done that yet though.
The other thing that I'm really enthusiastic about is using "hot boxes." You line a box with blankets, hay, anything insulating, and after heating your food to boiling, just put it in the insulated box, wrap the pan up really well for a few hours, and let it finish cooking that way, because the heat is contained and keeps working. If everyone used this, we'd save a lot of fuel in the world!
So as not to waste time or energy getting stuff to boil "before" putting them in the solar cooker - could you - as soon as the sun comes up or even the night before - put water in container in the cooker so that things could be working as soon as the sun comes up or hits the cooker - and would be ready to accelerate cooking time when you get ready to put in whatever you're wanting to boil/cook?
Replies
I think it is great that you cook with solar. Yes, list any websites so we can see what it looks like. :) I'd love to learn more about it. I would like to someday build outside stone barbeques maybe a stone oven too. Would definitly like to explore all the options that are economical.
Aloha!! Momi
Try www.solarcookers.org. They're the organization that has so much info on the cookers, and also sells them cheaply. I'll find some of the other links too that tell how to make them. There are lots of ways!
One thing I'm realizing, is that you need less liquid to cook vegetables, for example. I used too much the other day. Still turned out good though.
Malama pono,
Amy
Mahalo,
Momi
I've got the little Solar Cookit, which has a black lidded pan and a foldable foam covered with shiny silver plastic. You put reflective foam someplace outside, position it so that the sun really shines on it (wear sunglasses!!! really important!) and put the pan on a trivet or grill or something so that air can circulate under it.
Sometimes the recipes I have recommend bringing stuff to boil first, then putting out to finish cooking. So that's still economical, but makes some use of gas and electricity.
They also recommend putting the solar cooker outside to pre-heat too. Makes sense. I haven't done that yet though.
The other thing that I'm really enthusiastic about is using "hot boxes." You line a box with blankets, hay, anything insulating, and after heating your food to boiling, just put it in the insulated box, wrap the pan up really well for a few hours, and let it finish cooking that way, because the heat is contained and keeps working. If everyone used this, we'd save a lot of fuel in the world!
Will post more sites later.
Malama pono,
Amy
Fancy running into you here. Hooray!
So as not to waste time or energy getting stuff to boil "before" putting them in the solar cooker - could you - as soon as the sun comes up or even the night before - put water in container in the cooker so that things could be working as soon as the sun comes up or hits the cooker - and would be ready to accelerate cooking time when you get ready to put in whatever you're wanting to boil/cook?
ku