Monday, June 16, 2014

How I would cook with no power should we have emergency situations like a few years ago........

While I would love a bona fide grill to use, I don't have one although hopefully by summer's end that will change.

That being said - you don't NEED a bona fide grill.........  You DO need some place safe to build a fire however.  I do have a very large cast iron skillet (a chicken fryer!) - and can build a charcoal fire in that.  Cast iron is nice that way!  Just think of it as a strangely shaped Hibachi!  HOWEVER I can NOT build that inside the house.  Why?  Because any fire gives off smoke, various gases - and I would rather not asphyxiate myself with the smoke and all - especially when it is so simple to cook out of doors!

Granted - if it is the dead of winter - I will NOT be thrilled to cook - or really do ANYTHING out of doors - especially if the weather is really bad!  However... in terms of necessity......

I had previously investigated solar ovens - and while very intrigued with them - I truly am unprepared to invest a lot of money in that direction.  That being said - I CAN make one for very little outgo - and that I am more than enough willing to do - and probably should do before much longer!

then too, if need be - I CAN make a coffeecan stove - but truly do need something beneath it that is relatively fireproof - and I'm back to the cast iron chicken skillet again!

Well - that's great for cooking.  My biggest concern has more to do with HEATING during a major power outage.  No problem in summer.  Not TOO much of a problem in late spring or early fall!  But there is NO WAY that I enjoy a cold winter!  I had at one time thought of a fireplace - which I do have - but it is non-operational - and since this is an apartment building - it is going to stay that way!

I know of folks who use pellet stoves and swear by them.  I would love one.  MOST of the ones I know of however are still electrically operated at least in terms of timing and releasing each pellet.  Not all though.  Regardless - they still take chimneys - and therein lies my problem!

Other than wood heat, there would be solar power for heat - which is something that would not be terribly successful here - mostly because of the number of overcast days, etc.  However there are folks who do use solar power as a backup to their current heating.  I need to do a lot more investigating on this.

That's my thoughts on the subject and that's it for now!



1 comment:

Dar said...

Good thought processes. Enjoyed reading and thinking about some of the plans you gave. I too would build some kind of fire and use cast iron to cook in, but never thought of using the skillet for the fire bed.

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