Seven thirty in the blessed AM and it’s already over 85 indoors.
I’m out of bread, so baking must ensue. But I do not want to light the Lair’s oven.
After I covered the dough for its first rise I went outside to see if my inadequately-provisioned summer oven had survived the winter.
The original summer kitchen plan called for a nice roof and half-walls. Maybe next year. The reality, other more important projects competing, was a wire rack covered with a tarp. The cheap tarp wasn’t up to the task. It got smaller as the wind tore it apart, till finally I just bungeed a remnant around the oven. The remnant is pretty much not worth saving.
But it worked last year, and it seems to work this year. It remained mouse–free, and the propane hose and regulator are apparently in good shape. If it will maintain 350o, I can bake bread without baking myself. I’m going to find out before lighting the oven in the lair, that’s for sure.
You need a sun oven out there in the sunny desert. I cooked a lovely corned beef in ours yesterday. No burning fuel and no heating up the kitchen. And I think they’re easy to make with odds and ends.
The bad thing about solar ovens, coloradohermit, is temperature control. If you’re OK with wide temperature swings, they’re fine. If you need to keep the temperature within a relatively narrow range for the entire cooking time, then nacho much. I suspect that with Joel’s refined culinary viewpoint, the cooking temperature for a loaf of bread needs to stay within about 25 degrees of the ideal temp. Or he’d rather just eat outdated Mountain House.
Heck, he even hates the Jews so much that he can’t stand unleavened bread!
}:-]
Of course, that means he also hates the Mexicans with their tortillas and the Greeks with their pitas and…
“… he also hates the Mexicans with their tortillas…”
What kinda hate speech izzat ? :^) Tortillas are a great outdoor food wrap, not even requiring utensils or plate (just pinch entree off the grill, finish wrapping and chew), easy peazy. Some folks will argue corn (traditional) over flour but they can fight that out all they want. A fresh tortilla with a small pat of butter (not that margarine stuff !) and a small shake of salt – good grazing !!
Hater!
Regular bread can be baked in a solar oven, a bit of Reflextiz (windshield sized), black pot and an oven bag is all you need.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT8JXxCPe1M
Link for cooking bread in a solar oven: http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Bread – (some of the recipes are kind of foo-foo)
All flat breads are good and can be cooked on top of the stove on a griddle (ideal) or in a skillet. Oh, and matzo is a cracker not a soft bread like tortilla, pita, naan, or an english muffin.
I have a genuine solar oven available for purchase – it has been used only to prove concept, but I expect to move AGAIN, soon, so it is on the chopping block, for those interested.
As NEW, Make offer. email below, I’ll send pics…
Joel, Sorry for shilling, I’m in a dark, dark corner. Seems you’ve been here….
QHM
Any chance you can cobble together a roof for your outdoor oven out of the leftovers from the tear-down/construction of your bedroom?
Heck, even a chunk of trailer siding over some strand board would make a decent roof. I am sure you can scrounge something possible from the dump or out on your walks.
Hmm, maybe a car hood? That would be totally redneckish.
Hell, Matt, send me pics and I’ll publish them.
Is this not one of the most fun interactive blogs in the intertubes?
🙂