Cooking WIth The Sun

Most people in these parts don't have stoves- they cook out in the open over charcoal or wood. Problem is, they have to buy that charcoal or wood, and it usually costs nearly as much as the food they cook with it. Cutting down trees takes a lot of work, as does schlepping that wood into town. And the removal of trees has contributed dramatically to catastrophic erosion, flooding and loss of topsoil.

Enter the solar oven. Ian Rawson, the President of the Board of the Hopital Albert Schweitzer, and son of Gwen Mellon, one of the Hopital's founders, brought down a simple solar oven, and let me give it a go. We assembled a casserole of veggies and seasoning and left it outside for a few hours.

That's me, putting the pot "in" the oven, Dr. Rawson explaining the oven to one of the hospital's security guards, and the final product.

Verdict? Pretty good stuff, though the potatoes were a little crunchy. Next time we'll start earlier in the day....

ps If you have $25 burning a hole in your pocket, you can buy one of these babies from Solar Cookers International (solarcookers.org). Or make a donation, and I'll bring one (or 100) down here next time I come.

They can also be used to sterilize water, which is a huge issue 'round here too...