Cooking without power

[LindaK]

"----Yes, the gas will still flow, and you can light your burners with a match. But be careful that you don't burn yourself when it ignites. I keep long matches around for such emergencies. Presumably you could do the same with your oven,---"

Not really. You can only do it if the oven has a pilot light. Many gas ovens use an electric heating element to heat up the valve. Don't damage this element with fire.

dcarch

Thanks, that's very good information.

1) Fill bread pans with salt water and freeze them solid. Transfer the blocks to the top shelf of the refrigerator, preferably before the power goes out. The fridge will stay colder, longer that way.

Why salt water? Long ago, someone here tipped me off to the freezing water trick.. I've never salted the water, but it's worked perfectly without. I have a half dozen of them in the freezer now, waiting to be useful.

[DanM]

We are lucky so far... we still have power and made arroz con pollo for dinner.

[janeer]

don't know where you are...but my son in NYC says all is well, cooking-wise

[heidih]

Like the salt with the ice in the ice cream maker perhaps the salt makes it freeze quicker?

[gfweb]

Like the salt with the ice in the ice cream maker perhaps the salt makes it freeze quicker?

Salt lowers the temp of freezing, so the block will be colder than 32F when it freezes and will stay colder.

[Jaymes]

Unlike earthquakes, weather related disasters do not normally impact water supply...

Actually, moderate to severe flooding almost always will "impact water supply."

I'll quote myself from a previous "hurricane prep" thread:

Regarding water. It doesn't take that much for the public water supply to be undrinkable. Even miles from the shoreline, torrential rain and flooding can overwhelm the city's storm drains, sewer systems, water treatment plants, etc. Flood waters carry along with them whatever was lying on the ground - trash, animal fecal matter, spilled gasoline and oil, street runoff, drowned animal carcasses, you name it. In a torrential flood, that water goes everywhere. We were in a hurricane years ago in the Pensacola area, and after we crept back into town and headed home (where we were without power for 10 days, I might add), the radio said that public officials had announced that the water supply was safe to drink; that flood waters had not contaminated it. Stupidly (we were a very young family at the time), we believed that announcement and didn't boil our water. We all got giardia (a tropical parasite, which turned out to be nearly deadly to my 1 yr-old), before a government official issued a "Whoops, sorry" warning, saying that the previous information was inaccurate, and that we should boil all our water until further notice. In fact, I've been in many hurricanes since then, and in all but the smallest storms, you can COUNT on the public water supply being undrinkable for a period of time from at least 1-4 days. DO fill up your bathtub. It's too late for you Easterners now, but many folks in hurricane country keep several empty plastic milk jugs around to fill up when a storm threatens.

This is a lesson many New York residents are currently learning, as a great many of them are under "do not drink the water because it's contaminated" orders. I sure hope they heeded warnings to stock up on water, rather than giving any credence whatsoever to naysayers telling them it was not necessary and was, rather, alarmist overkill.

After all, if it turns out you didn't need the water, what's the harm? Pour it down the sink.

The other option is that all you have to drink is contaminated water because you weren't prudent enough to stock up.

Which option seems most desirable to you?

ETA: I hope all y'all Northeasterners use this thread to check in and let us know you're fine.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that's worried.

Edited October 30, 2012 by Jaymes (log)

[BeeZee]

In central NJ, near Princeton. Power went out 9pm last night. Friend who lives about 10 miles away has power, so we are hanging out for a bit. Lots of downed branches, uprooted trees, power lines down or compromised by trees leaning on them. Scary driving around. My parents live 45 min south and lost power, my sister is an hour north and didn't.

Wegmans supermarket near Princeton had power, so we got a hot lunch. Likely to be tuna sandwiches for dinner, and the yogurt before it goes bad in the un-powered fridge.

Edited October 30, 2012 by BeeZee (log)

[andiesenji]

One of the reasons I have a Berkey water purifier is the possibility of contaminated water following an earthquake - the disasters we have here in California.

They can't be sold in California but it is easy for me to get one shipped to a friend in Nevada and drive over to pick it up.

I've had one for years, since the 1971 earthquake. A friend who was affected by the severe flooding in the Dakotas more than a decade ago had one and it was invaluable when there was no good water and they were isolated and couldn't get bottled water for several days.

I've got propane tanks that I can use for a portable stovetop or a "turkey fryer" that doubles as a huge stockpot or a Dutch oven will fit on the burner. None of these things is very expensive but it is a relief to have them when needed.

[patrickamory]

sorry, not only does your stove have electric igniters but the value that releases the gas is (probably) electric.

I think in a power outage, the main gas line to the building gets shut off, so gas is not an option in any case.

Actually it turns out this is wrong! I lost power last night along with the rest of Manhattan below 39th St. on the East Side, and am happy to report that the gas still flowed from my burners this morning, thank God, and was lightable with a match. Even on the 11th floor. Would be curious to hear whether others in high-rises still had their gas even though the power was out. KennethT, I think you are in my neighborhood so a similar situation?

Upthread it was mentioned that you can't have a generator in the city. I don't see why not, so long as it can be put outside to keep exhaust out of the house.

Well, that would be the main reason, since many people who live in the city don't have an outside. I actually do have an outside, but I'm pretty sure the building would frown on me putting a generator out there.

[Jaymes]

One of the reasons I have a Berkey water purifier is the possibility of contaminated water following an earthquake - the disasters we have here in California.

They can't be sold in California but it is easy for me to get one shipped to a friend in Nevada and drive over to pick it up.

I've had one for years, since the 1971 earthquake. A friend who was affected by the severe flooding in the Dakotas more than a decade ago had one and it was invaluable when there was no good water and they were isolated and couldn't get bottled water for several days.

I've got propane tanks that I can use for a portable stovetop or a "turkey fryer" that doubles as a huge stockpot or a Dutch oven will fit on the burner. None of these things is very expensive but it is a relief to have them when needed.

I can't help but be very curious about this. Why can't the Berkey water purifier "be sold in California"?

It sounds like a terrific thing to have.

[KennethT]

sorry, not only does your stove have electric igniters but the value that releases the gas is (probably) electric.

I think in a power outage, the main gas line to the building gets shut off, so gas is not an option in any case.

Actually it turns out this is wrong! I lost power last night along with the rest of Manhattan below 39th St. on the East Side, and am happy to report that the gas still flowed from my burners this morning, thank God, and was lightable with a match. Even on the 11th floor. Would be curious to hear whether others in high-rises still had their gas even though the power was out. KennethT, I think you are in my neighborhood so a similar situation?

Upthread it was mentioned that you can't have a generator in the city. I don't see why not, so long as it can be put outside to keep exhaust out of the house.

Well, that would be the main reason, since many people who live in the city don't have an outside. I actually do have an outside, but I'm pretty sure the building would frown on me putting a generator out there.

I'm very sorry for the mis-information I gave the other day. I actually didn't know it to be true 100%, but made an assumption based on equipment I have at work. As Patrick said, it turns out that the gas flows just fine with the power out. I too am below 39th St. and will prbably have no power for the next week, but I was lucky enough to get a hotel room with power for tonight through Sat. The gas flows in my range burners just fine - you just have to light it manually with a match or something. My oven doesn't work because it uses a hot-point igniter rather than the old style pilot flame.

One additional problem I have is with my hydroponic plants - nothing is going to last very long when the pumps don't work!!!! I never imagined (other than for something like the blackout almost 10 years ago) that midtown Manhattan would lose power for this long of a period of time.

[andiesenji]

One of the reasons I have a Berkey water purifier is the possibility of contaminated water following an earthquake - the disasters we have here in California.

They can't be sold in California but it is easy for me to get one shipped to a friend in Nevada and drive over to pick it up.

I've had one for years, since the 1971 earthquake. A friend who was affected by the severe flooding in the Dakotas more than a decade ago had one and it was invaluable when there was no good water and they were isolated and couldn't get bottled water for several days.

I've got propane tanks that I can use for a portable stovetop or a "turkey fryer" that doubles as a huge stockpot or a Dutch oven will fit on the burner. None of these things is very expensive but it is a relief to have them when needed.

I can't help but be very curious about this. Why can't the Berkey water purifier "be sold in California"?

It sounds like a terrific thing to have.

I've also questioned that many times - going right to my state Senator and assembly persons. There has been much hemming and hawing and "I'll get back to your on that" but with no response.

I have been told by a person in Sacramento (a bureaucrat) who does not want to be named because he might lose his job, that the bottled water industry in California has lobbied strongly against allowing these water purifiers, using some idiotic terminology that makes no sense whatsoever (supposedly for "safety") since the bottled water people got a toehold back in 1985 Deukmejian was governor, most water purifiers could not be sold in the state.

The purifier I bought back in 1971 was a British Berkefeld purchased at a camping/hunting/fishing store and I used it for years. After the La Prieta earthquake in 1989 I tried to buy a water purifier but could not find one in California but was referred to a company in Colorado who said they couldn't ship to California so I arranged to have one shipped to a friend in Nevada and picked it up there. After the '94 earthquake I really needed it. Since then I have bought one for a friend, my daughter and a new Crown Berkey for myself - having that one shipped to my dad in New Mexico and picking it up on a visit to him.

This is what the site at Pleasant Hill Grain has to say about forbidden sales in California and Iowa.

to me this is simply insane and I have written numerous letters (and emails) about it. For people in places that are at risk for contaminated water, failing to make these available is simply CRIMINAL! The state legislators natter on about being able to supply people with bottled water but in a major quake the ROADS are impassible and with the high concentration of population (a hell of a lot more people than in New Orleans) airlifting water would take too long for too many people.

[GlorifiedRice]

For the apartment and high rise dwellers...

They make non gas non propane non fuel Rechargable Generators

http://www.xantrex.com/power-products/backup-power/overview.aspx

[dcarch]

For the apartment and high rise dwellers...

They make non gas non propane non fuel Rechargable Generators

http://www.xantrex.c...r/overview.aspx

I don't think those are generators. They are just inverters with batteries. They are OK for low wattage use, like phones and computers, TVs and radios, not for any household appliances.

dcarch

[nibor]

One of the reasons I have a Berkey water purifier is the possibility of contaminated water following an earthquake - the disasters we have here in California.

They can't be sold in California but it is easy for me to get one shipped to a friend in Nevada and drive over to pick it up.

I've had one for years, since the 1971 earthquake. A friend who was affected by the severe flooding in the Dakotas more than a decade ago had one and it was invaluable when there was no good water and they were isolated and couldn't get bottled water for several days.

I've got propane tanks that I can use for a portable stovetop or a "turkey fryer" that doubles as a huge stockpot or a Dutch oven will fit on the burner. None of these things is very expensive but it is a relief to have them when needed.

Andiesenji, Do you use the Berkey to purify your water for daily use? Our drinking water has tasted, well, like sh*t since they started mixing 20% recycled sewage into it down here in Orange County. A Britta filter doesn't help much, so I reluctantly switched to bottled. My earthquake preparedness waxes and wanes and is pretty poor right now. Would a Berkey would solve both of my problems?

[GlorifiedRice]

For the apartment and high rise dwellers...

They make non gas non propane non fuel Rechargable Generators

http://www.xantrex.c...r/overview.aspx

I don't think those are generators. They are just inverters with batteries. They are OK for low wattage use, like phones and computers, TVs and radios, not for any household appliances.

dcarch

If you read the specs they can power refrigerators...

If you get an available solar panel charger, you dont even need to plug it in to charge it.

[dcarch]

For the apartment and high rise dwellers...

They make non gas non propane non fuel Rechargable Generators

http://www.xantrex.c...r/overview.aspx

I don't think those are generators. They are just inverters with batteries. They are OK for low wattage use, like phones and computers, TVs and radios, not for any household appliances.

dcarch

If you read the specs they can power refrigerators...

If you get an available solar panel charger, you dont even need to plug it in to charge it.

Yes you can power up a refrigerator, the question is how long.

You will need a huge huge huge solar panel to charge it up to run a refrigerator during a power outage. A system like that will need to be on trickle charge fulltime 24 hours year after year.

Perhaps someone can have a small engine which uses hydrogen, or fuel cell battery technology.

dcarch

Edited November 1, 2012 by dcarch (log)

[andiesenji]

One of the reasons I have a Berkey water purifier is the possibility of contaminated water following an earthquake - the disasters we have here in California.

They can't be sold in California but it is easy for me to get one shipped to a friend in Nevada and drive over to pick it up.

I've had one for years, since the 1971 earthquake. A friend who was affected by the severe flooding in the Dakotas more than a decade ago had one and it was invaluable when there was no good water and they were isolated and couldn't get bottled water for several days.

I've got propane tanks that I can use for a portable stovetop or a "turkey fryer" that doubles as a huge stockpot or a Dutch oven will fit on the burner. None of these things is very expensive but it is a relief to have them when needed.

Andiesenji, Do you use the Berkey to purify your water for daily use? Our drinking water has tasted, well, like sh*t since they started mixing 20% recycled sewage into it down here in Orange County. A Britta filter doesn't help much, so I reluctantly switched to bottled. My earthquake preparedness waxes and wanes and is pretty poor right now. Would a Berkey would solve both of my problems?

I use it fairly often. I have a whole house filter/purifier system which works fine but the water tastes odd to me so I always have the Crown Berkey filled and I use the water to keep it fresh. I use it for cooking and drinking. I posted a photo of it in an earlier topic about a similar subject.

Here is the link, post # 16. I also posted more info in post # 20. I have 8 filter elements in the Crown as the more filters, the faster it produces purified water.

It's in my pantry on a rolling cart so I can roll it to the sink to fill it when I have used a lot of the water. Otherwise I use a Tupperware pitcher and try to add back what I use immediately to keep it topped up. I usually have a wide velcro strap around the middle of the Berkey, just above the joint between top and bottom, which is attached to the corner behind it. This is to keep it from tipping in case of a significant quake. The cart has locking casters too.

I bought a smaller one for a friend who lives in Yorba Linda because she was having problems with her coffee machine - having to put a descaling agent through it about every six weeks because it would just drip instead of produce a coffee drink. The Berkey I got her was the next size up from the Travel Berkey (I have one of those also and take it with me if I will need to stay in a hotel for several days.).

I also have friends who live in the Sacramento Delta - little town, not the best water system - who have two of the Berkeys, not sure what size. They have a big family and their little kids seemed to have frequent stomach problems, and their doctor advised using bottled water only for the children. They have visited me and new about the Berkeys and ordered them from Pleasant Hill Grain and had them shipped to a friend near Tahoe (Nevada side) and using the water reduced the number of intestinal problems significantly. Their town water also always looks murky but the water people told them they "didn't have to make it look pretty, just make sure there are no 'bad bugs' in it."

Edited November 1, 2012 by andiesenji (log)

[vimaladevi]

Sacred secrets to cooking off the grid

wood gas stove

collapsable stove

thermal cooker

Edited November 5, 2012 by vimaladevi (log)