Pleased to be here.

[Boucaneer]

Hello all,

I am very pleased to have joined the forum. I shall be having a good read and getting used to navigating my way around the website using an IPhone, no computer you see.

I joined to learn and gain good culinary skills and advice as I'm being dispatched over to South Asia in two weeks helping the Civilian Disaster Survival Force and we feel that good food being supplied to our crew and personnel will keep up morale whilst being in a hot tropical environment and being away from families.

So victals, nutrients and hydration is going to be my interests.

Saying that, I was there two months ago and a decent way to make an ice cream would be good to cheer some of the guys up, that and a good barbecue. There's plenty of water buffalo meat available if not prime beef.

I may experiment with some spare CO2 Fire extinguishers at the headquarters, if I can get a local refill, as after a day's duty a cold ice cream would very much be appreciated.

Also a tasty hard tack type cake, that we could make into nutritional cake rations, that or a protein jerky that can be dehydrated in a canvas dehydrator with a saw dust heat source.

I'm looking forward to returning and with any luck I will have cell phone connection for connection with this website finding good recipes, advice and information.

Kind regards,

Alex.

Edited September 17, 2015 by Boucaneer (log)

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Hi Boucaneer and welcome to eGullet!

 

As a person who has lived through east coast USA disasters, notably Hurricane Fran in 1996, I can tell you that your expectations of communication or good food, especially ice cream, are blue-sky dreams. Wasting critical emergency equipment like fire extinguishers might result in very negative feedback from peers. (If I were working alongside you in such an environment, I would first become vociferous, and then just bonk you with the extinguisher, if you did not desist in your idea of chilling ice cream with scarce fire extinguishers, when emergency responders can't be reached. Even if they could be reached, they are very likely not to be able to get to the site where help is needed. I do not know which disaster you're contemplating forging into specifically, but when there is no electricity there are no cell phones, including iPhones. All the towers go down. If you are rich and have a satellite phone, you may have different results provided you find a place to charge said sat phone.

 

Roads are blocked by fallen trees, everyone is without food, water and supplies can't get in. In earthquakes roads may be buckled or blocked by fallen debris.

 

If you're going into a disaster area, do not think about ice cream, please.

[gfweb]

I understand where you are coming from , Crepes. But there is something to be said for providing comfort in a bad situation. Yes, spare  the fire extinguishers, but save the motivation.

[Anna N]

Hi Boucaneer and welcome to eGullet!

 

As a person who has lived through east coast USA disasters, notably Hurricane Fran in 1996, I can tell you that your expectations of communication or good food, especially ice cream, are blue-sky dreams. Wasting critical emergency equipment like fire extinguishers might result in very negative feedback from peers. (If I were working alongside you in such an environment, I would first become vociferous, and then just bonk you with the extinguisher, if you did not desist in your idea of chilling ice cream with scarce fire extinguishers, when emergency responders can't be reached. Even if they could be reached, they are very likely not to be able to get to the site where help is needed. I do not know which disaster you're contemplating forging into specifically, but when there is no electricity there are no cell phones, including iPhones. All the towers go down. If you are rich and have a satellite phone, you may have different results provided you find a place to charge said sat phone.

 

Roads are blocked by fallen trees, everyone is without food, water and supplies can't get in. In earthquakes roads may be buckled or blocked by fallen debris.

 

If you're going into a disaster area, do not think about ice cream, please.

Alex was there two months ago so I think he has some idea as to whether or not he can use a cell phone. He also talked about using "spare" fire extinguishers not critically needed ones. Joylessness brings nothing to the table when disaster strikes.

[Smithy]

Welcome, Alex. If you have questions about where to find things or how to navigate the forums, feel free to PM a host (I am one), or ask your question in the Moderation and Policy Discussion forum, which is where the technical questions belong.

I have tremendous admiration for disaster relief operations, and understand the need for morale-boosting. Have you found the Home Made Ice Cream topic yet? If you hadn't before, now you'll have a quick link. :-) I look forward to your contributions.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

gfweb and Boucaneer,

 

I did not mean to come off so harsh to someone who is motivated to try to do some good in the world. I was just trying to inject some reality into the situation.

 

Seems Anna N knows exactly where Boucaneer is going although it wasn't apparent in his/her post. I hope there is communication, and the roads for supply lines are clear. I'm just saying, don't count on it. Somehow, it seems particularly unlikely when Alex was there two months ago and it's still a declared disaster area.

 

I used to be as optimistic and idealistic as Boucaneer, and I'm just trying to save a little pain and disappointment. I spent 8 years working for the Order of the Eastern Star, and 9 years working for YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association). Both are supposed to be benevolent, but when you get to know them intimately, they're just not.

 

BTW Rich folks recharge their sat phones on their yachts from the jenny. They could do much good in a disaster situation, but that's usually not their focus.

[Smithy]

Boucaneer, you may find inspiration for your hard tack in this topic: Homemade Crackers. If not, you can always start a topic on Hard Tack. Would something like our granola bars be closer to what you're after?

Incidentally, I've made ice cream on a small scale by enclosing the ingredients in one well-sealed bag and enclosing that bag in a larger bag containing ice and salt, then kneading the lot. It's a low-tech, lightweight version of the ice cream 'soccer ball' ('football' to you :-D) that can be found in camping stores. If you'll have ice or another good chilling source - spare CO2 if you have it - that may be worth exploring. The above-linked ice cream topic will be a good place for further discussion.

[AlaMoi]

the reality is a CO2 fire extinguisher won't do diddle-diddle for making ice cream.  well, perhaps an 8,000 lb might get you halfway there....

 

just not enough 'BTUs of cold' produce by the expanding gas.

[Shelby]

Welcome Boucaneer and I think it's wonderful that you are going over to help.  

[Jaymes]

I agree. Think it's wonderful. And hope you'll update us as to how it's going when you can.

[Boucaneer]

Thank you for the interest.

Just to confirm that our location isn't a Disaster Zone, we are being sent to train up the villagers for future disasters. We are simply there in a training capacity, helping the locals train and prepare for future emergencies.

Our lads get a bit bored, so they have been making Paipo surfboards and barbecues for times off duty.

Certainly nothing heroic happening yet, thank gord, just educational training and trying not to go stir crazy whilst passing the time.

Thank you for the concern regarding the situation. We certainly ain't toffee nosed officers.

Edited September 17, 2015 by Boucaneer (log)

[Jaymes]

Notice your sig mentions Kerala. Is that where you're headed? Beautiful place. But they definitely can use some help. If it were up to me, think I'd start with sanitation. Dire. Would be unimaginable in a disaster situation, although perhaps it's improved since I was there.

Good luck to you. Wonderful of you to take this on.

Edited September 17, 2015 by Jaymes (log)

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Okay, sorry Boucaneer,

 

This further information about there being no emergency or real disaster makes me feel really bad for my initial response, but I didn't know that at the time. If you're not in at actual disaster area, the playful use of fire extinguishers wouldn't be so bad as in putting people's lives in danger. They can cause frostbite if misdirected, and the static electricity from their operation can cause a shock with some larger ones enough to cause the operator to drop it, at least with the older models. Perhaps designers have put in plastic or other non-conductive grips since my direct experience in the late '70's. Also it seems wasteful to me, but please excuse me for being a thrifty soul.

 

I agree with Alamoi, that it would be difficult if not impossible to make ice cream for a crowd with A fire extinguisher.

 

You certainly seem to have good intentions, are resourceful and creative, and I look forward to further posts from you.