Hurricane Cooking

[Susan in FL]

Mild Bill, good for you... I admire your attitude. Frances took your power for a few days and you are still good-natured! I thought I did well through Frances, but we were without power for only a full day and had it been a few days, I might have gone nuts. I have friends here who are just now getting their electricity back.

What are your local stations now saying is likely to happen in your area from Ivan?

[FL Heat]

Stations in Tampa/St Pete say that it looks like it will miss a direct hit on the area, but to be wary, since it might make a hard right like Charley did, depending on what a front does that's over Texas (?) now. Coastal counties should expect some surge, though they aren't sure how much, and wind.

No one's taking down the plywood yet. . . .

Diana

[Mayhaw Man]

It's looking like I will get a chance to test my hurricane cooking skills this year, although it is a little early in the week to tell. That thing keeps moving west northwest and that will bring it pretty near us on the current route. Much the same path that Camille took, it looks like somewhere between New Orleans and Mobile Bay on the current path.

Yuck Batteries and Plywood. Home Depot will be making our like bandits starting this afternoon if the thing continues like this.

[Susan in FL]

No one's taking down the plywood yet. . . .

I undertand that. We just took the storm shutters off the rest of our windows yesterday. Except for a couple that we took off mid-week, so we would have some natural light in the house, they were up for a week. Most of our neighborhood took down plywood just this weekend, too.

It's looking like I will get a chance to test my hurricane cooking skills this year, although it is a little early in the week to tell. That thing keeps moving west northwest and that will bring it pretty near us on the current route. Much the same path that Camille took, it looks like somewhere between New Orleans and Mobile Bay on the current path.

Yuck Batteries and Plywood. Home Depot will be making our like bandits starting this afternoon if the thing continues like this.

Brooks, we surely wish you well. Take care.

My son is in Pensacola and it's looking pretty bad for him, too. If we knew the thing was not going to take a right turn, maybe this would be how to get a visit from him.

Plywood... now that has amazed me. I do not know how the Lowe's and Home Depot stores in our area have not sold out!! It seems impossible to me that so much could have been in stock.

This weekend when we were in those stores, there were such long lines of cars and trucks... people picking up their orders, for doing repairs. The lines were as long as the gas lines around here.

Keep us posted on your hurricane cooking.

[FistFullaRoux]

Best of luck to you Brooksie. Nobody knows where the hell Ivan is headed. The models this morning suggest everything from Morgan City to Apalachicola, with one model showing it taking laps at Talladega. (And I'm not kidding about that one)

Edited to remove now dead link.

I'm in Birmingham, trying to get all of my friends on the coast, from Perdido Key to Franklin, to come up this way. Although it looks like I'm getting the aftermath no matter what. If this is as bad as Opal (which it probably will be), Montgomery had 100 mph sustained winds. Frederic too.

We may have wind issues here, but we won't have to worry about storm surge.

Praise the Lord, and pass the plywood....

Edited September 13, 2004 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[Susan in FL]

Praise the Lord, and pass the plywood....

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I like that... The "grace" to be said before hurricanes.

[robyn]

I like the idea of the camping stove with the stovetop percolator. No way to get either here now. But I've made a note for my "presents for the house" holiday gift list. They should be back in stock then.

On another note - for those of you who might be building or doing an extensive remodel in hurricane country in the future - I recommend using permanent easy to close shutters or impact windows (these or similar are required in parts of Florida now). I've had the former in the past - now have the latter. Makes hurricane preparation a whole lot easier. In the grand scheme of things - they're more more important than having a Viking stove . I hope that everyone who might be affected by Ivan winds up ok. Robyn

[Marlene]

I like the idea of the camping stove with the stovetop percolator.  No way to get either here now.  But I've made a note for my "presents for the house" holiday gift list.  They should be back in stock then.

On another note - for those of you who might be building or doing an extensive remodel in hurricane country in the future - I recommend using permanent easy to close shutters or impact windows (these or similar are required in parts of Florida now).  I've had the former in the past - now have the latter.  Makes hurricane preparation a whole lot easier.  In the grand scheme of things - they're more more important than having a Viking stove  .  I hope that everyone who might be affected by Ivan winds up ok.  Robyn

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During the big blackout here last year, every coleman stove for miles was snatched up. I did without coffee for a couple of days and said, not next time. I now have a coleman stove in my garage that's never been used, but I'm ready for next time Good luck Robyn.

[phaelon56]

One word: Melitta

I would say I'm not knocking percolators but I am - they make wretched coffee once you're accustomed to decent coffee. French press is nice but not for everyone's taste. More of the coffee oils end up in the cup (a good thing for some as they are very robust but flavorful) but so does some sludge. If you're looking to make something more or less equivalent to auto drip coffee, Melitta is the way to go.

[Susan in FL]

One word:  Melitta

I would say I'm not knocking percolators but I am - they make wretched coffee once you're accustomed to decent coffee.  French press is nice but not for everyone's taste. More of the coffee oils end up in the cup (a good thing for some as they are very robust but flavorful) but so does some sludge. If you're looking to make something more or less equivalent to auto drip coffee, Melitta is the way to go.

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Of course!!! We used a plain ol' original Melitta for years and years. The only reason we don't now is I pushed for this electric Melitta Mill & Brew, because the night before we can set it to grind our coffee beans and make the coffee at 5:30 in the morning, before we get up.

[robyn]

In light of Hurricane Ivan - and potential Hurricane Jeanne - I just want to say that if any of you need anything - and you think I can be of help - please get in touch with me by email. I can give you my home phone - cell phone - fax - etc. - and will be glad to do what I can. After Hurricane Andrew - I spent 2 weeks helping to run a volunteer on-line emergency bulletin board. We spent a lot of time simply getting family members in contact with one another (sometimes people have to evacuate - and have difficulty getting in touch with their families). Please note that if you need chain saw work - I am not your girl .

For those of you in areas that might be affected - this is the most important web site. It's a streaming list of all local advisories. You can search through the list by looking for your county/parish name. The same info is available on weatherband radio (and you should get a battery operated one if at all possible).

And for those of you who haven't been through the drill before - please please listen to your local officials in terms of evacuation recommendations.

Sorry this isn't about food - but most people here live to eat - so it's important to get through hurricane season alive and in one piece! Robyn

[Dignan]

It's looking like I will get a chance to test my hurricane cooking skills this year, although it is a little early in the week to tell. That thing keeps moving west northwest and that will bring it pretty near us on the current route. Much the same path that Camille took, it looks like somewhere between New Orleans and Mobile Bay on the current path.

Yuck Batteries and Plywood. Home Depot will be making our like bandits starting this afternoon if the thing continues like this.

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I guess it's looking like it's headed your way, but pretty much to the east from you, so perhaps it won't be so bad (insert sound of me rapping on my noggin, which equals wood). I've a Grandma in FL who didn't need anymore H2O, but sure as hell wouldn't wish it on others. Good luck, and good prep, which I'm sure you've already taken care of.

Edited September 15, 2004 by Dignan (log)

[suzilightning]

What purpose do the eggshells serve? Just curious - because I think the last thing on my mind before/during/after a hurricane would be washing and crushing egg shells .

i think thye serve the purpose to settle the grounds. the egg shells were from breakfast the day before because BELIEVE me my grandparents and mom had to have their coffee.

in another post you asked about heating the water. we have always had one burner coleman propane stoves. didn't camp at all but it heats water up incredibly well.

good luck with gene. thinking of all of you.

[crouching tyler]

for those of you looking for post-hurricane espresso (next time around, that is):

seems silly, but one of these coleman stove Espresso Makers can be quite handy for us seattle area camping/coffee snobs.

good luck with wind, water and the coffee.