Cooking during loadshedding

[CathJ]

What are the options?

I can't imagine that a UPS would be very helpful here, and since I'm a bit... errm, accident prone... I'd prefer to stay away from anything that requires me lighting a fire or a match I also don't really have space to store a gas bottle.

Anything in the camping line that might be useful? Any solid fuel stoves? (I seem to remember a few years back liquid fuel heaters were all the rage, because the liquid wouldn't ignite if you spilled it... anything like available?)

 

[Necropolis]

So gas burners are out?

I'm sure any camping options would be rather pricey.

 

[Agent_Smith]

I braai a lot (Weber, very safe ) otherwise I do things like lekker ham, cheese and tomorrow rolls with salads. Not really 'cooking', I know, but it works out quite well.

If you want hot foods though, you're either going to have to get over your fear of matches, or buy a UPS to power your microwave!

 

[Beachless]

Fire is the only practical way.

You can buy one of those single/dual gas stoves and a bottle or a cadac gas grill/braai.
A wok with a gas stand also works great.

Or build a wood oven/braai.

 

[CathJ]

So gas burners are out?

I'm sure any camping options would be rather pricey.

Yeah, they probably would be.

I keep hearing about everyone getting batteries and inverters and they hardly notice loadshedding any more - I'm getting quite jealous My problem is that I don't care about TV and decoders and even internet - the two things I want on are my house lights, and either my stove or microwave. I don't know how much space a battery setup would need, because I don't have much , and I'm not sure if I could power even a little induction hotplate off that anyway.

I braai a lot (Weber, very safe ) otherwise I do things like lekker ham, cheese and tomorrow rolls with salads. Not really 'cooking', I know, but it works out quite well.

If you want hot foods though, you're either going to have to get over your fear of matches, or buy a UPS to power your microwave!

The problem is that I'm gluten intolerant, so a lot of the easy-to-make, non-cooking stuff I can't eat It's pretty much cook something, or eat lettuce with cheese (Boy, this is really sounding like a sob-story now! )

 

[ElementZero]

What are the options?

I can't imagine that a UPS would be very helpful here, and since I'm a bit... errm, accident prone... I'd prefer to stay away from anything that requires me lighting a fire or a match I also don't really have space to store a gas bottle.

Anything in the camping line that might be useful? Any solid fuel stoves? (I seem to remember a few years back liquid fuel heaters were all the rage, because the liquid wouldn't ignite if you spilled it... anything like available?)

http://www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za/alva-single-plate-stove.html

not sure how long the gas lasts but should be a few hours. my 19kg lasts about 7 - 8 months

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Yeah, they probably would be.

I keep hearing about everyone getting batteries and inverters and they hardly notice loadshedding any more - I'm getting quite jealous My problem is that I don't care about TV and decoders and even internet - the two things I want on are my house lights, and either my stove or microwave. I don't know how much space a battery setup would need, because I don't have much , and I'm not sure if I could power even a little induction hotplate off that anyway.

This is a fool's errand. If you cannot use gas/flames during load shedding, then bread and salads are you only option. To setup a UPS for a stove and/or microwave will be prohibitively expensive and you will be replacing batteries every 6 months.

 

[Sonic2k]

During loadshedding I use our microwave on the generator, it works OK, just sometimes if the fuel is heading low, the generator tends to "hap a bubble" i.e. misfire. The induction cooker also works but then the generator runs full throttle.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

http://www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za/alva-single-plate-stove.html

not sure how long the gas lasts but should be a few hours. my 19kg lasts about 7 - 8 months

Did you read the part of her fear of fire/flames/matches...................................?

I use a similar stove for camping by the way, but bought mine at Checkers Hyper for R170. Bushbaby I think.

 

[Creag]

I was about to share with you, OP, my recent experiences of the gas stove/oven recently purchased ... but see that it is excluded from your frame of reference. A pity. Even though we have only had its use 5 days, we have become quite comfortable with it and used to the concept of cooking with gas.

Just to add, I live in a complex and have just enough space to have the bottle/s legally installed in a courtyard just outside the kitchen. Best wishes with your endeavours and quest!

 

[CathJ]

I was about to share with you, OP, my recent experiences of the gas stove/oven recently purchased ... but see that it is excluded from your frame of reference. A pity. Even though we have only had its use 5 days, we have become quite comfortable with it and used to the concept of cooking with gas.

Just to add, I live in a complex and have just enough space to have the bottle/s legally installed in a courtyard just outside the kitchen. Best wishes with your endeavours and quest!

I used a gas stove when I lived in London, so I'm kinda used to it - it's not the gas itself that bothers me so much as the lighting of it And of course, space to keep the gas bottles. Maybe the one suggested by ElementZero might work - it's the most promising I've seen so far, at least

Did you read the part of her fear of fire/flames/matches...................................?

I use a similar stove for camping by the way, but bought mine at Checkers Hyper for R170. Bushbaby I think.

If they're auto-igniting, it might work... or I just have to resign myself to lettuce

 

[Beachless]

If they're auto-igniting, it might work... or I just have to resign myself to lettuce

Once you have lost your eyebrows/eyelashes once or twice you will be fine.

But seriously they are very safe with very little effort.

 

[Datura]

I braai a lot (Weber, very safe ) otherwise I do things like lekker ham, cheese and tomorrow rolls with salads. Not really 'cooking', I know, but it works out quite well.

If you want hot foods though, you're either going to have to get over your fear of matches, or buy a UPS to power your microwave!

Sounds like Captain Procrastination's favourite snack.

 

[web]

No matches required, you can braai, bake, fry, boil, smoke basically any method you want.

 

[envo]

I don't cook during load shedding. I just stare at the food until it gives up and prepares itself for consumption.

 

[Fox1]

You could try one of these Bio Gel Fuel Stoves. It's totally safe even if you spill some over http://www.greenheat.co.za/ http://redcapgel.co.za/

I know the big supermarkets sell the Gel Fuel but I'm not sure as to where to get the stove.

 

[ellyally]

I got a 2 plate gel stove thing from checkers hyper a while back, was R120 or something cheap, gel is cheap too, does the job

 

[CathJ]

You could try one of these Bio Gel Fuel Stoves. It's totally safe even if you spill some over http://www.greenheat.co.za/ http://redcapgel.co.za/

I know the big supermarkets sell the Gel Fuel but I'm not sure as to where to get the stove.

Ahh, that's the one I remembered!

Thanks for all ideas, I'll look into them.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

Ahh, that's the one I remembered!

Thanks for all ideas, I'll look into them.

Gel is something like R16 at Checkers. I know because I was looking at it yesterday.

 

[The_MAC]

Did you read the part of her fear of fire/flames/matches...................................?

I use a similar stove for camping by the way, but bought mine at Checkers Hyper for R170. Bushbaby I think.

In fairness she said a fire or a match, a self igniting gas flame is neither.

Also, there are a few of those butane gas cartridges that have a special anti-leak safety mechanism, kind of like a pressure release system which consists of a seal with tiny little holes. Those canisters are not LPG, and quite safe IMO