Use the SUN to Cook your Food. Save Energy, Pollute Less and Improve the Lives of People Around the World
Okay, so it's no surprise that I support energy conservation. As I was researching solar space heating and cooling I discovered Global Sun Ovens. I knew about solar cooking a long time ago, but did not really know much about the efforts to promote solar cooking around the world. While the industrialized nations enjoy the convenience of simply turning the switch and cooking our food, a billion households around the world spend hours per day gathering fuel (wood, scraps and dung) or burning costly, smokey kerosene to cook meals and purify water. I ordered a Global Sun Oven from Sun Ovens International and loved it so much I ordered another one. Now most of my cooking is done in a Global Sun Oven. What makes Global Sun Ovens unique is that the company uses its revenue from sales to further the local production and distribution of Global Sun Ovens around the world. They are striving to develop and implement comprehensive solar cooking programs that will radically decrease the developing world's dependence on wood and dung as the primary cooking fuels while benefiting the environment, raising the standard of living and improving the health of the poor worldwide. In these countries, the land is being denuded as the population cuts trees and shrubs to fuel cooking fires. It is estimated that in Haiti, for example, the last trees in the country will fall to the axe within five years. Haiti has already lost 98% of its forest cover. The recent disastrous floods and mudslides that killed thousands there are the result of the hillsides being denuded and therefore unable to retain water.. Haiti's situation is replicated all around the world with many countries expected to be 100% deforested within the decade..
So, how can we help? First and foremost, please donate to one of the organizations supporting the distribution of solar cooking devices around the world. I have listed contact information for several of them below. Secondly, try a solar cooker! Get involved! Make your own simple cooker, or buy a Global Sun Oven. After I ordered mine and started using it, my neighbors wanted one, then Ava's cousin. I realized that when people understand the world wide crisis with fuel, deforestation and health issues, they want to help and get interested in actually owning and cooking with a solar cooker. Breads, pizzas, stews, potatoes, meat, soups - you will be amazed at what you can do with a solar cooker. And when you see how well they work, you will want to promote them around the world! And while deforestation for cooking may not be a direct concern here domestically, cooking with gas or electricity DOES contribute to global warming, so fire up that solar oven!
I have decided to promote Global Sun Ovens and keep the price to a minimum and hope that anyone who orders one from me will donate the money they are saving over suggested retail price to one of the organizations that is working to distribute solar cookers around the world. If you order through us, the price is currently $199 plus $22.00 shipping and handling in the continental US. And PLEASE, if you order from me, donate the savings over the normal list price ($229 to $249 or more) to one of the organzations listed below.
If you would like to read my tips for care of and cooking with your Solar Oven, Click here.
And watch for upcoming solar demos and "cookoffs" at Phidippides! I'd be glad to bring an oven in for you to take a look at.
To order a Global Sun Oven, call the store and ask for Charlie or Ava.
We generally have one or two in stock for immediate delivery.
The Rotary Club
You can help by supporting THE TEMPLE SOLAR PROJECT. Get involved! Adopt a village! Make a difference! Contact:
Patricia Merryweather
Rotary Club of Naperville
234 DiLorenzo Drive
Naperville, Illinois 60505
United States of America
(630) 416-8683 (evenings)
(630) 202-5579 (cell)
E-mail: rotarysolarpat@aol.com
This is one of the Villager Sun Ovens being installed in Port au Prince, Haiti
Solar Cookers International
Solar Cookers International assists communities to use the power of the sun to cook food and pasteurize water for the benefit of people and environments.
Solar box cookers prior to installation at one of the new "Sol Cafes" - a chain of commercial eateries, being be set up along highways in India's Gujarat province to serve solar-cooked snacks or small meals
To Support Solar Cooking Around the World, Contact One of These Organizations
Here's one of the Global Sun Ovens in use. It can reach temperatures of 400 degrees. Makes a great addition to your kitchen arsenal or your next camping trip. I use my two ovens to cook and then put an 8 qt stew pot in to heat water to use for cleaning up the dishes. With two ovens I can handle an entire meal from appetizers to deserts. Cooking times on a sunny day are roughly the same as a normal oven and even on a cloudy day you can cook effectively with only 20 minutes of sun per hour!
And I think food tastes better when it's cooked in a solar oven - the flavors are much deeper and much richer. It's also virtually impossible to burn a meal in the solar oven.
This is an incredibly easy recipe that comes out pefect every time. It is rich and almost pudding like in consistency. You can use peaches, nectarines, apricots and even plums as the fruit! Enjoy! And call or mail to share your secret recipes with us.
1/3 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup unbleached whole wheat or if you prefer, white flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk (or yogurt with a touch of milk added)
3 cups peeled, chopped peaches
* Melt the butter or margarine in a dark 9 inch round cake pan in the solar oven
* In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and buttermilk or yogurt and mix until smooth. Pour this into the pan with the melted butter or margarine. DO NOT STIR!
* Pour the chopped peaches into the center of the batter. DO NOT STIR!
* Cover and bake in the solar oven for about two hours. Serve warm from the oven with whipped or ice cream!
