Last summer, I noticed a glaring gap in my cooking abilities: nearly all of my favorite recipes require baking in the oven. In 90+ degree weather, turning the oven on is less than ideal!
I was reminded of this problem recently while reading a survival blog. Even if we were able to get a backup heat supply with which to function should our apartment complex be without power (not an unrealistic or uncommon event in winter by any stretch), we could survive on peanut butter or applesauce or whatever else I have canned eaten cold, but in the bitterly cold temperatures we've had recently, it would be pretty miserable. It would also be entirely avoidable!
So in my latest stack of library books, I brought home a book on cooking in a cast iron skillet. I was little disappointed that some of the recipes were designed for stove-top-to-oven transitions, but there were many great ideas for simple hot meals that could be adapted to any open cooking surface.
In an emergency situation, being able to offer sustenance and comfort to those around us is not a frivolous concern. It will be a very real and essential task that can make the difference between sludging along in despair and regrouping, connecting and moving forward. This is certainly only a first step, but it keeps in view two important questions. Are you ready? What have you done to prep this week?
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