Makeshift Emergency Stove Using Tea Light Candles

Sometime in the past month I saw/glanced at a YouTube showing how to use tea light candles in a muffin pan to make an emergency stove.  I spent the better part of an hour today trying to find that site without any luck.  I hate it when that happens. 

I did manage to find a few other YouTubes as well as some blog posts, but not the one I remember.  Drat.

So I spent two afternoons unleashing my inner pyromaniac and testing out various configurations for using tea light candles to cook in an emergency. 

As I recall (no idea whether this is actually what I saw), there were four tea light candles set in a square pattern in a regular size muffin pan.  Well, in my regular-size muffin pan, the candles were so far apart from each other that they could only heat the sides of my 1.5 quart saucepan.  It seemed like there would be too much heat loss to be even worth trying.  So I got out my mini muffin pan.  The candles couldn’t sit flat on the bottom of the pan, so they weren’t level.  Wax would spill out, making a mess and potential fire hazard.  So that idea was out.

Until I thought to turn the pan over, so that it was upside down.  Then the candles fit perfectly between each mini muffin holder.  I lit the candles and set the 1.5 quart pan on top.  And the candles promptly went out.  Not enough air flow. 

So what did I have that would raise the pan just a little and was not flammable?  Canning rings. I set four canning rings above the tea light candles.  That height seemed to be perfect and the candles did not extinguish themselves. I placed the four tea light candles in a square.

It took 20 minutes to heat one cup of room temperature water in a 6” cast iron skillet to 155°F.  Ten more minutes raised the temperature to 175°F.  Another ten minutes, so 40 in all, raised the temperature to 185°F.  That was a lot of burn time for not very much water.  And unfortunately, the canning rings also did not set well on top of the bottom side of the muffin pan.  So that idea was out.

For my second attempt, I used a preheated pan, salted the water, and put the lid on the pan.  The temperature reached 160°F in 10 minutes and 180°F in 20 minutes.  And I still didn’t like that the pan was resting on canning rings and thus a little unstable.  More research and thinking were needed. 

I found one Youtuber who got all fancy using power tools and such to build some kind of frame to support his cast iron skillet over the tea light candles.  A wood frame.  Maybe it’s just me, but I think putting dry wood in close proximity to candles and cooking indoors seems like a recipe for disaster.

I decided to try using more tea light candles so that the water would boil faster.  I placed four tea light candles in the center of a 9-inch glass pie plate and then surrounded them with 10 more candles, and then placed a cake cooling rack on top.   And instead of using my little cast iron skillet, I opted for a stainless steel 1.5 quart pan.  Bingo!  That worked. 

I was able to get 1 cup of tap water to 190°F in 10 minutes, and boiling within 15 minutes.  I considered that acceptable and now know I can use this to heat food and water in an emergency. 

The pros of this set up are that it is remarkably quick to put together, requiring no special tools or equipment, and it can be safely used indoors.  In addition, the candles are quite inexpensive (about seven cents each on Amazon right now) and will burn for 4-8 hours, depending on size and manufacturer.  And after Halloween, you may be able to find the candles clearance priced at grocery stores.  I got a couple of 100-count bags of them for 50 cents each a few years back.

The cons, of course, are that the makeshift stove can only be safely used if placed out of range of children and pets. And as with all candles, tea light candles should never be allowed to burn unattended.  Unfortunately, soot will accumulate on the bottom of the pan.  This can be avoided by covering the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil.  

There are dozens of ways to cook and heat water in an emergency.  This is one.  It’s probably not the best one, but it works.  It may not even be one that you want to use, but you can suggest it as an option to neighbors who have not prepared as well as you when they want to use your stuff or space.  Of course, using their own candles, matches, and food.  Not yours.

Links to related posts:

Making Candles Last Longer  

 

For further information and other ideas, good, bad, and otherwise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei1wQw8SA0I

https://www.blogbyben.com/2017/02/tiny-but-surprisingly-hot-tea-light.html

https://theprovidentprepper.org/candles-as-an-emergency-fuel-source-for-warmth-light-and-cooking/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NTi2k5xNpw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIaYGEDTm1w

 

Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Cafe--Hummus

Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café, Volume 2:  Condiments, Sauces, Seasonings, and More Homemade Essentials Using Food Storage is now available on Amazon.  I apologize that the cover doesn’t match the other food storage books.  I contracted for five different covers for my family to choose from, one of which was supposed to be in the same style as the other food storage books.  That one was my favorite; most everyone else preferred this cover.  I thought about publishing the book with two different covers, but then decided that might lead to confusion.  It is what it is.  If I’d realized at the beginning that I would be writing more books, I would have done things differently.  Anyway, here it is.  I hope you like it.  And if you do, please leave a review on Amazon if you can.  I’d really appreciate it.  And if you can’t, I understand.  It’s a crazy world we live in.

 

I have been meaning to try this recipe for years.  Really.  I mean it.  I canned the garbanzo beans over three years ago, and they've been sitting on the shelf ever since.

But now, in order to write this post, I am forced to actually do it.   One of the beauties of this recipe is that it is all food storage.  I have bottled lemon juice in the refrigerator that we use for everyday cooking, but we also have packets of True Lemon for times when refrigeration isn't an option.  You can definitely get True Lemon on Amazon; it's also often available in upper scale grocery stores.  The sesame oil is also a must-have in our long-term food storage.  There's just no way to make great pork fried rice without it.

Hummus
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
1 tablespoon lemon juice or three packets True Lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 drops sesame oil

Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  If the mixture is too thick, add in some of the reserved liquid, one teaspoon at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency.  If you don't have a blender, mashing the beans with a fork or potato masher will work, but it's going to take a few minutes.  Chill as best as possible and then serve.

Review:  OK, this is seriously good.  Using a potato masher, I couldn't get it as smooth as with a food processor, but that's ok.  It's good.  This is totally great food storage.  But it's totally great even if it isn't food storage.

(Two months later, after I initially wrote this post, I've now made it a few more times for the kids.  They scarfed it down pretty quickly.  I'd make it a lot more if my husband and I could eat tortilla chips as much as we like to, but sadly, those days are past.)

Links to related posts:
Beans
Canning Beans

 © 2020, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com   

Food Storage and Learning from History

One of the most challenging aspects of preparing for the exciting times ahead is the fact that none of us have experience.  We've lived in a world of plenty for our entire lives and for the most part we've never seen or experienced true want.  When it comes to preparing for famine, war, or societal collapse, we have to learn from history.  Some readers will be familiar with Selco's writings about the Balkan War and FerFAL's experience in the socio-economic collapse of Argentina.  There is so much to learn from them.

Below I have pasted in several lengthy excerpts from an article written by F. Enzio Busche, a German who experienced World War II and the aftermath as a child.  There is a link for the complete article at the end of this blog; I encourage you to read it.  However, for purposes of this post I have excerpted what I think will be of most interest to those striving to prepare as best as possible, especially with regard to food.

"May I share with you some experiences that I, along with millions of other Europeans, had in the days of devastation, total destruction, and starvation that became a reality for so many survivors of World War II. These experiences helped me to recognize and appreciate the basic necessities of life and to separate true needs from false wants....

"Frequently I am asked, “What were the most valuable items in the days of starvation in Germany?” The answer is difficult to believe, because some of the experiences we had seem to be totally illogical and contrary to human nature. The items of highest value were tobacco and alcohol, because people who live in fear and despair, who have not learned principles of self-control, tend to need in times of panic some drug to escape the dreadful awareness of reality. I have seen people give their last loaf of bread and their last meager supply of potatoes just to obtain a bottle of brandy....

"As for what we needed, the food item we relied on most was vegetable oil. With a bottle of vegetable oil, one could acquire nearly every other desirable item. It had such value that with a quart of vegetable oil one could probably trade for three bushels of apples or three hundred pounds of potatoes. Vegetable oil has a high calorie content, is easy to transport, and in cooking can give a tasty flavor to all kinds of food items that one would not normally consider as food—wild flowers, wild plants, and roots from shrubs and trees. For me and my family, a high-quality vegetable oil has the highest priority in our food storage, both in times of daily use and for emergency usage. When vegetable oil is well-packed and stored appropriately, it has a long storage life without the necessity of refrigeration. We found ours to be in very good condition after twenty years of storage, but circumstances may vary in different countries and with different supplies....

"A third priority item is honey. Its value in daily usage is immeasurable. My family prefers honey rather than sugar because our experience supports some of the research findings regarding the preeminence of honey. Another reason I prefer honey is because during the starvation period in postwar Germany, honey could be traded for three times as much as sugar; its value was considered that much greater....

"These four basic items—oil, wheat, honey, and milk (or their equivalents in other cultures)—together with water, salt, and renewable basic foods such as potatoes and other vegetables, can satisfy nutritional requirements in times of emergency and also are valuable and usable in normal daily life.

"You might ask, 'What about the many other food items and desserts that play an important role in our eating habits?' I shall always treasure the great experience I had in those hard times, when I learned to appreciate food with the most balanced nutrients. When a person is very hungry, the taste of food will change for him. In times of emergency, the Lord seems to provide a way to help our bodies adapt. For instance, I remember well that when I was a child I did not like to eat bacon. I argued with my mother whenever she prepared potatoes fried with bacon instead of fried with vegetable oil or butter, not recognizing in my youth that sometimes this was the only way she could provide fat in our diet. Several years later when we were suffering from the severe food shortage, I remember that after days of being without food, the first edible item I could obtain, ironically, was a piece of bacon. I looked upon it as the best treasure I had ever achieved. I placed the pieces of the bacon between my teeth and my cheek and did not dare to chew it, simply because I wanted to savor and appreciate longer the wonderful taste of bacon. At that moment I could not understand how I could have ever disliked bacon.

"In times of real hunger the human body seems to develop a natural craving for the things it needs most. An athlete who is preparing for a marathon has the same experience as he daily runs his ten miles in training. He will eventually develop a feeling for the real needs of his body; he will develop an appetite for the food that his body requires, and he will be repulsed by food items that do not add to his body’s strength.... It might also be of interest to know that there seemed to be much less sickness during those hard times. 

"When we think in terms of our own year’s supply of those foods and materials we use on a regular basis, we may feel that every family will have to store everything. This, of course, is not easy and seems to make storage difficult. However, let me offer this comforting idea based on past experience. We need to take into consideration that in difficult times, so long as there survives more than one family, there will be trading of valuable items. A free market will begin immediately to satisfy the needs of people, and items in greatest demand will set the price, bypassing the use of money. The ingeniousness of mankind becomes evident in times of need. When man is presented with a problem or challenge, if he is in a healthy spirit—which hopefully we are—he will find solutions that he never dreamed of. When a person has a good, healthy spirit, is able to adjust and is not afraid to use his imagination, he will find ways to survive.

"There is a long way from the point of hunger to actual starvation, and there is much that one can do to stay alive in hard times, especially when one is mentally and physically prepared. A garden, even as small as a window box, is of great value, as is the skill to be able to plant and to grow things. Following the war, in addition to having a small garden, my family was able to obtain the milk we needed by keeping a milk sheep, which gave enough milk for our family for the greater part of the year.... Besides milk, our sheep supplied us with wool to trade or to use for knitting items. During the spring of the year it would give birth to one or two lambs which could also be used for food or trade. Some of our neighbors had goats, but we preferred the sheep because of the wool and because sheep seemed easier to tolerate and to work with. They required very little extra care and were easy to satisfy. Also, all over the country, even the large cities, people began to keep rabbits in small pens, and children had the task of looking for grass, dandelions, and leaves in order to feed their rabbits. In addition, people kept hens, and chicken coops were prevalent in all places. Because grain was too valuable to feed to chickens, other sources of chicken feed had to be found. Children found ways of breeding worms, beetles, and flies to be used for this purpose. People also built small, wooden handcarts which could be used to transport items used for trading, which took place wherever people met."

For further reading, click on the links below.  Be advised that Ferfal's and Selco's writings are not for the faint of heart.  Also, I am not endorsing any of the products they sell.  I just found their experiences really eye-opening.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1982/06/how-beautiful-to-live-in-these-times-and-be-prepared?lang=eng

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/

https://shtfschool.com/

17 january 2019

What I Have Gleaned from People

Wise words from Anonymous.  Summer vacation is almost over.  If you have a writing contest entry, send it in ASAP.

 

I have probably read hundreds if not thousands of accounts of people from the past. These accounts are fascinating. As I have studied how our ancestors lived, I focused on how the common person lived, not just the famous people that the history books have recorded. How did people live during the prosperous times, transitional times, and disastrous times? There were some common themes that kept appearing.

Here are 10 things I have gleaned…

1. People are very resilient. Survival happens. Even when Alexander the Great destroyed Thebes, there were survivors. They were mostly sold into slavery, but they survived. [by the way, keep your gates closed!] You are stronger than you think. You can survive. Hope and faith seem to be a common thread.

2. You will lose weight in almost any disaster. Get a belt. Wear dresses. Add sweaters and cardigans (thin people are often colder). Leggings and heavy tights are great for layering. Remember that tightly knit wool is waterproof and warm.

3. Shoes wear out surprisingly fast. So do socks. The number one request of the homeless is socks. Clothing will wear out, try to extend the wear time. One way is to add patches to the knees of pants (on the inside) before they are worn. Another is to mend quickly to avoid bigger problems and for safety. 

4. Those who survive help each other, but wisely. Don’t be naïve. Build your community now. Look for the fruit, not just what people say.

5. Betrayal caused much trouble. There was an entire Catholic family (Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma of Poland) and their Jewish friends that were shot by the Nazis because a neighbor wanted the Jews’ house, so he turned them in. 

6. Children’s disobedience (and chattering) in troubled times caused many a family’s destruction. One family ended up perishing in a concentration camp because of the teen daughter’s disobedience. Keep some things from your children, especially young children. What they don’t know, they cannot give away. Think of the story of Anne Frank. 

7. Children worked with the family. Yes, they played, but they also worked. There are interesting studies showing the value of giving children chores. Chores that match their age and ability.

8. There will always be those who have advantages – beauty, wealth, wit, cunning, weapons, faith, knowledge, skills, heritage, connections.

9. Information is valuable – know your area and your neighbors. Be aware. Keep your head on a swivel.

10. The mind is amazing. Practice now to use your intellect to think about what is happening in your life and how you make decisions. Be intentional. Be aware. Process what your senses bring in to your brain. Learn to think – it can be quite taxing if one is not used to it. Look for patterns. Read things and talk about what you have read with someone. Write about what you have read. No need to publish anything, writing helps the brain learn to logically process information. Compare what you have read with history and the current world situation. Make it a habit to look up words or ideas you are unfamiliar with. Stretch the brain muscle and it will reward you greatly. Ask questions. 

I hope there are people out there keeping diaries. Historians in the future will be very thankful to read about the mundane life we live today. They will be as delighted as I am to be able to have a peek into the lives of those whose history is being studied.

A Well-Prepared Household (Not a Contest Entry)

Notes:  There are quite a few today.  

The first is that I am in Blogger time-out again and I cannot reply to any comments any of you make.  I don't know what I did or how to get out.  :(  I am happy to note that I will be reaching my goal of moving from Blogger to some other platform by the end of the year.  I don't know exactly how soon.   A friend of my son, Jared, asked if he could transition this blog for me as a service project, one of the projects he needs to complete for his BS in computer science.  I gladly accepted.  He will preserve the appearance while making it a lot more user-friendly for all of us. 

Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café, Volume 2:  Condiments, Sauces, Seasonings, and More Homemade Essentials Using Food Storage is now available on Amazon.  I apologize that the cover doesn’t match the other food storage books.  I contracted for five different covers for my family to choose from, one of which was supposed to be in the same style as the other food storage books.  That one was my favorite; most everyone else preferred this cover.  I thought about publishing the book with two different covers, but then decided that might lead to confusion.  It is what it is.  If I’d realized at the beginning that I would be writing more books, I would have done things differently.  Anyway, here it is.  I hope you like it.  And if you do, please leave a review on Amazon if you can.  I’d really appreciate it.  And if you can’t, I understand.  It’s a crazy world we live in.

Many thanks to Anonymous for her thoughts. See if there is anything on her list that you need to add to your preps. 

By way of reminder, this is the last week of the writing contest. (Where did the summer go?!) Get your entries in for a chance to win the PSD book of your choice. And another reminder--so far there are no entries for this month!

 

Unless you are going to be like the starving Indians and eat the meat right off the freshly hunted deer, there are skills and tools that will be needed for any number of future scenarios. I put the effort into these simple lists in the hopes that it will propel some to get better prepared for a time that is much different. Not even necessarily one without electricity or water. Life might just toss a grenade into our pleasant lives and what will we do at that point? I, for one, have no intention of watching those I love suffer. So, I get to work. I relearn and learn anew skills that are very old. As a historian, I know how difficult life was for many people in the past. The life expectancy for a serf was 30 years old. Not on my watch.

As a child of unusual parents who were not Anabaptist nor hippies but reveled in producing everything we could ourselves on our little farm, I have participated in that unusual life. Do I remember? Maybe, maybe not. So, I’m practicing. 

Here are the lists of items that I have in my household. They are all nonelectric (I may have the electric one, but make sure I also have the nonelectric):

1. Grinders 

1. Grain

2. Nut and seed

3. Coffee

4. Meat

5. Sausage stuffer and supplies

2. Cheese making supplies (I like New England Cheese Making Supply Co.)

1. Cheese press

2. Cheese cloth

3. Freeze dried cheese making starters

4. Rennet

5. Utensils

6. Wax

3. Butchering supplies (look them up online as there are lots)

1. Books as well. My husband’s grandfather that he lived next door to was a butcher. He helped his grandfather growing up and still has many gaps. These skills are lost so very quickly. Learn now before they are really needed.

4. Beekeeping supplies (also look up and try to join a group) 

5. Chicken keeping and processing supplies (lots of good information online)

6. Books – don’t expect to be able to remember even the basic of recipes under stress. 

7. Paper, pencils and pens 

8. Water filtration and storage – kitchens use a lot of water! 

1. We use a Big Berkey and have for decades. Love it

9. Aprons – I have no desire to do more laundry without electricity than I have to

1. Kitchen aprons

2. BBQ aprons

3. Butchering aprons (there is a lot of bloody mess with butchering)

4. I think I’ll also cover my hair to keep it cleaner and out of the food

10. Washing supplies

1. A hand wringer (Lehman’s)

2. Wash tub (will also be used for bathing and butchering)

3. Washboards

4. Plunger

5. Drying racks

6. Laundry line and hardware to install

7. Clothes pins

8. Soap supplies and bucket and grater

11. Canning supplies – with the resurgence of canning, loads of info online

1. I bought some Tattler lids, but haven’t tried them – has anyone?

2. Check the vinegar is 5%

3. I like Pomona's pectin 

4. Canning salt and spices

5. Jar lifters with rubber ends are a godsend

12. Containers

1. Crocks for fermenting, storing cooked meats in lard, and for honey

2. Wash tub (again)

3. Water carrying 

4. Buckets with handles

5. Food storage grade buckets

6. Bowls of all sizes and kinds (ceramic, glass, plastic and metal)

13. Basic kitchen items

1. Wooden utensils (some things cannot be made with metal)

2. Whips

3. Manual knife sharpener

4. Matches and other fire starters

5. Baking pans of all types and made of glass, ceramic, silicone, and metal

6. Pie tins and such of all types

7. Manual can openers (yes, more than one)

8. Chopper

9. Knives

10. Blender (mine is still in the box as its hand cranked)

11. Yogurt maker (wonderful item)

12. Metal utensils 

13. Strainers of all sized

14. Graters 

15. Spatulas 

16. Butter storer 

17. Mortar and pestle

18. Pastry blender

19. Double boiler

20. Steamer

21.  Splatter screen for pan frying

22. Cast-iron pans and such as you’d like

23. Fly swatters and fly hanging strips

24. Scissors 

25. Lettuce and greens spinner

26. Candles and sprinkles – they last forever and make life a little more fun!

27. Bag closures of some sort

28. Spoon rests

29. Rolling pins (regular, French, marble)

30. Thermometers (cheese, candy, meat, oven, fridge)

31. Cleaning rags (I love old cotton tees cut up)

32. Non-electric scales (large enough for canning)

33. Timers 

34. Need I say to stack your dish soap to the ceiling?

14. Dried starters

1. Cheeses

2. Yeast

3. Sourdough

4. yogurt

15. Gloves

1. Kitchen

2. First aid

3. Insulated

4. Tough for working outside

5. Gardening (mine are goat hide)

16. Dehydrating 

1. Old screens

2. I am eyeing an herb drying hanging one I saw on Amazon

17. Milking supplies if you intend to milk

18. Soap making supplies if you intend to make soap

19. Maple Syrup making supplies if you live in that area and intend to make that yummy syrup

20. Pasta making supplies 

21. Coolers

22. Wood and plastic cutting boards

23. Hand dish washing set up – I love the drying mats, too

24. Cookie trays, drying racks and silicone baking sheets 

25. Mouse and bug Proof everything (you would be horrified at the number of mice and bugs that were in the kitchen. We won’t even mention rats. Ewwwww) And, they can chew through plastic – ugh!

1. Old tins are perfect

2. Jars

3. Traps and bucket traps

4. Cookie jars

5. Food storage glass containers with secure lids– grains, legumes, etc.

6. Bread box

26. Fermentation equipment

1. I bought a boxed kit that only required wide mouth jars to try (haven’t tried it yet)

2. Crocks as well for larger needs

On my list of wants:

1. Icebox

2. Stove top oven

3. Large Washtub

4. Wood cookstove

5. Snares 

I enjoy watching these YouTube videos:

Townsends

Ruth Goodman videos

I also enjoy living museums. I’ve worked at some and they were fun jobs! Maybe you would have the opportunity for your children to volunteer at one or you could send them to a history camp. Wonderful experiences for my children! 

I know there is more and I’m sure I’ll remember later, but here is a start.