You can cook with rays of the sun, and we don’t mean the kind of solar power that comes from panels on the roof. Corvallis author and eco-editor Lorraine Anderson is on a mission to show that just about anyone in the United States can cook delicious meals outdoors all summer long in a solar cooker they make or buy.
And there’s a bonus, instead of turning one’s kitchen stove into an oven, Anderson’s way of doing things means cooking an array of foods without cooking your indoor space.
According to Anderson, people seeing solar cooking for the first time are curious and intrigued. When they understand that what they’re watching is bread or lasagna or brownies being cooked directly with the energy of sunshine, they think how handy this would be for emergencies or camping.
Her new book Slow Cook Solar: Sun-Baked Summer Meals Good for People and Planet, is the second book Anderson has authored on solar cooking. Corvallis residents may also be familiar with her many other works as an editor, including Wild in the Willamette: Exploring the Mid-Valley’s Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas.
You Can See Anderson on Thursday
Anderson has been offering solar cooking demonstrations this summer throughout our community and beyond. Now, the Sustainability Coalition is sponsoring a 7 pm, Thursday webinar to introduce Anderson and solar cooking to folks who haven’t yet had an opportunity to experience one of her demonstrations.
“I’ve been using my sun oven as a slow cooker since 1999,” says Coalition Facilitator Annette Mills. “I’ve used it to cook beans, grains, beets, and a few other foods that take a long time on my stove top. I’m really looking forward to learning from Lorraine how to expand the use of my sun oven.”
In addition to being a cool and easy way to beat the summer heat, cooking with sunshine is yet one more way that individuals can help put the brakes on the climate crisis. As Anderson says, “I love that it’s one small step ordinary people can take to reduce their use of fossil fuels.”
You’re invited to meet Anderson via Zoom at 7 pm, Thursday, July 13, to learn more about the fun and ease of solar cooking, and to ask questions. Click here to register for Anderson’s webinar.
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