Bring on the Sun

This weekend, I experimented with some do-it-yourself solar cooking, assisted by my furry sous chef, Frank.

The concave reflector below was cannibalized from a not-so-popular torchiere - first wrapped with aluminum foil, then with better results, spray painted chrome.

Alternative prototypes involved cardboard flaps covered with aluminum foil for additional reflectivity.

The earlier, weaker version worked nicely for heating up a tasty tomato and pesto sandwich. My wife Vickie made the amazing pesto from the basil in our garden, tomatoes were homegrown from the farmer's market, and we added fresh mozzarella - all on fresh-baked rye bread, again from the local farmer's market. Delicious!

Vegetables seasoned with herbs from our garden were on the menu for day two. They cooked nicely until an afternoon storm blew up. A bump up on the stove, and the veggies over brown rice complemented Vickie's out-of-this-world gazpacho for a tasty fresh feast.

My dog Frank was in charge of quality control.

Update: Check out this article on how to use a solar cooker for links to commercial and DIY solar ovens.