Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

I know that bad news is what sells newspapers. As Ivanova said, “Good news can wait. Bad news will refuse to leave.” Maybe theres a recovery going on somewhere but Im seeing nothing in the news that would give anyone a warm-n-fuzzy in regards to the economy. And, considering the inmates that are currently running the asylum, I just don’t see things getting better for quite a while.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

I’ve been on something of a cast-iron bender lately…reseasoning all my cast iron and evaluating my collection of it. I found a really good blog on the subject. Using info I gleaned from there I managed to do a very good job of putting an excellent non-stick finish onto my cast iron cookware and I am rediscovering the utility of cast iron. From a preparedness standpoint the cast iron cookware has a lot going for it. Although it lends itself to cooking in rugged environments and conditions, the thing Im really enjoying is that I can use my metal cooking utensils without concern for the non-stick finish.

Currently, I’ve got mostly Lodge-brand cookware. (None of that cheap Chinese cast iron crap that’s probably recycled engine cores.) I’ve got two Dutch ovens (one w/ legs and one w/o), three frying pans of various size and depth, a griddle and I am looking forward to getting a cast iron wok.

Since I’ve been playing with the cast iron lately I dug out the Volcano cookstove to use in conjunction with the cast iron for some outdoor cooking. And, since we always go a bridge too far around here, we picked up a 20# propane BBQ bomb to hook the Volcano up to. I can either cook over charcoal (or any other flammable material, really) or propane. And, happily, the Volcano comes with an adapter that lets me use the BBQ bomb or 1# propane bottles…excellent versatility there. As a bonus, I have the proper couplings to let the 20# tank run the propane heater and lanterns as well. So…another layer added to the overall preparations. And while the need to cook in a non-kitchen environment may not happen very often it is excellent gear for cooking foods that would normally funk up the house…like anything involving stir fry.

Back to the cast iron, as I said Im developing a new respect for it to the point that I think Im going to haunt a few garage sales and see if I can find some nice vintage cast iron cookware. Apparently the really old stuff is a bit smoother and easier to get a smooth, non-stick finish on.

Although I cant think of too many likely scenarios that will preclude me using the gas range in the kitchen, I think it’s a good idea for us to have the equipment to cook in just about any location. The Volcano stove has been pretty good for my needs. I can run it on charcoal or propane, it can be set on top of a picnic table or tailgate, and works quite well with the cast iron cookware. It would be an excellent choice for setting up a field kitchen or comfort station in a disaster area…additionally, it can also be used for creating that one indispensable thing that makes such a difference in a disaster – hot water. For sterilizing utensils, washing dishes, purifying water, bathing or a dozen different uses there is always a need for boiling hot water.

If a person is stuck with an electric stove, then you really need to have a Plan B for cooking when the power goes out.  Ideally, Plan B would involve more than one type of fuel as well. At the moment, we’re set up to cook with propane, charcoal, gasoline, kerosene, Coleman fuel and, if need be, wood…so I think we’re pretty well covered on the whole ‘how are we going to cook’ angle of things.