Tale #3 - About That SOLAR POTLUCK and EXHIBITION

When I tell people that I’ve spent time in Arizona, one of the subjects that comes up the most is the heat. “Is it true you can fry an egg on a rock out there?” I’ve never fried an egg on a rock so I can’t really say, but I always come back with this. “Not sure; but I know you can bake cookies on the dashboard of your car when that sun is blaring.” I’ve never tried that either, but I’ve seen it done in principle at a quirky solar event I went to in Tucson. And… I have eaten solar cookies!

 I don’t recall how I heard about the Solar Potluck. I’m not sure who sponsored it. Not sure if it was a competition or just a demonstration of solar cookery, etc. All I remember is that they said there would be music and some of my friends would be there playing and singing. It was nearing the end of my time in Tucson – the time when I actually lived there – and I was taking advantage of every opportunity to take in the essence of Tucson and be with friends.

 I had vague directions – vague to me – and I knew the general time and vicinity of the event, so when the moment was right, I headed up there to see what it was all about. I had a double reason for going actually. For all the time I spent in Tucson, there was still a lot of it I had never seen. This event for instance was held in Catalina State Park, which I had yet to visit. I wasn’t disappointed by the setting for this solar event, for I found the Catalinas to be every bit as breath-taking on the northern slopes as they were on the south!

 

They weren’t hard to find - this motley crew of sun cookers. I followed the signs into the park, parked my car and found my way to the site. There I found the small yet significant group of solar pioneers grouped in a circle, displaying their wares and their processes. I was intrigued.

 Contraptions of every shape and size were slowly cooking a variety of vegetables, meats and desserts. There were crocks wrapped in metal flashing to draw in the heat.

Steam collecting on the inside of their glass lids verified that something was happening in there!

Some kept track of temperatures with internal thermometers. Yep! Things were definitely cooking!

Many of the devices were portable.

One oven was even made from an old suitcase. Portable indeed!

 

One guy was melting pennies. He had figured out how to capture and condense the rays of the sun into one mean melting machine. I sacrificed one of my own copper coins to see it work. This was a worthy contraption. I'm sure there are applications galore.

 

There was a solar wok which I thought quite creative. Some inventive soul had figured out how to concentrate reflective solar energy onto the bottom of the pan so stir-frying could take place. There were delicious smells coming from that workable wok and I was... well... getting hungry!

 

Another dude had devised a solar bake oven – kind of glass covered foil box, not too deep - and was passing out cookies he’d baked there. Yum! “It takes fifteen minutes.” He said. We discussed baking cookies on the dashboard of the car and he said ‘yep.’ And he said you can roast a roast in your car too.

 

It takes 45 minutes for each pound of roast. At this time I would like to make this point. Arizona cars do not rust. But they are not free of suffering. With glass windows transforming them into little bake ovens, you can see why the interiors take a beating. Ha!

 There was art at this solar party too. Tucson’s environmentalists are creative in more ways than one. Somebody please remind me who made this mosaic?!

 

 And of course, there was the music! No Tucson event is really complete without the music. This was no exception. A solar serenade filled the area as well as kitchens smells and friendly smiles.

 

The capstone of the day was when all of the participants gathered at the pavilion to share a fabulous solar cooked meal. Solar cooks from around the circle brought their various crocks, pans, trays of food to the table. This was a first for me. Everything there had been prepared, and baked, boiled or heated by our most generous Sun. Everything was cooked to perfection and delicious!

 I left with a new awareness and appreciation for this abundant source of alternative energy. Our sun is a loving and free source of energy, capable of sustaining us - a treasure that at least folks in that part of the country can always enjoy.