How to Cook and Eat Well in a Power Outage

How to Cook and Eat Well in a Power Outage - Viet World KitchenViet World KitchenHomeArchivesRecipe IndexVWK StoreClasses + EventsFavorite SitesAbout MePermission and CreditWelcome to Viet World Kitchen where I explore the culinary traditions of Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Join me to learn, create, and contribute!

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher

Send a messageMy Books

One of Cooking Light's 2010
Favorite Cookbooks!

Asian Dumplings
(Ten Speed Press, 2009)
Reviews & Press Release

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
(Ten Speed Press, 2006)
Reviews & Press Release

Recent PostsMail Call: Lynn's Vietnamese Cookbook GiftsMy Dad’s 80th Birthday BashEasy Holiday Gifts: Mini Vietnamese fruitcakes and other ideasHow to Cook and Eat Well in a Power OutagePandan and Coconut Tapioca Cake (Banh Bo Nuong) Recipe ChallengeMarine Fights Vietnam's Dog-Meat Tradition: LA Times article2010 Cookbook Picks and Food Book FindsBrussels Sprouts with Cracklings and Fish Sauce RecipeThanksgiving Leftovers with Asian Flair: Turkey Pho, Banh Mi, Bun, and More!Videos Fight the Faux Pho PhenomenaRecipesAppetizer and Snack RecipesBanh (Crepes, dumplings, cakes, bread) RecipesBanh Mi Sandwich RecipesBasic Sauces, Stocks and Garnishes RecipesChile Sauce RecipesClaypot (Kho) RecipesDeep-Fried RecipesDessert and Sweets RecipesDipping Sauces RecipesDrink and Beverage RecipesGluten-Free RecipesGrilled RecipesMain Course RecipesMeat RecipesNoodles RecipesOne-Dish Meals RecipesPho RecipesPoultry and Egg RecipesRice RecipesSalad RecipesSeafood RecipesSoup RecipesStir-Fry RecipesStreet Food RecipesVegan RecipesVegetable Sides and Pickles RecipesVegetarian Recipes Vietnamese RecipesNon-Vietnamese RecipesHandy InfoAsian IngredientsAsian MarketsBasic Vietnamese KitchenBook Reviews + moreCooking Tips and ToolsEssentials: Fish SauceEssentials: NoodlesEssentials: Pho Noodle SoupEssentials: RiceEssentials: Rice PaperGardeningHow to Find Asian Markets & IngredientsMama SaysTet New Year CelebrationTravelAwards + Praise
James Beard Foundation
Award Finalist
2007 Best Asian Cookbook

IACP Awards Finalist
2010 Best Single Subject Cookbook
2007 Best First Book
2007 Best Int'l Cookbook

National Public Radio
Best 10 Cookbooks of 2009

Cooking Light Magazine
Oct. 2009 "Editors' Dozen" Top Picks
2010 Editors' Favorite Cookbooks

CHOW.com
Winter 2009 Gift Guide

« Pandan and Coconut Tapioca Cake (Banh Bo Nuong) Recipe Challenge |Main| Easy Holiday Gifts: Mini Vietnamese fruitcakes and other ideas »

December 20, 2010How to Cook and Eat Well in a Power Outage

Yesterday we had a 12-hour power outage on my block due to windy rain storms on Saturday night. A transformer blew up and the power company (PG&E) literally climbed up the power pole across the street and snipped the lines. The life got sucked out of all the home appliances. It was like a strange sci-fi movie. Everything went eerily quiet.

We are used to this occurrence. Losing electrical power happens on an annual basis for our neighborhood. It’s inconvenient but we have a routine for temporarily living off the power grid without suffering much. 

Here are some tips, which I hope you’ll add to:

Keep a cheapie, old-fashioned telephone on hand – the kind with a handset and cord. They’re about $10 and you can still call someone if there’s no electricity. Fancy phones are useless in a power shortage.Charge up mobile phones and portable devices if you know a bad storm is coming. I was using my iPhone to answer emails and tweet.About 30 minutes after the power goes out, call the power company’s status hot line to find out how long you’re expected to go without. If the recording is “be prepared for an extended period without power” go into emergency survival mode.  Take a hot shower (rejoice in the availability of water!) and don multiple layers of clothing. My husband wore 2 pairs of socks yesterday! I sported fleece-lined pants, 2 shirts, a jacket and wool socks.Get the fireplace going, if you have one. The furnace won’t work.Before sundown, get the candles and flashlights out. It will be getting very dark and super quiet soon.

Food, drink, cooking

Stash an emergency supply of ground coffee in the freezer allows you to make a cup of coffee and maintain a semblance of normalcy.Run to the store and lay in a supply of fun food. Eat things that are personal splurges, such as potato chips, cookies, etc. Go off your diet for a spell.Use a match or lighter (keep multiple wand lighters on hand) to operate gas stoves. Old school stoves will light but modern ones need help. If you have electric or induction, you’re unfortunately out of luck; spend the day or night at a friend’s house.

Think of the stove, if you can get it going, as a tiny fireplace/furnace. Cook a pot of food to benefit from (1) the physical exercise of cooking, (2) the heat that radiates from the pot, and (3) having something to eat.Cook food that makes you think of sunny, bright times. Last night, we made fish tacos and ate a Chinese hot pot. Drink wine or better yet, liquor. Red wine and tequila were our choices yesterday. I also made some relaxing chamomile tea.

Thank the power company when they turn the switch back on! The photo above is from 10:30pm last night.

Be grateful that the power was off for just a short time. Life is back to normal. (Going without water is a horse of a different color.)
?

Posted in Cooking Tips & Tools, Vietnamese Family Stories | Permalink

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us |

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

You're not out of luck if you have a gas stove. You may want to think about whether you have alternative sources. I have a camping stove or one of those butane burners that I use for sukiyaki. I also have a propane tank that can be attached to one of those restaurant style wok burners. Just remember to have fuel on hand!

Posted by:khanh |December 20, 2010 at 12:35 PM

If you are reasonably sure your power will be restored within 24h, don't open the refrigerator or freezer if you can help it. Keeping them closed may allow them to stay insulated well enough to preserve your food at a safe temperature, especially in winter, although refrigerated items should be tested with a thermometer and discarded if over 40f. If you are reasonably sure your outage will last longer than 24h, try to cook anything perishable in the refrigerator. As the previous poster notes, gas stoves do not require electricity ( although some have electric starters). The freezer may keep food safe up to 48h in winter. And some items can be salvaged even if things go pear-shaped ... Many condiments with a high sugar or salt content will not spoil that quickly.

And drinking takes the edge off!

Posted by:Wendy Tien |December 20, 2010 at 01:40 PM

We barbequed last year's Christmas "dinner" in the middle of an ice storm (while my new gas stove sat in the garage, not yet hooked up). BTW, in truly cold climes, if you haven't run to the shops before the storm begins, forget it. Also, don't run the shower; leave water dripping to help prevent pipes from freezing (your tropical roots are showing, Andrea!) We keep a stash of glow-lights, the kind kids snap to light, on hand for the kids. A few act as night lights, others lead the way to the bathroom for midnight potty runs. When we still had no electricity for three days last Christmas, we were able to get into my office, where there was electricity, charged up our cells phones and cooked a huge crock pot meal to serve up hot food for ourselves and the neighbors. Oh, and don't light a big wood fire unless you are sure you have a clean chimney! A few people in our area lost their homes last Christmas when the ice storm brought down trees and the fire trucks couldn't get in to save the houses from chimney fires. This year I have my gas stove and a gas log in the fireplace, so bring it, winter!

Posted by:Mary |December 20, 2010 at 01:45 PM

Nice Content, I liked it,
Thank You

Company: Stanley Stoves
Gas stoves
Website:http://www.stanleystoves.com/?s=gas+stoves

Posted by:Waterford Stanley Ltd., Unit 210, Waterford Industrial Estate , Waterford, Ireland. |December 20, 2010 at 11:41 PM

In a good snow or ice storm (temps below 32F), everything in your fridge or freezer will keep just fine out on the back deck -- for days!. Camping lanterns are better long-term than candles.

I need to move to the Bahamas.

Posted by:Mary |December 21, 2010 at 08:10 AM

Good advice. In Florida we would lose power in the summer due to tropical storms or hurricanes. That type of preparation is similar, but I would rather try to keep warm for a few days than not to have air conditioning during a tropical heat wave. The heat is more intense and steamy after the storms. I would also recommend to have a cooler handy with ice if you think the power will be off for awhile. That way you can try to save perishable foods. I have a cooler that's supposed to keep ice in it for 72 hours. It's humungeous, but it works.

Posted by:MaryBeth Matthews |December 21, 2010 at 08:52 AM

My god you people are well prepared! I felt a bit wimpy about living in a moderate climate like Cali's. Greatly appreciate your survival tips!

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |December 21, 2010 at 11:07 AM

I also live in Florida, but I have been fortunate the last 13 years not to go without electricity for more than 2 hours (even after hurricanes). The winters are mild but the summers are torture. I stockpile charcoal and water over the winter to prepare for any instances because I don't feel like getting run over in the stores rushing for neccesities when pending threat of storms. I have thought about getting a manual hand phone chargers to stay in contact with people but that is useless in a major storm because the cell towers are usually out too. I really do need to go buy a gas generator to keep my fridge going but they cost soooo much.

Posted by:Thuy |December 21, 2010 at 09:00 PM

Ack, as a new resident to Earthquake central (or California, as everyone else knows it), this is the thought that's constantly on my brain! With the electric stove, I think the best bet is to get a grill. SO would not have thought of the tea - that might be my first move in a power outage so I can relax!

Posted by:Kristen | Menuism |December 21, 2010 at 09:32 PM

OMG!! Poor you guys. But sounds like you not only made the best of the situation, but made it into something actually fun and adventurous. You are so resourceful. Happy holidays to you!!

Posted by:Carolyn Jung |December 22, 2010 at 04:31 PM

Oh, I lived through the Northridge earthquake. Turn off the gas, collect water, then eat from your freezer, drink from your wine collection. Seriously. Hang on for the after shocks.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |December 23, 2010 at 10:25 AM

Verify your Comment Previewing your CommentPosted by:  | 

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type: Your comment has been posted. Post another comment The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment Comment below or sign in with TypePad Facebook Twitter and more... You are currently signed in as (nobody). Sign Out (URLs automatically linked.)

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Name is required to post a comment

Please enter a valid email address

Invalid URL

Be Connected Get news via RSS or email
 Get updates in Facebook
 Follow me on Twitter
 Receive newsletterSearch VWK

Share Shots#flickr_badge_source_txt {padding:0; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif; color:#666666;}#flickr_badge_icon {display:block !important; margin:0 !important; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;}#flickr_icon_td {padding:0 5px 0 0 !important;}.flickr_badge_image {text-align:center !important;}.flickr_badge_image img {border: 0px solid black !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper {width:150px;}#flickr_www {display:block; text-align:center; padding:0 10px 0 10px !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#3993ff !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:hover,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:link,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:active,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:visited {text-decoration:none !important; background:inherit !important;color:#3993ff;}#flickr_badge_wrapper {background-color:#ffffff;border: solid 1px #000000}#flickr_badge_source {padding:0 !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#666666 !important;}www.flickr.comMore in Viet World Kitchen pool. Add yours!popular recipes

Viet World Kitchen | Copyright 2002-2010 by Andrea Nguyen | Privacy Policy document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2010/12/how-to-cook-and-eat-well-in-a-power-outage.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

View the original article here