The immediate use that comes to mind is that the inverted shell can be used as a cup for containing water or just to hold other things such as berries or other food items. I have used some natural materials in which to boil water (see “Boil Water In A Cabbage Leaf” and “Coconut Bowl Boiling Techniques“) so I prepared some coals to see if I could accomplish this with the turtle shell.

 
In the end, I did not get the water to reach a boil but I could see the water convection turning and a lot of steam rising. Because of the small size of the shell the water would evaporate and as the exposed shell would burn down to the water level the shell would diminish in size. It would appear that adding hot rocks to the water would be more effective to heat water inside.
 
 
 
It was a fun project and as usual there are lessons to be learned that are best accomplished before emergency situations occur.

Recently I wondered if the sticks could be used to cook with or at least used to boil water in an emergency. I had kept the package in a sealable plastic bag however I believe the years of summer heat and the humid climate have effected it as evidenced by the box that seemed slightly saturated with the parafin base and when I struck the tip on the back of the package it would not light.

I decided to boil some water in my stainless steel Sierra cup and filled it with water. I placed it on a BBQ bracket to use as a trivit which allowed the fire starter to be placed underneath. I lit the Strike-A-Fire with a lighter and watched the ensuing flame as it slowly spread along it’s length. It took about 5 minutes to bring the water to a simmer… too hot to drink right away. I withdrew the cup, then the bracket, then placed a can briefly over the fire starter. It was hard to completely extinguish as small embers kept smoldering. I placed the remains in a used Altoid tin and it finally went out.

That gave me the idea that a Strike-A-Fire stick could be cut in half lengthwise to store inside a tin. When needed the tin could be opened and used as a hearth upon which the stick could be lit. So, round 2 was successful with tinder to spare.

In the end, I have to acknowledge that the Strike-A-Fire fire starters were not intended to be used the way that I tested it but it’s nice to know that they can be used that way in an emergency situation. The striking portion does not last indefinitely but the stick portion works fine once lit. It does have a sooty flame so it puts carbon on the bottom of the cooking vessel but I took it down to the nearby creek and rubbed it in the sand which cleaned it nicely.

There are other clean burning fuels available that I prefer to cook with but by trying this proof-of-concept I am happy to have learned the Strike-A-Fire’s capabilities and I put them back into my car’s emergency kit for the future.

Coconuts don’t grow in my neck-of-the-woods so I am grateful that my local grocery store stocks them in their produce section. They had already been shucked of their outer layer but if you acquire a whole coconut I describe on my “Edibles” page how to remove both the outer layer and crack open the inner layer as well. By cracking open the coconut shell around it’s equator it produced two nice “bowls”. I saved the coconut milk and removed the white pulp inside. These bowls had round bottoms and thus needed support to keep them upright when holding water.

There are basically two approaches to heating water in the coconut shell or any other vessel – by “outside heat” or “inside heat”. “Outside heat” is generally accomplished by setting the shell in coals or suspending them over a fire. It’s interesting to note that a flammable vessel will not burn through to the water because the water inside limits the temperature and prevents ignition. “Inside heat” is accomplished by heating stones in a fire then placing them into the water. Heat is elevated incrementally as each stone is added. The first stones can be removed and replaced by newer hot stones as needed.

For the “outside heat” method I selected the smaller shell to heat by fire so I notched two parallel logs on their facing sides and placed the bowl above them. This allowed space for the fire to heat it from beneath. I just added kindling as needed. It took quite awhile to achieve a boil as the coconut shell is quite an insulator.

For the “inside heat” method I used the larger shell because stones displaced the water as they were added and the vessel needed more capacity. I placed it on the ground and supported it using three stones. I selected many smaller stones (not river stones as they may explode) to heat in a fire. I used two sticks to transfer the stones from the fire to the shell. It was quite awkward to do, so look for a future article on stick transfer tools as I explore other stick devices and methods for this purpose.

It was a great experience. Next time that you plan a campfire, visit your local grocery store and pick up a coconut and try these boiling techniques for yourself.

In the Spring, pine trees have new growth with upward growing tassels. The tassels contain pollen that will be released if tapped or shaken. To collect the pollen, place a bag over the blossoms before shaking the branch. The collected pollen can then be used like flour for baking or frying.

Pine needles are abundant all year long and can be used to make a tea rich in vitamin C. There is a caution about red pine because of it’s toxicity. White pine is preferred. You can tell the difference between the two: RED pine has 3 needles and WHITE pine has 5 needles; each needle group matches the number of letters of it’s name. You can chop up the needles and add them to water as you bring it to a boil to brew a tea. Warning – Pine needle tea can cause miscarriage for pregnant women.

Another year-round resource is the inner “cambium” bark layer that lies just beneath the outer bark. It can be collected off the tree trunk to be dried and ground into flour. I prefer thinner layers from young branches that can be eaten raw but can also be roasted or fried and eaten much like potato chips.

In the Fall, pine cones begin to release their seeds that we know as pine nuts. The yet unopened cones can be collected and when they dry will release the seeds. You have probably already eaten these in salads and as toppings on hummus.

So don’t forget the stalwart pine as a source of food in an emergency situation. Of course you don’t need an emergency in order to try these edible parts. In fact, by getting acquainted with them now will alleviate an experiential shock in a time of need. You may find some of them quite pleasant if not just a wonderful association with the great outdoors.

Boiling water is limited to 210 degrees Fahrenheit and thus cannot “burn” food that is cooked in it. It’s best to use a thicker plastic material as a container so a freezer bag works best. An added advantage is that having a transparent material allows you to monitor the eggs while they’re cooking. As usual, room temperature food elements cook quicker than when they’re frozen. Knowing these simple facts allow you to be both efficient in cooking and creative in your cuisine.

Eggs alone taste great but you can “take it up a notch” and create a gourmet omelet by scrambling the eggs and adding onions, bell peppers, sausage and more. Simply add the elements into a plastic bag, press out excess air and close the seal. You can hold the top of the bag by hand and submerge the bottom into boiling water for about 4 minutes or so. If the bag seems too hot to handle, you can use a stick to poke just under the seal and suspend it over the boiling water.

Although you can eat straight out of the bag after it cools a little, I prefer using a spoon, so don’t forget to bring one along when you try this at your next camp-out.

I was recently introduced to the idea of using a cooler to cook corn-on-the-cob for a group of people. You can shuck as many cobs of corn as needed and lay them inside the cooler on the bottom, then cover them with boiling water. After about 30 minutes they’re said to be ready to serve, but they can stay in the water much longer as needed.

I decided to give it a try on a smaller scale, by using a lunch box. Because the lid was not insulated, I improvised by placing a towel inside a tray that I laid over the top of the water for better insulation. I tested the corn after 30 minutes. Although it was edible, I found that it was done to my standards after an hour, and, it was very good.

The advantages of this cooking technique is that once it is set, it does not require more fuel or open flame, it can be left unattended and conserves energy. It could work well in a travel scenario where you may be driving over long distances. Folks who are conscious about plastics off-gassing could place their food in metal containers within a cooler and add further insulation for better efficiency and stabilization when traveling.

Give this cooking method a try and test it for yourself. As always, practicing before hand makes for successful results when it’s needed.

P.S. It dawned on me that the ears of corn that I used were pulled right out of the refrigerator… had they been at room temperature, the cook time would have been shorter – perhaps just the half hour that I had first heard.

One of the wonderful properties of water is that it holds a steady temperature at 212 degrees Fahrenheit which is lower than the combustion point of it’s container. This amazing property has the effect of protecting the vessel that contains it so fire will not burn through the barrier that holds it. In modern terms, it acts like a heat-sink that draws heat away.

While being heated, containers like a cabbage leaf or a paper cup may burn down to the level of the water so it becomes a one-use container. A tougher container like a bamboo node or coconut shell can be used to boil water as well and may be used more than once.

There are some guidelines that should be observed: the vessel should not leak fluids that would extinguish the flame or coal: if the vessel is flexible or fragile, it will need to be supported in the process. The best way to support the cabbage leaf is to place it on live coals that you have prepared in a cup-shaped mound. Immediately fill it with water to protect the leaf and and hold it in place. Once the water comes to a boil, the challenge will be to extract it from the vessel. In this case a smaller vessel like a spoon or small cup can be used to draw out the hot water for use.

An alternate method of boiling water would be to put dry rocks into a fire and heat them until very hot, then using a pair of tongs, transfer them into the water to heat it. It may take several rocks, but eventually it can be made to boil.

So, whether to heat from the outside, or from the inside, you now know how to boil water in a cabbage leaf. Have fun!