037 Reinventing the Toaster

February 11, 2015

...e of the Root Simple Podcast with Ed Dulles, inventor of the DeltaToast, a stove-top alternative to the conventional electric toaster. We discuss Ed’s transition from the financial services industry, from someone who “writes emails” to being a “maker” of tangible objects. In the conversation we also cover how Ed took the DeltaToast from concept to market. I’ll do a review of the DeltaToast soon, but let me just say that it’s esthetically pleasing,...

Read…

A Parvati Solar Cooker

Mr. Homegrown

March 24, 2008

Solar

4 Comments

...two hour cooking time is much longer than it would take on a conventional stove, but with a solar cooker there is no danger of burning, making the process, in our opinion, easier than stove-top cooking. Consider a solar cooker a kind of low-powered crock pot for lazy and cheap people–good for things like rice, beans, soups and stews, but not good for sauteing. Just remember the oven mitts–this thing gets hot! When the sun gets higher in the sky,...

Read…

Failed Experiment: Bermuda Buttercup or Sour Grass (Oxalis pes-caprae) as Dye

Mrs. Homegrown

January 31, 2013

Domesticus, Herbs, Mistakes

26 Comments

...as best as I could judge. There were two steeping options–with heat on the stove or by a long sun steep. I opted for the long steep, put a bowl in the soaking pot to sink the plants beneath the water, and put the pot on the front porch. The day turned out to be cloudy and cool, so I don’t believe that solar energy aided my cause. Then, I ended up leaving the pot out all night long. In the morning some of the Oxalis had turned olive, other parts we...

Read…

Beans 101 (Return of Bean Friday!)

Mrs. Homegrown

March 1, 2013

Bean Fest, Food, How-to

21 Comments

...uide. Sometimes I let them stew until I’m ready to eat. They’ll sit on the stove for hours. Which brings up… Bean aesthetics. Some people insist that beans must be firm yet meltingly tender, with delicate but intact skins. Achieving this perfect consistency–and perfect look–is a matter of close observation and perfect timing. And it’s nothing that I strive for. I cook the crap out of my beans. I like well-stewed beans. I don’t care if they’re not...

Read…

Tippy Tap, Beta Version

Mrs. Homegrown

June 26, 2014

Domesticus, Water and Power, Water Conservation

9 Comments

...I gave the bottle a quick coat of paint because I couldn’t scrape off the label and couldn’t stand to wash my hands while that psychotic, chemical peddling teddy bear stared up at me. The mechanics of building a tippy tap are quite simple, but fairly situational, so you’ll have to improvise around the shape of the water bottle you choose, and decide on a hanging method which fits your needs. Some basics: You need support The bottle has to hang fr...

Read…