Thursday, March 16, 2017

bigger is better...


Fought with the revamped solar fryer for a couple of hours.  Figured out why I abandoned the project 7 years ago - just not enough surface area.  The goal all along has been to cook a batch of Jiffypop with it.  Let's face it - Jiffypop is a show in itself and cooking it with solar is a win-win.  Just not enough sun bouncing back to create enough heat to pop...the oil needs to be 450° for the magic to happen.  Cashed in some Chupa mug bucks on paypal for a dish with roughly double the surface area.  Also ordered another 200 one inch mirrors as it will take about 600 to cover the bigger dish.  That video will have to wait a week or two.  87,91,48,0,B

15 comments:

Unknown said...

I remember when Jiffy Pop first came out.
Jiffy Pop

John Wells said...

It came out the year I was born...Frederick C. Mennen of LaPorte, Indiana, a chemist, inventor and industrialist is credited with developing the product in 1958. Mennen began marketing Jiffy Pop in 1959.

Margery Billd said...

Interesting. In 1952 in junior high in Ohio, I had a teacher named Mr. Mennen and we were so scared of him because he was so mean.

Unknown said...

In 1959 I think I was in the 6th grade. Maypo, Sugar Pops and TV dinners were big back then too.

Ronald Mahan said...

You can find plenty dead Juniper wood in the Chihuahuan Desert - and it makes an ideal firewood for making popcorn or grilling dove & quail breasts. Nice thing about it - Juniper wood is so brittle - you don't even need an axe to cut it. We just drop a rock on it to make the pieces smaller. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In 1959 - I graduated from Lamar Tech with a BS in Chemical Engineering & got married. And it lasted - I am still married to that pretty lady.

rj said...

Microwave is better and faster

John Wells said...

rj...nothing very special about a video of a microwave plugged into an inverter - although standard Jiffypop in a microwave would definitely put on a show. As for being faster - the life I have made for myself allows me the luxury of a schedule that doesn't require my meals to be prepared in seconds.

Margery Billd said...

I graduated from high school in 1957 at age 18.

Margery Billd said...

The lady at the dentist told me most people at 70-80 yrs. do not have their own teeth here. She did not know my age and I have been very sick for the last week from the numbing shot the hygenist gave me to clean. I told my daughter who is a hygenist in VA. She gave me a suggestion of a numbing shot but the dentist did not listen or even check my teeth. I am switching to another dentist. Not Monarch. My former dentist was so good. He is black (from here but educated in Ohio) and worked with the Spurs to build a beautiful new clinic in San Antonio for low income. But my insurance doesn't apply there and Toyota Auto took him for their dentist. Trying another dentist next time. (White does not always make right I learned here at the lake with all the drugs. Do not like any type of poison).

Margery Billd said...

(My DNA shows I cannot take chemicals (no alcohol or drugs) and I have slow metabolism. So I have to be careful. Most doctors pay attention and help me).

Margery Billd said...

Happy St. Pats Day.

Anonymous said...

amazon sells a popcorn holder for jiffy pop retail about 14 bucks which will allow you to pop your corn over a campfire. I am old and tired and always look for the easiest way. I would use a one burner stove and a propane bottle at this point in my life. I know you are stubborn and tenacious fellow and will build a solar over that will jiffy pop corn if it is the last thing you ever do! I admire that quality John!

Johnny Doyle said...

Looking forwards to some cooking posts. That's one aspect of off the grid living that I've always found interesting. Are you going to try and do any more gardening in your courtyard area in the future?

John Wells said...

Yes...I have a new plan for the greenhouse.

The Swedish Nomad USA said...

Jiffypop in the microwave would be a great video/show. Your microwave would be having quite a light show. Lol