Instead of using 'throw away' dishes
like paper plates, bring one large bowl for each person: this
versatile 'trough' can be used for every meal. Add an insulated
mug with a lid and a spork for a minimalist's dining utensils. |
Keep your kitchen set up simple and
easy to clean. Basic items include a table, cook stove, wash tub, spritzer, and water jug. Bring a few pots and pans, a tea kettle,
and some utensils. If you forget the can opener, borrow one from
your neighbor!
Washing dishes is a pain on the
playa. Avoid
dirtying up dishes. Eat finger foods, share a plate with your
friend, eat out of the pan.
Flip-lid plastic bins are an easy
way to store your food and dishes: some dust will get in, but not
too much. A small hammock or mesh bag is useful for drying dishes
or storing lightweight food stuffs. Avoid leaving bread in the
sun: it will quickly mold.
Set up your
camp so it's easy to get to the cold beverages. Keep a jug of water
handy in the
shade near your parlor. If you want ice in your drinks, make sure the ice
is clean: don't fish ice out of coolers that also contain raw meats, etc. Dry
out your wet trash in a bucket with a screen top: this helps to
prevent stinky trash. Don't let trash
blow away: keep it corralled or covered at all times. It's
easier to prevent litter than to pick it up later. How
to organize a communal kitchen: http://www.burningman.com/preparation/event_survival/kitchens.html |
Dish-washing/kitchen
clean up hints from an AEZ thread:
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Our "kitchen" is amazingly small so it's hard to imagine bringing less stuff: one backpacker's single-burner stove, one pot, two bowls, two spoons, one cutting board, one knife, one peeler, one can opener. We don't even have a tub for doing dishes because we rinse and wipe everything clean of grub immediately and then rinse the dust off again before use. I only use soap on the cutting board & knife after
prepping something with fat like cheese.
Playa dust must have some magical antibacterial properties. Seriously, I don't hide my stuff from the playa--it's in an open crate (or on the table!). I really believe that keeping everything super dry is the key and how easy that is to do in the desert!
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Use a pump up sprayer for washing dishes: spritz dishes right
after eating and then wipe with paper towel or rag.
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I discovered the spritz method last year too! I let a couple of things dry in the sun and then just scrape them clean.
I too think that playa dust has some magical cleaning powers! Haven't gotten sick yet.
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We cooked some rather messy meals last year, and then made the mistake of letting the pots and pans 'soak' in a bucket.
of course, by the time we got around to washing the dishes, the soak water had turned to hazardous waste!
No more soaking the dishes! |
Community on the playa: he's making
espresso, she's washing the dishes!
|
