On 9/17/2012 5:31 AM, Doug Freyburger wrote:
> dsi1 wrote:
>>
>> I've been trying to figure out how to prepare meals using a rice cooker,
>> panini maker, and a drip coffee maker. Something you could set up in a
>> room with 120V outlets. That would be a neat thing. I believe that you
>> can cook a whole chicken breast simply by dropping it in a rice cooker
>> while cooking the rice. I've made corn bread, instant ramen and mashed
>> potatoes in the cooker - also rice occasionally. :-)
>
> As the rice cooker is really just a thermostat run heater is works fine
> to steam cook almost anything. I've steam veggies in mine at times. it
> would be a lot of work to figure out how to use it with other cooking
> methods.

The rice cooker has a thermostat that shuts the unit off when the
temperature goes above the boiling point of water. You're right that
there is a learning curve with a device that controls temperature in
this way.

>
> A few years I tralled for work. I'd take a rice cooker, a slow cooker
> and an electric skillet. I could cook most stuff with those items.
> Similar in concept to your list but better general purpose choices. A
> real kitchen is easier but when you're there and that's what you've got
> it does work.
>

OTOH, it's probably representative of how most folks cook on this planet
i.e., the vast majority of kitchens don't have a 220V appliance or maybe
even electricity.