Kitchen Set Up

Transporting food to the Playa

The coldness of the glass scuaes condesation (moisture from the air), which is warmer, to form on the outside of the glass. The coldness slows down the random motion of water particles in their gaseous form and they are attracted to each other by inter-molecular forces, so form a liquid, droplets of water.

The following should be packed on dry ice immediately after purchase (Remind chef's to thaw their meat in a separate cooler the night before they need it):

• Chicken
• Any other frozen meat
• Meat for later in the week (cold meat will freeze if there's enough dry ice)

The following should go on wet ice, preferable in ziplock bags (see below for organization of coolers)

• Any raw meat (Double bag it in ziplocks, if at all possible),.
• Cheese
  
• Cold Cuts, bacon, sausage, etc.

The following would probably be OK in a cool car unrefrigerated but must be refrigerated on Playa  ( if there is room in the coolers, you might as well put them there. It'll last longer)

• Herbs and leafy green veg
• Cucumbers, celery
• Eggs (Ice for the cooler carrying the eggs should be put into ziplock bags. Be sure the box does not get wet!!!!)
  
• Use a few good cardboard boxes from CostCo to contain and transport stuff. The advantage of having things nicely contained and easily transportable far outwieghs the trash burden.

Where does stuff go once it gets to the AutoSub camp on-Playa?

Places to put food:

• The Early Crew in its amazingness usually has the Kitchen shade structure, the long L-shaped counter, the sink counter, and 4 sets of plastic shelving up by the time the food gets there.
  

Words to the Wise

• Do not be tempted to leave groceries in the car overnight. Cars become ovens sooner in the morning than you'd think
  
• Don't put coolers directly on the ground. Set up rails of parallel 2x4s under the shade structure. A layer of air underneath greatly reduces the rate of ice melting.
• If there's any of that shiny reflective material, throw it over the coolers.
  
• Make sure the coolers do not receive any direct sunlight.
  
• Think of Moop-o-genecity of your food. Make sure things like onions get stored in a cardboard box with full bottoms and sides!
  
• Camp Artica officially opens Monday, but they usually sell ice BRIEFLY on SUNDAY afternoon. Xuth'll be on this.

The following things do not need refrigeration on playa and can go in boxes in the shade under the long kitchen counter (It's a good idea to cover this stuff with a sheet when there's a dust storm):

• Tomatoes
• Extra Fruit (Put a selection of fruits and grape tomatoes into the standing fruit basket)
• Melons
• Lemons and limes (open plastic bags so fruit can "breathe")
• Root Vegetables (Carrots, Onions, etc)
• Bell Peppers (But remove them from their plastic bags and put them in a box)
• Avocados
• Extra bananas

These things should go into the AutoSub refrigerator, if it's working ('Frig should be off-limits to rank and file campers):

• The big box of Eggs (But set up a way that a days worth of eggs can be removed and put in cooler)
• Thawed meats(ONLY if 'frig has been consistently holding cold temperature (40oF?)
• Delicate Veg and Herbs to be used in meals
• Lettuce (Do set out a head of lettuce for lunches in one of the campers' coolers so people aren't going into the 'frig at lunch)
• Celery (Put a head in the Camper's Veggie cooler)
• Plastic Jar of Peeled Garlic cloves from CostCo
• GardenBurger/Veggie burgers (These always get sopping wet in the coolers)

The following can go into Off-limits-to-Campers wet ice coolers:

• Dry Ice coolers with frozen meats. (Stack these one on top of the other)
• Veggie coolers for meals
• Thawed meat cooler (If 'frig isn't working)
• Cheese and milk products (like yogurt) used for specific meals

The following can go into these coolers Dedicated for Camper use:

• Leftovers (Leftovers should be sealed in Ziplock bags)
• Bacon and One Day's worth of Eggs (someone should fill the carton from the Egg stock in the 'frig daily)
• Milk and Cheese (Open parmalats, cream, open juice)
• Sandwich Mat'ls: Cold cuts, Cheese,Mayonnaise
• Veggie cooler: Lettuce, celery and other veg for campers to put in sandwiches
• Camper Ice: There should be a small and Very Clean cooler that should have a couple of bags of ice in it for camper use.
  

The following non/semi-perishables should go on the Campers Shelves:

• Boxes with bags of bread (Which should never get direct sunlight)
• Breakfast cereals
• Trail Mix
• Chips
• Condiments: (Small bottles of olive oil, soy sauce, hot sauce, peanut butter, mustard, jam, etc. )
• Powdered gatorade

The rest can be put into the Chef's Pantry Shelves

• Non-perishable ingredients for specific meals (eg cans, rice, couscous, etc)
• Spices