Potjiekos

In South Africa Potjiekos (poy-kee-kos), directly translated "pot food", is a stew prepared outdoors in the traditional round, cast iron, three-legged pots (the potjie) which are found in villa and village of people throughout Southern Africa. The pot is efficiently heated using small amounts of wood, charcoal or if fuel is scarce, twisted grass or even dried dung.

Traditionally, the recipe includes meat, vegetables, starches like rice or potatoes, all slow-cooked with Dutch-Malay spices, the distinctive spicing of South Africa's early culinary melting pot. Purists say liquid should never be added to the pot and the contents should never be stirred, as the lid keeps all liquids and flavors circulating throughout cooking. It is said that for a correctly cooked potjie, spices only enhance the taste. Other common ingredients include fruits and flour-based products like pasta.

Potjiekos originated with the Voortrekkers, evolving as a stew made of venison and vegetables (if available), cooked in the potjie. As trekkers shot wild game, it was added to the pot. The large bones were included to thicken the stew. Each day when the wagons stopped, the pot was placed over a fire to simmer. New bones replaced old and fresh meat replaced meat eaten. Game included venison, poultry such as guinea fowl, wart hog, bush pig, rabbit and hare.

Broadly speaking, Africans, Afrikaaners and English South Africans all cook potjiekos, but lounging around the fire for hours while socializing and enjoying side dishes is most culturally ingrained among the Afrikaaners, for whom potjiekos spicing is an esteemed art. "Potjiekos isn't just the meal. It is everything else that accompanies it. If, instead of summits and meetings, leaders held potjiekos gatherings, we all might be a little better off," said one fanatic.

Today there are numerous recipe books and potjiekos chefs, each with their own "secret" ingredients for potjiekos. Annual potjiekos competitions are held.

How to Collect Water From Plants

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This is a method of collecting drinkable water. Plants constantly respirate water vapor. The intent of this technique is to collect and condense plant-respirated water vapor. In essence, plant-respirated water vapor may condense against a sealed plastic bag, then drain to the lowest point. This method can be useful as a survival skill or just for a science experiment to see what happens.

Steps

1. Encase the living tip, top or branch of a growing plant within a plastic bag. Cover as much of the live plant as the bag can accommodate. Ensure that the plant is intact, alive and growing. Neither a dead plant, nor a dormant plant will respirate water vapor. With a severed branch, prospects of collecting water are limited, unless you are dealing with succulents such as cacti.
2. Secure the opening of the bag around the branch, stem or trunk. Make certain that the seal is as airtight as possible. For example, tie with string over multiple layers of the plastic bag. Envision a living, leafy branch within an unpressurized, sealed balloon. This is your objective.
3. Ensure that some aspect of the plastic bag is lower than the (hopefully) airtight seal.
4. Ensure that the plastic bag and plant can bear the weight of any collected water.
5. Wait for 4-5 hours. Depending on the type of plant, surface area of the enveloped leaves, local conditions and the air-tightness of your seal, there may be about 1 cup of water in the bag.

Tips

• The bigger the bag the better, provided your collection system can sustain the weight of the collected water.
• Unlike photosynthesis, plant respiration does not depend on light: it occurs at night as well as during the day.
• Plant respiration: C6H12O6 + 6 O2 => 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy
• As long as water is collected regularly, and air within the bag refreshed, any likelihood of suffocating the plant is remote.
• Don't tie the bag around the plant too tightly, or else it might kill the plant. But make sure that the seal is airtight.

Warnings

• Do not use poisonous plants.

Things You'll Need

• A plastic bag without perforations (not zip lock). A zip lock bag presents more challenge in creating an airtight seal
• A piece of string, or other means to secure the seal
• A live plant with leaves

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Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Collect Water From Plants. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Tie a Swiss Seat Rappel Harness

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit



A swiss seat rappel harness is a simple harness made from a sash cord or piece of rope. It is good for those who need to make a harness on the fly, or for those who don't want to buy a commercially made harness. This is best explained with pictures, but if you pay close attention it can be done as below.

Steps

1. Find the middle of the rope by folding it in half and going to the fold. Place the fold in the centre of your lower back ends out to either side of your body so that you're holding an equal length in each hand.
2. Cross the halves in front of you so that it wraps around your waist. Pull one side under the other to make a half hitch. Repeat so that the rope turns twice around itself. This will eventually be where the caribiner is placed and it keeps the rope from pinching down on your testicles (if you have them). Drop both of the free ends so that they dangle in front of you (probably touching the ground)
3. Reach around the outside of your legs with both hands and pull the free ends behind you through your legs. Pass each free end up through the portion of the rope wrapped around your waist. The free ends should now be between your body and your 'belt'. Place the free ends over your shoulders so that the ends are dangling down in front of your chest, one on each side.
4. Now pull down on these as you squat. This is an important step as this is what will tighten your harness. Stand up and squat several times while pulling on the free ends. You should feel it squeeze you between your legs....make sure key parts are not between the rope and your leg.
5. For both sides, maintaining tension on the free end, drop it behind your back and pass it behind the length of rope that cups your bum, from back to front. This binds the seat in place. Pull the free end towards your front along your hips.
6. Connect the two ends together using a square knot off-centre to your body. Most right-handed people will place the square knot by their front left hip.
7. Make a half hitch with each free end as a keeper knot. Note that the half hitch must pass around both 'belts' of rope that now exist.
8. Place any excess rope out of the way....in a deep left pocket (cargo pants an asset) if you have one and if your knot is on the left. Make sure that the rope is in a place that it won't interfere with your carabiner during a rappel.
9. Your harness is done. Now attach your caribiner and happy rappelling.

Tips

• When you attach the caribiner pass it around both lengths of horizontal rope right in the centre of your body. (The double-twisted section that was tied first, and the second wrap beside the knot) The gate should open from the top with the hinge closest to your body.
• You can also start with the center point of the rope on either of your hips, this will help ensure that there is enough rope left to one or the other sides to make the final know off center on your body. This is also helpful if your rope is somewhat short.

Warnings

• Always test your harness before using at any height. Pull up on the caribiner until your whole weight is supported. Or have your friend lift you up by the caribiner and shake. Your harness, although probably not comfortable, should not be too loose, pinch your manly parts, or slip.
• Care for your rope. Don't step on it, don't store it when wet, don't spill fuels or other chemicals on it. Don't leave it in the sun for long periods, and untie tight knots before storing as they reduce the tensile strength of the rope.

Things You'll Need

• Rope. Approx 6-10 ft length depending on your size. Most ropes used for swiss seats are braided hemp or other natual fibre rope. The rope should be clean and new, and rated to support at least 2 times your body weight, preferrably more. Diameter should be approx 12-16mm.
• Caribiner. This is to be rated and approved for climbing and supporting a human's bodyweight. Must have a lockable gate.
• Leather gloves. Although this is not a lesson in climbing you must protect your hands when rapelling...there will be a lot of friction, heat, and the possibility of particles in the rope as it passes through your hands.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Tie a Swiss Seat Rappel Harness. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.