Re: [at-l] boil, boil...

["Lucian Hicks" <lucian@sierranv.net>]

Give Me Chocolate writes:

 [snip]
<<I think the Esbit will cook them, but is the temperature high enough long
enough to take care of [i.e. purify by boiling] the cooking water as well?>>

Not the way I've been using the Esbit.  I don't think I ever really get a
rolling boil going, but I've only been using one pellet per meal and not
cutting it up.  KC's discovery (hotter water faster by cutting the pellets)
seems to produce more heat but (I'm guessing here) a shorter cooking time.
That is, due to increased surface area being burned, a cut up pellet will
burn hotter but not as long.  So, it would seem to this humble observer,
that if you want to purify your dinner water with Esbit pellets, it would be
better to cut them up as KC has suggested.

That being said, I think I have read that you don't NEED a rolling boil to
purify the water, at least at moderate altitudes.  Something like 190*F does
the trick.  But I've got very few decent brain cells left, so don't rely on
my science.

Lucian ("Bristlecone")

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