Cooking in the Yurt
New for 2018 is our kitchen counter complete with a sink and stove.
The kitchen cabinet system started with a 24 inch by 12 foot slab of wood that makes up the counter top. This slab came out of the woods of Industry, ME from Mark- a relative and master cabinet maker. Check out his maple syrup operaion he runs with Kim! True Mountain Maple Syrup
Due to the circular shaped walls the counter is set at 3-15 degree angles to save space. One one side is the propane range and stove and the other has the kitchen sink. The sink drains to a small greywater system in the front yard. The center cabinet contains all of our kitchenware: 4 plates, bowls, coffee cups, mugs, and plastic drinking cups, silveware, mesuring cups, can opener, and spatula.
Without electricity the kitchen stove runs off propane and a spark iginition system. There is a main propane shutoff by the futon end table- it's a blue handle sort of hidden in the wooden lattice that makes up the wall. You'll see a piece of copper pipe come up from the outside to the valve and then back down under the yurt to feed other appliances. Once the main shutoff valve is on, turn on a burner and then use the starter knob to create a spark to light the burner. Adjust heat as needed.
The oven is a little tricker as the start knob will not light it- you have to turn the oven knob to the Pilot setting, light the pilot light with a lighter, then choose your oven temperature. If you've ever had a natural gas or propane water heater the oven is a similar ignition process.
Dishes are a small victory at the yurt. Part of the kitchen was installing a sink with a working drain system. The problem is that modern plumbing have P traps which stop odors from creeping back through pipes and out of your sink drains. These P traps hold water and during winter, if you leave water in them when the yurt isn't being used it freezes. To use the sink you screw the little white cap located by the dish soap into the bottom of the P trap under the sink. Then you can drain as much water as you want. When you leave the yurt for the weekend please remove the little white cap and capture the little bit of water that drains out with a bucket. You can leave the water in the pipes when you leave for a couple hours- freezing will only set in after a couple days at 20-degrees.
The dining room isn't far from the kitchen... there is seating for 4 with a view of the Alder River.
