Now that spring is around the corner, my mind is once again turning to camping ideas...

This idea is for a new kind of (half-)bakeware, made of silicone rubber similar to the cake pans and cupcake pans that you can buy now made of the same stuff.

These pieces of cookware, however, have been specially molded to fit nicely inside various empty spaces in an engine compartment such as the 4.0L engine in my Jeep.

Tight fitting lids (think thick, floppy Tupperware) pop onto each container after the ingredients are put in that protect the food from the various poisons and unpleasant exhaust gasses present inside of an engine compartment.

Toss in some food -- baked beans, casseroles, whatever... drive to the campground and feast.

Great for picnicing on long road trips too.

Makes excellent croissants.
-- zigness, Mar 01 2006

half auto-baked Car_20Grill
I found at least three of these after a quick search. [po, Mar 01 2006]

This was half-baked in a Mad magazine many years ago. Nice idea though.
-- spidermother, Mar 01 2006


//This was half-baked in a Mad magazine many years ago.// Made of silicone and custom fitted?
-- zigness, Mar 01 2006


No, you're right, I was too hasty. Just the idea of cooking in airtight containers on your car's engine.
-- spidermother, Mar 01 2006


Daft, but fun. +
-- DrCurry, Mar 01 2006


OK, [po]... Agreed... this one is rather baked... and for some reason, it smells like gasoline.
-- zigness, Mar 01 2006


I once made a small metal compartment attached to the outlet manifold in order to dry freshly harvested herbs while on the move. It didn't work very well, but that's not to say that it couldn't if it was well designed.
-- wagster, Mar 01 2006


herb?

explains a lot
-- po, Mar 01 2006


Camping is one thing, but lets take this to the next level. On a road trip, it would be inconveniant to leave the car (in rain/snow), pop the hood, and chow down.

So on the passenger side of the car, lets make a door on the firewall, and position an exhaust manifold directly underneath this door. To cook, passenger opens the glovebox, exposing this door, then open the door and insert your frozen pizza. Similar to navigation systems, a solenoid could only allow the door to be opened when the car is parked, and someboy could post instructions on a message board to work around that safety feature.

Since traditional cookware is heavy, and weight reduces performance, the silicone cookware becomes the practical low-wieght alternative.
-- ed, Mar 02 2006



random, halfbakery