Cooking in the wind

Wind costs you time and gas when cooking. The flame flickers, the heat slips past the pan, and the water just won't boil. A few tricks still make it work.

The right spot

• Put the kitchen in the lee of the car. An open tailgate alone blocks a lot.
• Cook on firm, level ground so nothing tips over.
• Keep your distance from tent walls, awnings and dry grass. In the wind, the flame blows sideways.

Protect the flame with a windshield

• Use a windshield that suits your stove.
• If the burner sits directly on the canister, never close the windshield all the way round. Otherwise heat builds up at the canister.
• Cook with a lid. In the wind that saves a lot of time and gas.
• Wide, shallow pots take up heat better than tall, narrow ones. But never larger than the stove maker allows.

When to call it a day

When gusts are already blowing plates off the table, cooking outside is not a good idea. Then it's bread, cheese and something hot from the flask. Never cook inside a tent, roof tent or closed car, not even as an exception.