“….All I knew about hayboxes was that the British Government had put a leaflet through the door at the beginning of 1939, when I had just left school. My parents lived in Overstone, near Northampton, ….. the first place in England to have a Woman’s home guard. … - because an oil embargo was expected – they set about making hayboxes for the field kitchen.”

*From a review of - Simply Living: The Story of
Compassion and The Wonderbox

 

 

History

Humble beginnings 

Although there is some debate as to where and when insulated or “retained heat” cooking was first used, there is a general consensus that this technology is centuries old. Due to combined efficiency and simplicity of the “Hotbox” technique, it is believed that straw, cloth and other insulators have been used in cooking since the advent of the very first ceramic cooking pots. The cooking of food through the retention of heat (rather than continuously re-supplying it); can be seen as an obvious second step in food preparation. Over the centuries that followed the primitive innovators, Hotbox cooking has experienced varied popularity and social awareness – an awareness that is experiencing a remarkable upswing in contemporary society. 

A Growing Awareness 

At the beginning of the Second World War, the British Government made a conscientious effort to introduce the notion of hay-box cooking to the people of Britain. In an attempt to reduce the crippling demand that was being placed on cooking and heating materials, the government printed and distributed thousands of flyers urging people to place heated pots in hay-insulated boxes to further cooking.* This initiative ensured a substantial saving in the energy sources that were becoming scarce – energy sources that would become critical later in the war. Not only did the increased awareness and widespread use of hay boxes help to limit energy consumption however, it also introduced thousands of families to all the other benefits of “retained heat”, or “insulated” cooking. 

Over the past 50 years there has been an increasing amount of research done (especially in third world countries), relating to deforestation and the demise of natural landscapes due to over-harvesting of wood for heating and cooking. The resultant findings have been shocking in many instances, and have over the last decade been linked directly to ozone depletion.  

Towards A Universal Consciousness 

DWEP (founded by the Anglican Church in the Eastern Cape) and COMPASSION (founded by Anna Pearce) were two upliftment projects during the early 70’s that took the Hotbox to another level in South Africa by introducing insulated cooking to rural communities. Anna Pearce, well known for her charity work, redesigned the traditional cumbersome and heavy structured Hay Box and called it the Wonder Box.  It was lightweight and practical and much easier to use and store. 

The insulating properties of the cooker were further enhanced through the use of polystyrene.

For many women in South Africa having to walk miles to collect wood for cooking has become an increasingly arduous task - one can but respect the women and men of organizations such as DWEP and “Compassion” for the work they have done. On a personal and global level the introduction of this simple, revolutionary concept to South Africa has far reaching consequences and huge potential.  

Our Part to Play

Dalene Anderson received the pattern for the wonderbox in the 70’s and maintained the traditions of this simple and effective technology by making and using the wonderbox ever since.  One of her daughters, Cathy Duvel, renamed and revamped the wonderbox in the late 80’s and called it a HOTBOX.  After the Duvel family recently moved to Australia her sister, Natasha Cowie was inspired to continue the small family operation. In turn the business was taken over by GreenIt! an organisation that promotes Green Black Economic Empowerment 

Many people have never heard of a wonderbox or a hotbox and know nothing about the principles of insulated cooking.  They are quite skeptical and disbelieving that such a simple device will and can effectively cook your food.  Our aim is to ensure that everybody will become familiar with the term and the method of HOTBOX cooking and to continue sharing this vision with you.

Whether you have to collect firewood for fuel, rely on gas, electricity, or any other form of cooking energy, you now have an opportunity to restore some of the balance to your energy consumption requirements. One of the best ways we can enhance the environments of our homes, as well as those of our communities and our planet is to use the Hotbox and introduce it to others.

 
Copyright 2007-2008 theHOTBOXco.