Sun's out, buns out! 

Weed whip the yard, wash the sunscreen off the poor dog, drop the hormonal teenagers at the beach, run to the store to grab more coconut flavored sparkling water (La Croix, of course) ... I mean, who really has time to cook dinner? If your summer is busy, I feel you. Still, maybe you should make room for one more event on your already packed calendar (hear me out). What if that blazing summer sun could actually help you put dinner on the table while you lounge in your blow-up pool for a spell? SLO Solar Cooks will present a cooking demonstration on Saturday, July 21, that promises to unlock this almost-too-good-to-be-true idea. This casual introduction to solar cooking will show you how to safely cook beans, rice, baked bread, roast beef, chicken, pork, eggs, cakes, and potatoes with nothing but the powerful rays of the sun! Not only is solar cooking inexpensive, it's also super good for the environment (and won't heat up your already sweltering kitchen). Plus, the class is free, with zero hard-sells on solar ovens, as the organizers are here to spread education—pinkie swear. Imagine your hot dog buns toasting up all by themselves while you enjoy a quiet moment to yourself actually savoring that sensual summertime feeling. If that doesn't put you in a sunny disposition, I don't know what will.

The cooking class takes place at Davies Farm at 5009 Jespersen Road in San Luis Obispo on the third Saturday of the month through October from 12:30 to 2 p.m., rain or shine. For more information, call (805) 458-1241 or go to SLO Solar Cooks on Facebook. Δ

Hayley Thomas Cain thinks SPF stands for "solar picnicking fun!" She can be reached at [email protected].