living without a fridge/freezer

[Mortblanc]

Gentlemen this is not refrigeration it is cooling.

Using this method you can take the items down from an ambient temp of 20 down to a possible 12 or 15 you are not going to take it down to food safe refrigeration levels of 2-4 degrees.

it is best reserved for cooling beer, cider and sodas, and has nothing to do with preserving food from day to day.

You are not going to halt the production of bacteria using these evaporative cooling methods. That was why real refrigeration was such a big hit of the last century. There is no way to know how many deaths due to food poisoning the presence of refrigerators stopped each year.

Refrigerators are the reason I own a generator! I did not buy that thing to play video games or be the shining house on the hill, I got it to run my freezer and fridge!

I have seen the evaporation method used and it was mostly for drinks during hot weather. Not to preserve food. We used it in our APC to keep cold beer a little colder for a little longer. Styro cooler filled with nearly frozen beer wrapped in an army blanket and soaked down with water. It was still drinkable, but not really cold, at the end of the day in 30-40 degree temps.