Camp Like a Gourmet

By Barbara J. Avery

In 1853, as a child, Thomas Hiram Holding traversed 1200 miles of prairies in a wagon train.  When he penned his Campers Handbook in 1908, he probably couldn’t imagine that Americans today would embrace camping as a recreational activity.  But embrace it we have with more than a third of campers spending their leisure time each year camping.  Today we travel our miles in air conditioned comfort and employ state-of-the-art camping equipment.

There are many types of campers from wild to mild.  Mild campers engage in, according to UK mild camping enthusiast Jon Dolan, “a vaguely distant cousin to wild camping, but whose aim is to be comforted.”  This article is for those mild campers, myself included, who subscribe to Dolan’s advice that we, “eschew discomfort and embrace soft and fluffy things.” Here’s to the campers who love nature’s creatures as well as creature comforts.

We mild campers are not alone.  According to the December 2006 KOA Spirit of Camping Survey, camping comforts included 65% of campers taking their TVs with them, 57% packing  DVD players, 53% lugging laptops and PCs, 24% must have their MP3 players, and 22% can’t leave home without video games.  On the fuzzier side, pets are definitely a comfort.  54% of us load-up our labs and tote our terriers when we head for the hills.  Remember to pack their regular food and treats, as a change in diet to our treats while camping can cause pets to become sick.

The same KOA survey indicates that 35% of campers enjoy sharing food and drink with other campers.  By keeping recipes at the ready and with a bit of advanced planning, the al fresco feast you share can earn you the reputation of campsite gourmet.  Advice from experts at REI, a sporting goods retailer, offered a great food planning foundation which has been fleshed out with additional ideas below.

·       Plan your menu by meal by day. Include snacks, drinks and condiments.  As you do so, keep in mind your plans for each day, where you’ll be at mealtime, and how much time you will have to prepare food.

·       Make a checklist. Check your cupboards, refrigerator, and camping gear for what is already on hand.  Then go shopping.  Remember plates, cups, napkins, flatware, bowls, paper towels, cooking fuel, and trash bags are part of a meal, too.

·       Include your preparation instructions for each meal.  They can be taped to one of the food containers that you will use in the meal preparation, or be kept in a central place near the food.

·       Use plastic containers.  They are lighter weight than other materials.  Food packed in plastic bags saves valuable space.

Proper food storage is essential for great outdoor meals.  While the aforementioned illustrious Mr. Holding and the 300 with him in the wagon train undoubtedly survived lean times on salted meat and other preserved food, we have a variety of options available to us for fresh food storage.  There include coolers and ice, coolers that can be plugged into a car, and RV refrigerators.  Even some little rental cabins have little refrigerators.  If you’re using coolers, remember that block ice lasts longer than cube ice.  Try freezing water in half-gallon plastic cartons and placing them in your cooler for drip-free chilling.  Cubes can be placed in large zip-top bags for cooling and will stay clean for drinks.  Keep dairy products, soy products, meats, eggs, mayonnaise, and other high-protein foods chilled.  Produce keeps best when it is cooled as well.

One of the first camp site cookbooks was published in 1938, the Lookout Cookbook from the U.S. Forrest Service for the fire lookouts in the towers.  It contained recipes that could be made from the items that were supplied to the lookouts for the duration of their stay.  We, on the other hand, have a broad variety of foods available and can do simple things to dress-up the ordinary, even the hamburgers and hot dogs that top the list of popular meals for campers.

Try these recipes for a gourmet touch for your next camping experience.

Roasted Corn on the Cob with Chili Butter

Barbara Avery’s upcoming cookbook: Cooking With Polly

Serves 4

4 ears corn, outer husk removed

Roast over medium hot coals, turning often, for about12 to 15 minutes. Husks will brown but corn will be sweet and tender. Strip off remaining husks and silk. Serve with chili butter.

Chili Butter

4 tablespoons butter, softened

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon fresh lime juice

salt and black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.  Chill until ready to serve.

Cinnamon-Baked Bananas

The Campsite Cookbook
Serves 1

1 banana

1/2 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

With the banana still in its peel, make an incision length wise through the length of the peel and the fruit, leaving the underside of the peel intact. Pull the sides of the banana apart and dot with the pieces of butter inside. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the top. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake over high heat, 10 to 15 minutes, until the fruit is hot and soft. Remove and discard the foil; serve hot.