I love to go camping; to me, it’s a lot of fun. And this takes into consideration the fact that my home is in various stages of completion, is situated on a large creek, and is already home to critters ranging from ermine to eagles to elk to Ursus horribilis. But I just love camping out in our big canvas wall tent, with the comfy futon and buffalo hide for sleeping, a couple of folding chairs, and Grandma Helen’s old card table. With a little fold-up wood stove to complete things, one can hang out under the stars any time of year, providing you can get to where you want to go.
The focus of any camp, of course, is the fire pit, the outdoor hearth. Notice that the word hearth contains the words heart and earth, as if the hearth, the central fire, is an earth heart. Most folks use a propane camp stove to cook on; I have done this many times and likely will again. However, it is my preference to cook at least one meal a day over the open fire. It’s not only deeply fulfilling, it’s also fun and easy once you have the right equipment and attitude.
I once acquired a four-legged iron grate that used to be a two-burner gas stovelike thingy. I removed the antiquated fixtures and hoses and—voilà!—a cook stand. It has since fallen apart, so I’m scouting the yard sales for another one. I also like to use what the buckskinners call camp irons, hand-forged square iron rods, two uprights that are pounded into the ground until secure (about two feet apart in the fire pit) and one horizontal rod that rests in the U-turns at the top of the uprights. A couple of S-hooks will hold the bail handle of an enameled kettle or coffee pot. If you don’t go for heavy metal, you can simply arrange some flat stones around the inside of the pit to make a level place to set your pan on. Don’t forget to bring a shovel, axe, and bucket when you go camping, and pay plenty of attention to the fire and kids and so on.
Of the smaller and lighter equipment used for open-fire cooking, hot pads or oven mitts, or even leather gloves, are a must. The joys of camping are quickly forgotten if you brand yourself on the handle of the cast-iron skillet. Metal or wooden cooking utensils are best, since plastic will easily melt into something nasty. Forks, knives, and spoons go without saying; so do can openers, bowls, plates (wooden ones double as cutting boards), drinking vessels (if they’re large enough, these can double as a bowl), and plenty of towels. A roll of aluminum foil can be a great help. I have been collecting enamelware from yard sales for years. A long-handled fork for sausages or kabobs is a fun extra too.
For washing, I use unscented liquid castile soap since it’s biodegradable, and I normally dig a hole for the gray water, then fill it back up before I leave; I use a large enameled pan for heating wash water. The soap smell (even unscented) might attract bears, but I’ve never really had a problem with this. A small throw rug or thick piece of canvas is no small luxury to place on the ground where you will inevitably kneel to cook. It’s as if the hearth (heart, earth) is an altar where you kneel to place offerings. With the way I cook, the spuds and onions fling their way into the libation pit with great enthusiasm.
Depending on how long I’ll be camping, I try to bring a variety of ready-to-eat snacks as well as hearty food that sticks to the ribs, especially if children are involved. Fresh fruit; cooking oil and butter; salt, pepper, and garlic; ketchup; chips and lots of salsa; pancake or biscuit mix; hot cocoa mix, herbal tea bags and honey (not much of a coffee drinker); granola; jerky; eggs (hard-boiled eggs are great); yogurt and cheese; tortillas and bread; maybe even some canned chili. Then I plan my meals. What? You say I’ve already brought everything including the kitchen sink? Well, this is cush-camp, not a backpacking trip, and these are foods I would not want to run out of at home, let alone in the middle of—ah, bliss—nowhere. I am an expert forager and can find wild greens and such just about anywhere, but you need substantial food if it’s going to be cold at night. And we don’t tolerate any whiners in camp complaining they’re hungry! Plus, the kids can grab-’n’-go without me having to fix them food all day (and that goes for the adult kids, too).
What kinds of meals would I, as camp cook, prepare? Depending on the time of year, usually two hot meals a day, breakfast and supper. Some folks just do the yogurt and granola thing for breakfast (quick and easy with kids), with a bigger lunch. You need to use your own judgment. My very favorite breakfast at home and at camp is scrambled egg burritos. Simply sauté a bit of onion, then scramble your eggs in. Then you can either heat the tortillas in a dry skillet or use a hot rock next to the fire. Spoon in the eggs, sprinkle on a bit of pepper jack cheese, then add plenty of salsa. Yum!
Another favorite camp cook specialty is pizza—yes, it’s entirely possible. You make the dough with biscuit mix—not too moist—gently patting it into the bottom and up the sides of a large cast-iron skillet, crust thick or thin, as you prefer, remembering that it will rise. Layer your sauce, toppings, and cheeses, then cover with a lid or some foil. You need to keep an eye on the fire for this, favoring moderate coals over an out-and-out fire, and it takes about thirty minutes or so to bake. Check it every so often to see that it’s not burning, adjusting the skillet so no one side is too hot, and remove from the fire for a few minutes before turning out and slicing. You can make plain ol’ biscuits the same way; they are excellent with stew for supper or savory sausage gravy for breakfast. Biscuits take about twenty minutes to bake.
Kabobs are easy and terrific camp food, especially if kids are involved, as they can make their own. (Please supervise the young ones near the fire.) You can use any type of meat, cut into large chunks and marinated, as well as a colorful assortment of veggies. If you know you’ll be making kabobs, prepare the meat and veggies ahead of time and store them in containers until you’re ready to cook; it really helps keep your hands cleaner! If you don’t have a long-handled fork, be certain to use safe, non-toxic green wood for skewers, such as maple, willow, or alder (which adds excellent flavor), and avoid conifer stems unless you like the taste of pitch. I recommend threading like ingredients with like, such as all meat chunks or sweet potatoes or mushrooms, so each can cook according to its own time. I love smokie sausages from our local butcher roasted over the fire. And yes, Virginia, you can even kabob tofu if you must.
If you can do some legal fishing where you camp, you have real gourmet fare at hand. Whole grilled trout is my personal favorite. I have also collected freshwater mussels, but let me warn you so you don’t make the same mistake I did: you must soak them overnight in a bucket of cold water to which has been added a couple handfuls of cornmeal, or else they’ll taste like mud. Once you do that, they’ll be fine. You must also be certain the water you get them from isn’t downstream from a cattle ranch and that the mussels are thoroughly cooked before consuming. Giardia (a wicked protozoan parasite) can cause terrible illness, taking weeks to overcome. Prevention is the best medicine.
Speaking of water, it’s wise to bring at least five gallons of drinking water along or more if you’ll be gone for a while, or two quarts per person per day as the minimum just for drinking. This is not only to avoid contracting Giardia but also to reduce the risk of dehydration in the warm days of summer. I’ve had heat exhaustion before, and it really hurts. Various and sundry other liquid refreshments are also welcome in moderation, with not too much sugary stuff for the kids, although those who know me well know I’m not above a Rumple Minze mouthwash on special occasions.
If it’s summer, I probably don’t need to tell you how to use the wild strawberries, raspberries, or huckleberries you might find, and I doubt you need a field guide to recognize them. The hucks make superb pancakes, and in a good area and year, you can easily, if not tediously, pick five gallons over a long weekend. For several years now, it has become common around here for folks to pick berries and sell them to restaurants and candy companies, staking out their claims like gold miners. Some folks are so ruthless they not only completely pick out vast stands but thrash the woods as well. Huckleberries may be big bucks for some, but for me, they are an important part of my personal food larder—and a sweet blessing given freely by the living forest. So step lightly, and remember: good food, and serving the land instead of the other way around, is worth more than money!
Meanwhile, back at the camp …
Although it’s not a kitchen utensil, a guitar is the perfect entertainment for evenings around the fire. If you’ve been eating s’mores, be sure to wash those hands first—there’s nothing worse than sticky marshmallows gumming up the fretboard! In fact, all types of musical instruments are fun played around the campfire, and even if you don’t play, you can sing and clap and stomp. As you make your joyful noise and see each other’s smiling faces aglow in the firelight, every now and then looking up at the twinkling stars, you realize that, even as small as you are, all time is now, and it is good. You are comfy and satisfied from the camp cook’s latest marvelous creation, and you bless her, asking, “Honey, is it time for popcorn yet?”