Jean Baptiste has been the camp cook for many years. He brings a natural love of the out- doors along with culinary skills honed by years hunched over a campfire. He knows food and how to make it hearty and tasty with only the barest of ingredients. If he's cooking, I'm eating.---Editor
Until I hear from you about what kind of camp and trail cooking you'd like to see in this space I'll share some basic techniques and favorite recipes. Write to me at jeanbaptiste@armoryhill.com with your suggestions.
First, I'm sending a few recipes for camp or trail cooking. You'll know the difference when you see the list of ingredients - obviously we don't trek with eggs or bother with fancy fixin's when in the woods. When we're in camp we can literally bring anything from anywhere in the world to the table. In this series we'll strive to cook with only things that were available to the early settlers and pioneers in North America from about 1600 to 1840. While I agree that a ketchup packet from Carl's Junior doesn't take up much room (and is a special treat at mealtime) I think we can do without it for a few days, maybe even a week! After all, we've worked so hard just to get here, why not make a committment to use only what was available then?
We all have little skeletons in our cookboxes. You know, tea bags, instant soup and the odd MRE. One of the things I like to do to chase the skeletons out is go through all of my gear when I get back from a trip, thinking and rethinking each item. If this seems a daunting prospect, you have too much gear. I can always find something to remove from my kit. Don't think of camping or going to Rendezvous as a culinary excursion or a reason to go overboard with eating and drinking. Try and rmemeber we are reliving a time when people often had little to eat and few possessions. A good rule of thumb I like to follow is, "Eat to live, don't live to eat."
Oh, be sure and keep an eye on your fire and food. A watchful cook is seldom surprised with underdone or overcooked victuals.---JBLJ
Talo is a Basque recipe for a tasty flat cornbread that is easy to make with few ingredients.
It can be eaten at any time, and is often broken into pieces and eaten in milk for breakfast.
3 1/2 cups corn flour
1 tsp salt
Water
Combine flour and salt. Slowly add tepid water until you form a soft dough. Roll into balls
the size of baseballs. Let them rest near the fire for about 1 hour. Next flatten them patties
about 1/4 inch thick and fry on a griddle (or the lid of a Dutch oven, frying pan &c). Cook
until light brown on each side.---JBLJ
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 Tbsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp sugar
Mix dry ingredients. Cut butter in with a fork, then add the milk and quickly stir until the
dough clings together. Knead a couple of times on a floured board. Pat or roll to 1/2 inch
thick and cut out rounds with a glass.
Place the rounds in an oiled (or buttered) Dutch oven and cover. Place in coals adding some
to the top. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.---JBLJ
Rice is simple to make, but I'm putting down directions as it is a staple for many tables. It
can be added to soups or stews during the cooking process, or made alone.
Basically rice is washed (though some consider it unnecessary) then covered with water to about
1/4 to 1/2 inch above the top of the rice. This is simply covered, brought to a boil, then simmered
for about 30 minutes. Wild rice takes a little longer, as does brown rice.
If you need measurements, it's about 1 part rice to 1 1/2 parts liquid.
That's it for this entry in the series. Don't forget to let us kown what you're interested in seeing
here. Just drop us a line and we'll see if we can help.Thanks and good cooking.---Ed.