What do you cook or bring for camping? What’s your go-to, from pre-cooked stuff or cook at the campsite? Anything from complex/elaborate to a can of tuna and packet of hot sauce. Best to worst? Anything weird or funny to surprisingly good by accident?
The boy and girl scout comments from the egg thread were pretty funny and often that’s our first experience cooking on our own, or close to it.
I remember one of my first backpacking trips as a boy scout around 12. A small group of us were left to our own devices and we made freeze dried meals that burnt and to top it off, we forgot eating utensils….so we waited for the burnt goo to cool down and ate with our hands. It was very exciting to cook backpacking food and also educational. After that we learned about “add hot water” meals.
Many years ago, I remember dating this one woman that loved to backpack, hike and camp. The first time we went camping, I picked up a camp style percolator for my morning coffee. She asked me about carrying the extra weight and I told her I really didn’t want to drink instant coffee (in the morning).
The next morning she was quite happy to join me in a cup of fresh brewed coffee.
As far as food, most of the time it was something in a can. SpaghettiOs or SPAM & beans or something along those lines (heated up in a camping pot).
The evenings were the best – we would star gaze at the open skies and talk, as the small campfire slowly went out.
We eat a huge breakfast because we’re busy all day with competitions and seminars (history or handcrafts of the period), so we just graze for lunch. Dinner (no pics yet!) Is usually grilled meats…slower days I sometimes roast a chicken or small roast, but usually stews that Ive packed frozen or something like sausage and peppers over pasta or rice
It’s primitive camping in that we have no plumbing or electricity, but we aren’t really roughing it. It’s pretty comfortable.
I used to be a camp counselor who would take kids 2 or 3 night canoe trips. We would cook over an open fire or with a Coleman stove.
I would get to choose the meals for our trips. We would bring pots and pans, using lake water for boiling.
Some of the meals I remember making. Kraft Mac and Cheese, panzarottis, beef stir fry, beef stew, hot dogs. Rice krispie treats, but eaten while still gooey.
I never got into the dehydrated meals that are sold at the camping store.
I keep a stash of MREs in the car during the winter in case I get stuck in a blizzard. They’re relatively cheap, easy to store, and have a very long shelf life.
Went camping near Monterey after Memorial day. Bought a whole grilled Mexican chicken with rice, beans, salsa, tortillas from local market one night. Next day breakfast, chilaquiles with other left over ingredients. Next day after that, breakfast tacos with leftovers.
That is so intriguing. The structure in front looks like it’s sort of a porch and I assume the structure in back is your sleeping quarters? No plumbing but are you re-enacting old hygiene practices or is there a modern shower and toilet facility nearby? I’m honestly curious, not being familiar with reenactment but fascinated by it. And do you store your food as it would have been stored or in coolers? Would love to know as much as you are willing to share!
Yes, I have a front porch…it’s called a fly in the hobby. Mine is a little unusual in that I have side curtains that I can drop to keep me (and my front door!) sheltered from the elements.
The main tent is indeed living quarters. This is my home event so I live there as much as I do at home…this is my “palace”, a whopping 14 x 18 that has a partition so I have a bedroom and a sitting room. I bought it used and it’s much bigger than described, but this year it was awesome…the weather was just awful so I set up my kitchen with a small propane burner in the sitting room. (Inside the tent you have no restrictions but anything outside has to be period correct. I prefer to keep my quarters looking accurate, too…my heirloom quilts look great and keep me toasty warm.
My travel tent is just 8 x10 so I can pile my whole camp in my SUV and go. (This one takes a few trips lol)
There are comfort stations around the grounds (at this and all the events I visit) so we carry water from a tap or a water tank. The multiple kettles on the brazier hold coffee and water being heated for washing people and dishes. (The third one is making coffee for a neighbor who was struggling to keep his fire going that morning) At this one theres a shower house. When I travel I hide a sun shower behind the wood pile and have a canvas enclosure to shower (sponge baths in inclement weather)
Anything perishable is safely iced down in a camouflaged cooler, and most other stuffs are transferred to mason jars both for appearance and keeping critters out of my pantry. I keep Clorox wipes and plenty of sanitizer because the ugly stuff doesn’t care about time hopping.
Feel dree to DM me…im happy to answer all your questions!
