Campfire Cooking
No matter how spectacular the scenery is, meals around the campfire are often the highlight of the camping day. Nothing beats the taste and appeal of a meal cooked over the campfire and a success at campfire cooking will encourage you to go camping more often. Compared with cooking over an open fire in days gone by, modern camp stoves and specialized cookware of today make the cook’s job much easier.
Before the start of campfire cooking, you should do some preparation work. The first one is to select a site. The campfire is the center of activity and gathering so it is important that precautions are taken to make this a safe place. Pay close attention to the ground before preparing any fire.Choose a fire site far from bushes or any combustibles. Make a U-shaped perimeter with large rocks or green logs. Put a large flat rock at the rear of the firepit to act as a chimney. Then fill the fire area with crumpled paper and lay kindling over paper in layers, alternating direction with each layer. Light the paper to start your fire. When kindling is ablaze, add firewood. Campfire cooking requires a clean-burning, hot fire, which can be only achieved with dry, seasoned wood. Distribute wood evenly over fire bed. As soon as the last flames die down,put blocks of white coals. To cook, set the grill on rocks or wetted green logs.
As for the recipes for campfire cooking, you can first have a try of Bannock for it is simple to make and only four basic ingredients are needed.This dish is tasty, nutritious and fun to cook on a stick over the campfire. It needs to prepare 2 cups flour, 2 Tbsp baking powder,1 tsp salt ,3 Tbsp oil, butter or lard and 2/3 cup warm water.To cook it, put everything but the water in a bowl and mix with your fingers. Slowly add water and mix until dough feels soft. Take a small handful and wrap around the end of a green stick, like a marshmallow roast. Knead it so it stays together. Cook for about 10 – 12 minutes, rotating to cook evenly. Add a bit of jam or honey when it is served. Shishkebab is another proper dish for campfire cooking.What you need for this one is just beef, small whole onions, red or green peppers, whole mushrooms and whole cherry tomatoes.Brown the cubed meat in a skillet over high heat for 1/2 minute on each side. Cut the peppers in large chunks, leaving the other vegetables whole. Slip the pieces onto a skewer, alternating the ingredients.Cook over the open fire for 15-20 minutes till done. Sprinkle with grated cheese and breadcrumbs before serving.
After campfire cooking, add wood for your evening campfire. Before retiring, extinguish thoroughly and soak with water. Turn rocks in on fire bed. It will be easy to reassemble the next day if required. In additon, there are some suggestions provided to remember: Wear appropriate clothing. Foods will not cook if too far from your heat source. Don’t rush by cooking over a fire instead of a bed of coals. When cooking is completed, be sure to cool all coals.
I do not understand the difference between Oolong and Sencha. Which is better?