The early birds

Weeks before our camping trip, the emails about food start. What usually happens is 2 families are responsible for one dinner each night. Lunches are real simple, sandwiches, fruit, beef stick, cheese. This year it went something like this: Night 1 -  Catriona made a 18 or 19 bean stew served with corn bread. Johnny Sequoia made bison and pig chili.

Whiz Bang Stew

I am not going to critique any cooking on our camping trip. I am grateful for any contributions to our meals but, if want want to read Sam’s Food Blog you can get a feel of what a “picky kid” likes and dislikes. I am of the school of thought that everything tastes good camping. Just read the story, The Big Two- Hearted River by Hemingway, Nick Adams enjoys a camp meal of canned beans and spaghetti topped off by a can a peaches and cowboys coffee. I believe somewhere in the story he also makes reference to a raw onion sandwich.

Grilled lamb burgers

Saturday night was Mediterranean Night at Long Meadow. Grilled Lamb burgers encrusted with mint, drizzled with yogurt and dill sauce. Humus, string cheese and pita bread accompanied the meat.

Debbie unties the string cheese

Dessert on night 2 was a Ben & Jerry ice cream caked brought up packed in dry ice by Beth and John to celebrate Sam’s 15th birthday.

Putting another candle on his birthday cake

Some new faces around the campfire this year were a couple of guys named Weber and Kinsford. Weber was John’s BBQ that he graciously schlepped up the hill from Santa Monica. I know you are supposed to grill in the great outdoors on a camp ring but, have you ever grilled for 24 people while squatting on the ground, with no air stoking the fire while Dave our fire meister throws hot coals into the fire pit and ashes onto our dinner while the sun in sinking and kids are hungry? Well I have and Weber and Kingsford were two welcome additions. Let me just say that I am in no way criticizing Dave. Camping wouldn’t be the same with out him and his massive campfires. I remember last year when the weather was so cold and wet everyone huddled around his fires all morning and all through all night. Thanks Dave.

Meet Weber and Kingsford

Dave, riding the Mother Lode

This might be a nice time to pay tribute to Coleman. Coleman is our 2 burner campstove held together by love and bacon grease. We’ve had this workhorse for close to 20 years and many a meal has been prepared on her. While making coffee on Sam’s 5th grade camping trip to Santa Cruz Island I discovered a family of mice had build a nest in Coleman overnight and were a little pissed when I asked them to leave.

Chicken sausage meets Coleman

Our last dinner was billed as “The Mountain of Meat Night.”  The Vincent- Orths brought the mountains of meat which consisted of  2 big ole tri- tips,  Korean style ribs, and eveyone’s favorite Hawaiian boneless short ribs aka as Sookie meat. While this wasn’t my night of cooking, I am usually engaged in some capacity when it comes to grilling, as was the case on this night. I love BBQing. Every meal is an adventure and there is something about people coming over to “see what’s cookin’ which makes for great conversation. I was in charge of the tri tip.  I must state for the record that I am not to blame for it being overcooked by some peoples standards (Me included). I was give a meat thermometer and asked to cook it too 145 degrees. I actually cooked it to 140 degrees. I never use a meat thermometer and felt in my heart that it was done a good 5 minutes before I took it off.

Peter manning the mountains of meat while Theo looks on

So that’s the dinners. One breakfast always features Wendy’s griddle cakes. They are out of this world earthy good and go well wrapped around a chicken sausage. Everyone brings home the bacon camping and I usually cook it on my Coleman. This year Catriona had a great idea to use the Weber to BBQ the bacon.  As soon as the bacon flared up I would over it cover it and the bacon continued to smoke and smoke and smoke. I think I cooked 7 pounds of bacon on this particular morning and as a result was left with a slightly cooked hairless right hand.

To quote Debbie, "A day without pork is like a day without sunshine."

X marks the spot

Let’s see what else. Oh yes, what could a camping trip be without Johnny Sequoias’ home granola? I’ll try to get the recipe into this post soon.

Granola anyone?

Sookie enjoying a mellow moment

Nobody goes hungry in our camp. Next year we are planning to stay an extra day just to have a leftover night Dinner.