SC - Cooking over 'fire' was re: a grid?

Thu Jan 20 16:02:34 PST 2000

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Lurking Girl wrote:

< I've seen a widget of that ilk at Syke's Sutlering at Pennsic.  Almost
    picked it up last year, too--I am hoping to do all-open-fire cooking for
    our camp next (this?) year, though I think I'm biting off more than I
    can chew. >

Cooking on an open fire can be a very rewarding experience.  Especially when
everything comes together.  Anyone can be successful at it if they are willing to
be patient and practice.  As in any other of the almost forgotten arts, it takes
time to learn to do it well.  You can be a 5 star chef in a modern kitchen and turn
out magnificant "period" dishes and still destroy a pork chop in the fire.  I have
been working at this skill for more than 20 years now, long before I ever heard of
the SCA, and still manage to ruin a dish from time to time.

A couple of thoughts on the subject that might be of general help to anyone who
ventures down this almost forgotten path.

  1.  For beginners, stick to food stuffs that you are familliar with. This is not
     the time to be trying out that new recipe you just received.  Work with
     recipes that you know the characteristics of.
  2. Heat can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  Find and use the most
     consistant burning fuel available.  Don't bring in a truck full of cut up 2x4s
     and expect to accomplish much more than a stew.  Generally, the longer your
     fuel burns, the more consistant the heat.  Don't be afraid to bring in a bag
     or two of charcoal for your first venture.  It will be worth its weight in
     gold.
  3. Wind IS your worst enemy.  It blows the heat away.  Make sure that you have
     some sort of wind break that you can move around as well as work around.  I
     have cooked successfully with two feet of snow on the ground, and been unable
     to bake a cake on a warm summer day, due entirely to the wind.
  4. Cast iron pots and pans are your friends.  They will distribute and hold the
     heat better than almost anything else in this environment.  Thus you will need
     less fuel to do the same job.
  5. Have fun!  Bread on a stick can really liven up a camp. Especially when
     everyone has to cook their own.

There are a lot of other howtos and whatfors, but the bottom line is, with careful
planning and lots of practice, you can eat very well without ever turning on a
propane stove.  I wish you all the best.  I just wish I could be there to cook with
you.

Steffan of the Close
(: The greatest pleasure in life lies in doing that which people say we cannot do
:)

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<html>
Lurking Girl wrote:
< I've seen a widget of that ilk at Syke's Sutlering at Pennsic. 
Almost
     picked it up last year, too--I am hoping to do all-open-fire
cooking for
     our camp next (this?) year, though I think I'm biting
off more than I
     can chew. >
Cooking on an open fire can be a very rewarding experience.  Especially
when everything comes together.  Anyone can be successful at it if
they are willing to be patient and practice.  As in any other of the
almost forgotten arts, it takes time to learn to do it well.  You
can be a 5 star chef in a modern kitchen and turn out magnificant "period"
dishes and still destroy a pork chop in the fire.  I have been working
at this skill for more than 20 years now, long before I ever heard of the
SCA, and still manage to ruin a dish from time to time.
A couple of thoughts on the subject that might be of general help to
anyone who ventures down this almost forgotten path.
<ol>
<li>
 For beginners, stick to food stuffs that you are familliar with.
This is not the time to be trying out that new recipe you just received. 
Work with recipes that you know the characteristics of.</li>

<li>
Heat can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  Find and use the
most consistant burning fuel available.  Don't bring in a truck full
of cut up 2x4s and expect to accomplish much more than a stew.  Generally,
the longer your fuel burns, the more consistant the heat.  Don't be
afraid to bring in a bag or two of charcoal for your first venture. 
It will be worth its weight in gold.</li>

<li>
Wind IS your worst enemy.  It blows the heat away.  Make sure
that you have some sort of wind break that you can move around as well
as work around.  I have cooked successfully with two feet of snow
on the ground, and been unable to bake a cake on a warm summer day, due
entirely to the wind.</li>

<li>
Cast iron pots and pans are your friends.  They will distribute and
hold the heat better than almost anything else in this environment. 
Thus you will need less fuel to do the same job.</li>

<li>
Have fun!  Bread on a stick can really liven up a camp. Especially
when everyone has to cook their own.</li>
</ol>
There are a lot of other howtos and whatfors, but the bottom line is, with
careful planning and lots of practice, you can eat very well without ever
turning on a propane stove.  I wish you all the best.  I just
wish I could be there to cook with you.
Steffan of the Close
 (: The greatest pleasure in life lies in doing that which people say
we cannot do :)</html>

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