For Patrick John Wessel, who lived every day of his life with joy and abandon. You will forever be our pendleton gentleman, our flannel flâneur, our adventuring companion, and our friend.
Foreword by Melissa Clark
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE: Kindling One’s Fire
The Well-Stocked Trunk
Firecrafting
Food & Forest Safety
CHAPTER TWO: Preparing for the Feast
Condiments
Pickles & Relishes & Chutneys
Assorted Jams & Marmalade
Trio of Tart Citrus Curds
Various Compounds of Butter
Make Merry with Dairy
Vinaigrettes
Potted Spreads
Seasoned Salts
Confectionery Syrups for Teas & Tipples
A Modicum of Strategy May Be So Sweet
CHAPTER THREE: Campfire Breakfast
Bon Vivant Breakfast Tartine with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Brûléed Brown Sugar Grapefruit Brochettes
Meyer Lemon Dutch Baby with Wild Strawberry Sauce
Bananas Foster Pancakes
Les Matins Pain d’Épices
Sweet Cinnamon Beignets
Steak & Oeufs en Meurette
Off-to-the-Races Irish Porridge with Chestnut Honey
Truffled Toad-in-the-Hole
The Queen’s English Fry-Up
The Flying Dutchman’s Asparagus & Aged Gouda Omelette
Duck Eggs with Rosemary Salted Potatoes
CHAPTER FOUR: Campfire Teatime
Fun & Fancy Tartines
Cool & Crisp Tea Sandwiches
Spiced Currant Cream Scones
Cast-Iron Crumpets & Clotted Cream
Delicate Crushed Almond Macaroons
Patrick’s Campfire Cookies
Teatime Beverages
Chinese Tea Eggs
CHAPTER FIVE: Campfire Cocktails
Nibbles for the Gloaming
Cocktails
CHAPTER SIX: Campfire Main Dishes
Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin à la Clark
Scape Risotto with Cured Ham
Lemony Skillet-Seared Rainbow Trout
Striped Bass with Grilled Fennel & Saffron-Citrus Pilaf
Pine-Smoked & Maple-Glazed Wild Salmon
Classic Garlicky Steamed Moules
Stone-Seared Cornish Game Hens with Bombay Spice
Duck Breast with Port and Dried Plums
Open-Flame Moroccan Merguez & Red Pepper Brochettes
Pan-Roasted Squab with Pâté-Walnut Bread Stuffing
Leg of Lamb Lavished with Mint
Charred Lemon-Pepper Pork Chops Served with Pipérade Salad
Brandied Steak au Poivre Served with Mustard and Mushroom Mashed Potatoes
The Blue-Blooded Bon Vivant Burger
Loin of Venison with Escoffier Pine Nut Sauce
Lamb Tagine with Preserved Lemons & Dates
Boeuf Bourguignon
Rabbit Ragù with Green Olives
White Bean Stew with Pancetta & Pumpkin
CHAPTER SEVEN: Campfire Sides & Vegetables
Greens of the Wilderness Salad
Grilled Radicchio Insalata with Blood Orange–Date Vinaigrette
Seared Minted Courgettes
Pipérade Salad
Charred & Herbed Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
Roasted Garlic in Foil
Foil-Roasted Mushrooms with Hazelnuts & Chives
Mustard and Mushroom Mashed Potatoes
Riesling-Braised Parsnips
Garlicky Sautéed Dandelion & Wild Spinach
Warm Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad
Classic Buttered Cob Corn
Heirloom Apple and Cheddar Dumplings
Skillet Pane Giallo with Fresh Corn & Myriad Variations
Cracked Black Pepper Butter Biscuits
Rustic Pain de Campagne
Crusty Walnut Bread
CHAPTER EIGHT: Campfire Desserts
Pineapple-Rum Brochette Flambé
Grilled Figs with Thyme Honey
Calvados Baked Apples & Pears with Candied Pecans
Grilled Peach-Amaretto Skillet Cakes
Wild Blueberry Steamed Pudding
Darkly Bitter Chocolate Spice Cake
Indian Summer Plum Tarte Tatin
Madeira Cake
The Seven Wonders of the S’More
CHAPTER NINE: After the Repast
Elementary Stargazing
The Art of the Tarot, or, Shuffling Toward the Future
Excellent Verse to Read Aloud
Inspiration from the Orient, or, Crafting Haiku & Tanka
Essential Philosophical Quandaries for the Pondering
Songs to Share & Enjoy
Gothic Ghost Story Telling
Spirit-Awakening Séances
Shadow Puppetry for One & All
Tableau Vivant: The Living Picture
Acknowledgments
Index
Isn’t it funny how you can know someone for years and yet never really know them?
Take, for example, my charming assistants and recipe testers Sarah Huck and Jaimee Young. I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with these two women for a combined period of eight years. Naturally, in that length of time I’ve learned plenty about them. First and foremost, I’ve learned that they have excellent palates. If ever I need to determine whether a dish needs a lift of lemon, a pinch of salt, or some other mysterious injection of flavor, I turn to them. I also know their specialties—Jaimee is an expert of flaky piecrust and Sarah has a remarkable way with salads and a special knack for grilling. I know that they are smart, funny, and exceptionally good cooks. Both start each workday with a cup of tea and by afternoon they start rummaging in my cupboards for a nibble of chocolate.
But I have to admit that until recently, I’d remained a bit in the dark about their more flamboyant sides. In fact, I have only just discovered them in these pages. Sure, there have been some clues—the Wilkie Collins novels and Girl Scout Guide peeking out of Sarah’s tote bag, Jaimee’s tipsy midnight Facebook postings, and both of them turning up to work on Monday morning looking a bit bleary and worse for the wear, smelling faintly of campfire smoke. So perhaps I could have guessed that there is more than meets the eye with this pair.
Still, when I read their mention of dining with Sartre or their list of suggestions to prevent nocturnal fairy visitations, I knew they had stepped over the line of reality. That is one of the things I love about this delightfully eccentric cookbook—its sense of fun, whimsy, and adventure. For though they may make moon-eyes at a flock of birds (or a gaggle of geese, bouquet of pheasants, pitying of turtledoves, et cetera), compose poems (and cocktails) in honor of fireflies, and jointly insist upon a “proper” cup of tea for their morning beverage (before telling your fortune from the leaves, of course), rest assured it is all said and done with a wink and a smile. I think.
One thing is for certain: These magnificent dishes will tempt even the most citified cook to venture out-of-doors and create a sumptuous meal over the open fire. Truth be told, you won’t see me setting up a tent or unfurling a sleeping bag out in the bug- (and bear-) besieged woods anytime soon—but it’s really not necessary to embark on a wilderness adventure in order to replicate Sarah and Jaimee’s campy array of fireside goodies. Personally, my idea of a nature walk is a sidewalk stroll to my neighborhood farmers’ market, but I can still look forward to trying out some of these recipes on my backyard grill. And this book will definitely be taken along on our family’s next countryside jaunt, where we’ll be trying out some of the baking techniques in the outdoor firepit. Because I may not always be clued in as to whether or not these two are pulling my leg—but I do know honest-to-goodness good food when I see it. Even when it’s presented through a veil of smoke.
—Melissa Clark, New York, 2010
But sometimes life’s greatest adventures are a teensy bit practical and a whole lot fantastic. When asked why he decided to climb Mount Everest, the English expeditionist George Mallory is said to have replied, “Because it’s there.” His heroic feat was not time-saving, money-saving, or prudent; it was an act of free-spirited derring-do. It was the stuff of legends. And as all heroes know, creating something legendary is as simple as setting out to do it.
Which is why we knew if we were going to conquer the natural world, we’d have to do it with a skillet in our hands—because we’re not the sort to go exploring on an empty stomach. Truth be told, our batterie de cuisine may have contained more than one skillet. It may even have contained more than one bottle of French Champagne (but not more than three; we were roughing it, after all). Frankly, we’ve never understood why outdoor holidays inspire austerity when nature itself is not austere—the panoply of stars, the patchwork of flowering meadows, the abundance of babbling brooks perfect for skinny-dipping. To our palates, this beauty is sheer inspiration for the dinner plate. We can think of no better way to pass our leisure hours than frolicking about the wilderness in pursuit of culinary delights that dazzle, food that is as much fun to prepare as it is extravagant to feast upon.
We hope this book emboldens one to embark on a premiere flight of fancy, where gastronomy and adventure intertwine in a most unexpected setting. For whether a cook makes one dish or one and twenty, this story is a fantastical romp: here is what one can accomplish when the culinary ideals of modern civilization meet the oldest cooking tool known to man—the open flame.
—SH & JY, May 2010
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THUS, OUR PRIMAL YEARNING FOR A HOT LICK OF FLAME TO SPARK THE BLAZE OF IMAGINATION. From the time of unceasing toil as hunter-gatherers (an era which forever echoes in our collective unconscious), it is the glow of the fire that is the zenith of what it means to be human. It is light, life, the promise of a hot meal and jovial companionship. If it is true that fire was a gift stolen from the gods by crafty Prometheus, then we do owe him a debt of honor. Or, if, as those more scientifically minded among us may believe, our ancestors first discovered open-fire cookery from the happy chance of a lightning bolt raining down upon a freshly killed beast, then we must all take a moment to marvel at our unbelievable luck.
Even today, there is nothing that so tempts the senses as a cooking fire. The sizzle of olive oil as it sputters off into the embers. The heady scent of merguez sausage as it sears over the flame’s amber tendrils. Even the rat-a-tat-tat of popping corn makes an irresistible call to one’s companions, inviting all to join in a ring around the campfire. It is still a beacon offering warmth, sustenance, and protection from the elements, but with a bit of practiced manipulation (and by following the helpful instruction herein), the fire may offer so much more. It may even offer chocolate cake.
But before one can get on with the fire-created delicacies of this book, it is important to master the intricacies of the flame: how to both kindle and douse it. To learn what measures to take to ensure the safety of one’s companions and environment. For though fire is a beautiful force of creation, it is forever dancing on the edge of destruction. Perhaps that, too, is part of its tantalizing allure.
The hustle of preparing for camp is an exciting time, when one can dust off a well-worn steamer trunk, shine some silverware, and dutifully restock any tinctures or tonics that have dwindled since one’s last foray into the wild, all the while bursting with holiday anticipation. One experiences great satisfaction in feeling well equipped to meet Nature’s demands, whatever they may be.
But do remember that adventure is reliant on a certain measure of the unexpected, and one should never place such emphasis on accumulating the bare necessities that all opportunities for pleasures and thrills are stymied. For inspiration, please consult the following list of our personal camp essentials, some of which are indispensable (noted with an asterisk), others quite handy, and a few (or more) positively sybaritic. Certainly in the history of campfire cookery, one has made do with less. Perhaps, admittedly, even far less. But we’d rather not sally forth at all if it is meant to be a somber and sparse occasion; we suggest one always find room among one’s requisites for those trinkets that are frivolous, wholly impractical, and most apt to yield impromptu joy.
As we are concerned primarily with the food and frolicking aspects of camping, we have chosen not to discuss sartorial needs or shelter and bedding. A good wilderness guide is sure to have plenty to say on such matters.
In French kitchens of high esteem, a workspace must be outfitted with a suitable batterie de cuisine, all the excellent tools and equipment that permit a kitchen to run as smoothly as a Swiss-made clock. In this regard, an outdoor kitchen is scarcely different, with the exception that one’s necessary tools must include those that manage open fire. For clarity, we have divided these needs into three: cookery essentials, fire maintenance essentials, and items for tidy campkeeping.
10-inch Cast-Iron Skillet with Lid: One cannot go astray with cast-iron cookware (see The Incomparable Cast Iron, page 20). A skillet with a tightly fitting lid is just the thing for sautéing, pan-frying, steaming, and saucing.
5-quart Dutch Oven with Lid: Capable of holding greater volume than a skillet, the Dutch oven is ideal for soups, stews, braises, and roasts. One might fill it with water to boil at teatime or with cooking oil to fry breakfast beignets. It is important that it have a tightly fitting lid; the lids of camping-specific Dutch ovens have a lip (called a flange) to hold hot coals, supplying heat from above for baking breads, rolls, biscuits, and scones. One might also look for a camping Dutch oven with legs, so that it sits over, and not directly in, the coals when baking.
Tripod Grill: We are quite attached to our grill, a grate suspended on three legs via a pulley system. When placed over the fire for cooking, it allows excellent control, as one can bring the food closer to or further from the flame as desired. It also breaks down easily for automobile transportation.
Grill Grate: If one does not have the resources or space for a tripod grill, a collapsible grill grate can be used instead. A grate with legs that can be placed over the fire, it is wonderful for grilling or stovetop-style cookery; however, it does require greater attentiveness, since one cannot control the heat by adjusting the height as with the tripod grill.
Short- and Long-Handled Stainless-Steel Tongs: The shorter tongs help in tossing salads or turning food at close proximity; the long tongs are needed when one must reach something close to a scorching flame, such as when grilling meat or fish. We have also—somewhat inappropriately—used long tongs for rearranging logs on a fire. One finds tongs amongst the grilling tools at a hardware shop.
Short- and Long-handled Stainless-Steel Mixing Spoons: Use the short spoon for stirring ingredients off the heat and the longer spoon for stirring soups, stews, sauces, and risotto at a safe distance from the flame. One finds these spoons amongst the grilling tools at a hardware shop.
Long-handled Stainless-Steel Spatula: Ideal for flipping crumpets or pancakes at a safe distance from a scorching flame. Also excellent for stirring sautés and flipping fish. One finds these spatulas amongst the grilling tools at a hardware shop.
Metal Skewers: These sharp rods are just the tools for holding chunks of meats or fruit in place during open-flame roasting and for fondue dipping. One might even put the longer versions to good use in marshmallow toasting. Purchase an assortment of lengths and thicknesses.
Mixing Bowls: We like to use stainless-steel bowls in the wild, as they are sturdy and unbreakable (even when placed for short periods over the fire or used as a cake mold inside a Dutch oven). They also make excellent noisemakers to frighten away animals or in cases of sudden revelry. They are perfect for mixing salads, sauces, vinaigrettes, batters, and dough. Purchase an assortment of sizes.
Cutting Boards: For prepping food or letting it rest a moment after cooking. Although we prefer solid boards cut from hardwood or bamboo (a renewable resource), to conserve space, flexible plastic cutting boards can be rolled up and stashed in the trunk.
Kitchen Knives: We’ve seen so-called cooking professionals arrive at camp with enough knives in their kits to outfit a band of outlaws. We have found that a large chef’s knife, a serrated bread knife, and a small paring knife are entirely sufficient for any kitchen needs.
Swiss Army Knife: The workhorse of the wilderness, this knife will do anything in a pinch, from slicing cheese to opening wine bottles to removing spinach from one’s teeth. We’ve traveled with seasoned out-doorsmen who refuse to use any other knife in their outdoor kitchen.
Corkscrew: One must always, always carry into the wild a means for uncorking wine or other stubbornly stoppered spirits.
9-inch Round Cooling Rack: We use this to suspend fish or vegetables over simmering water for steaming—it fits inside the bottom of a cast-iron skillet. Since one has brought it along, it can also be used for cooling baked cakes, cookies, or scones.
Whisk: A fork serves adequately for the beating of eggs, vinaigrettes, and sauces, but we find nothing gives food the same airy loft as agitation by a whisk.
Stainless-Steel Ladle: One will be happy to have this along when dishing up soups, stews, or Turkish coffee. A tin cup can always substitute if it is desirable to conserve space.
Military Folding Table: We have prepped food upon a slab of shale and made a log of deadwood our dining table, but if one can spare the space, a folding table will facilitate cookery work and give one’s party a place to display the ephemera collected during daily adventures.
Can Opener: Should one bring tinned foods on a holiday (they are, after all, indestructible and therefore lifesaving in instances of natural disaster), this will do the trick to pry them open.
Heatproof Rubber Spatula: One cannot discount the usefulness of this tool’s flexible tip, which is the best choice for mixing cake batters. It can also scrape the last bit of food from hard-to-reach crannies in a pot, making for easier washing up.
Hand-Cranked Spice or Coffee Grinder: Freshly ground spices or coffee provide the most aroma and flavor. Often found at flea markets for a pittance, a hand-crank grinder will rise to the occasion without the need for newfangled electricity.
Basting or Pastry Brush: This brush is handy for slathering roasting meat with juices, or giving pastries a wash of cream before baking. Nylon-bristled brushes can be flammable; we suggest seeking out silicone varieties.
Instant-Read Thermometer: The woods might be filled with scavenging creatures that thrill to the taste of uncooked meat, but being civilized types ourselves, we always cook our meat and poultry to proper internal temperatures. An instant-read thermometer is an assured means of achieving this goal.
Bricks: Wrapped in heavy-duty foil, they can be used to weight down meat for searing. We also sometimes position several in a row to create a makeshift resting place for food. Do not heave bricks or stones at woodland creatures in an effort to frighten them away from camp; such tomfoolery is more likely to provoke than protect.
Hand-Cranked Ice Cream Maker: Anytime we have a scoop of fresh gelato in hand and the afternoon sun upon our backs, it is Rome all over again. And on a sweltering day at camp, when hiking seems too much of a bother, cranking ice cream always lifts the spirits.
Teakettle: While we personally find a Dutch oven boils water excellently, for some aficionados, teatime is not the same without the telltale whistle.
Kitchen Shears: Perfect for cutting through tough bones or cartilage in meat and fish, shears can also be used to cut kitchen twine or snip herbs. We always put a pair in our foraging basket, whether we are in search of greens, herbs, or wildflowers.
Thick Rope: Useful for stringing up food to keep it away from curious critters (and as a clothesline to dry damp clothing, rags, or linens). We have also found that a length of rope comes in handy at the most unexpected moments, such as when a companion accidentally stumbles into a crevasse.
Hatchet: A sharp hatchet makes quick work of woodcutting, so that one can sit fireside in short order.
Waterproof Matches: One will be happy to have purchased these special matches at an explorers’ supply store when trying to construct a toasty fire in a relentless deluge of rain.
Coal Shovel: Essential for baking, which requires one to shuffle coals about the fire pit. It can also be used to adjust the position of logs upon the fire.
Metal Ash Bucket: When the fire is raging, we fill this with water and keep it near at hand for emergencies; when we are ready to break down camp, we pour the water over the fire, scoop the ash into the bucket, and scatter the fully extinguished ash into the forest.
Heatproof Gloves: We find we are always less skittish around a fire when outfitted in a pair of these burly suede gloves. While we would not recommend grabbing a blazing log with them, they are excellent for retrieving a hot pot or for shifting a cooking grate without burning one’s hands.
Lightweight Foldout Saw: Some fear the mighty hatchet; for such a predicament, we suggest this tool, which can cut through medium-size pieces of dead-wood to be used for fuel.
Flint and Steel: A reliable, time-tested tool for igniting a flame, and one needn’t worry about running out, as can happen with a box of matches. It does, however, require the addition of a scrap of linen or flannel and an old tea tin to make one’s char cloth (see Igniting the Fire, page 24–25).
Water Spritzer: Used to tamp down wayward flames; for style’s sake, we like to recycle our old and empty perfume bottles (well-washed, of course, as any lingering alcohol would be quite flammable).
Plumbers’ Candles: Long ago favored by plumbers to seal pipes, these candles boast a lengthy, hot burn. One can employ them for fire starting (their flame extinguishes less quickly than that of a match), or keep them on hand for any occasion on which one wishes to encourage a romantic ambience.
Chimney Starter: Should one be building a fire with lump charcoal, a chimney starter will aid speedy ignition.
Bits of Newspaper and Fluff: Take a moment to collect one’s laundry lint, discarded newspapers, and other scraps of fluff from under one’s bed. All will make excellent starter fuel for the fire.
Vinegar Spritzer: We always bring a spritzer of vinegar water to keep our cutting boards and other surfaces free of contamination by toxic critters.
Hand and Dish Soap: Impeccable personal hygiene—in particular, frequent hand washing—and clean dishware are essential for preventing food-borne illness. For Nature’s sake, do try to purchase nontoxic, biodegradable suds.
Icebox: A large airtight cooler fully stocked with ice will keep one’s carefully selected meat, fish, and produce from spoiling. If possible, we recommend bringing three: one for meat, poultry, and fish; one for dairy; and the third for produce and beverages.
Five-Gallon Metal Bucket: We fill ours with hot water and use it for hand washing and dishwashing, as needed.
Garbage Bags: Always clean up camp carefully, making sure that every speck of paper, food, or other refuse goes into a bag and does not litter Nature’s pristine floor.
Muslin Reusable Bags: We prefer to use these washable drawstring bags rather than plastic resealable bags whenever possible, as we find them more ecologically sound. They are particularly effective for the storage of fresh, uncut produce.
Rags: Consider the search for cleaning implements a perfect excuse to empty out one’s wardrobe. That old gabardine blazer or cashmere muffler will make an excellent tool for cleaning camp.
Paper Towels: To be used sparingly; they are helpful for patting down freshly rinsed meat, draining fried foods, and cleaning up the occasional wine slosh.
Aluminum Foil: In addition to its usefulness in wrapping up leftovers, foil makes an excellent package for cooking food in the embers of a flame, as it will not melt.
Plastic Wrap: We try to use as little as possible, but it helps to keep bugs and other contaminants out of food.
Mason Jars or Other Airtight Containers: Reusable containers are an excellent way to store leftovers; we often bring our vinaigrette in a jar.
In this section, we delight in all the nonessentials of campfire life. Not a single item upon this list is ever entirely necessary, and yet we are always glad to have them along with us, as they contribute inestimably to the domestication of our wilderness home.
Steamer Trunk: An investment that one will not regret, it is spacious enough for one’s tools and other supplies, can be tightly shut for transport or at bedtime, and serves wonderfully as an improvised table or seat.
Lanterns: Should one need to venture into the dark depths of the forest after nightfall, a lantern’s rays provide excellent illumination. We also use lanterns for shadow puppetry and tableaux vivants.
Parasol: When the noonday sun shines brightly, cultivate a delicate complexion under the shade of an elaborately designed, handheld umbrella.
Woolly Pendleton Blankets or Cheerful Quilts: Use one as a wrap on a chilly evening, to dry off post–river swim, or to protect clothing from damp grass during a meadow picnic.
Magnifying Glass: One will have greater success distinguishing the flora of the countryside with a magnifying glass. It is also useful for edible entomology (page 147) and for starting a fire by the heat of the sun. And it lends the bearer an air of authority and intelligence.
Foraging Basket: The open weave of a wicker basket allows greater air circulation, preventing fresh cuttings from wilting on a warm day; one can also use it to display fresh scones or biscuits upon the tea table.
Rucksack: A rucksack can be conveniently filled with nibbles, binoculars, guidebooks, first-aid materials, and other diversions that may be called for during the course of a hike.
Flask and/or Canteen: We usually bring two with us—one filled with water, the other with some type of tipple. The former will spare one from extreme thirst, the latter from low spirits.
Smelling Salts: We have witnessed companions fainting away—from heat exhaustion, from ghost story fright, from the sight of a spider—more times than we can count. A homemade box of salts will revive one quickly, without the need for unkind smacks upon the face.
Pocket Watch: Though we prefer to gauge the hour by the position of the sun (page 149), a pocket watch is indispensable when practicing the art of hypnosis (page 285). Children also find its shiny brightness attractive as a plaything.
Pen and Parchment: When inspiration strikes, one must always have a writing kit at hand for scribbling lines of poetry and prose, or for sketching a particularly striking vista.
Botanical or Other Field Guide: Nothing is more frustrating than spying a lovely bloom or colorful bird and being unable to call it by name. A well-respected guidebook is sure to enlighten.
Tarot Cards: When the sun lowers and the Great Outdoors wears a shadowy cloak, a mysterious reading of one’s future will send shivers down the spine (page 258).
Pitcher for Bouquets: No need for cut-glass articles here—a rustic enameled tin is perfect for wild blossoms. It also doubles as an excellent container for lemonade or iced tea.
Bunting for a Festive Occasion: Suppose the group wishes to fête a member’s birthday, or celebrate the survival of a particularly wretched monsoon? At times like these, we are always happy to pull a length of celebratory bunting from our trunk to string up between trees.
Lengths of Lace: We discovered a trick while out on safari in Africa, where the gnats swarm over one’s luncheon with greedy ferocity: a bit of pretty lace swathed across platters of food keeps the insects at bay. It also makes for a highly attractive tablescape.
Whittling Knife: One might rely on a Swiss army knife for a stretch of meditative whittling (page 116), but one is less likely to suffer blisters and slip-ups with this specialized blade.
Playing Cards: A bit of friendly gambling is an excellent way to pass a rain-sodden day at camp. We are partial to games like whist, piquet, vingt et un, and baccarat.
One’s Best Silverware: We would never subject our companions to the indignity of dining with disposable utensils. We are too fond of the authentic stuff, from its lovely patina to its dainty clink against the china, to its reassuring weight in the hand.
Excellent Reading Material: Never so domineering as to dictate what one ought to read in the outdoors, we shall only say that we are partial to ghostly tales, mythology, poetry, romance, history, and philosophy.
Inspirational Objets d’Art: We love to take a pretty sculpted bust or palm-size painting along with us as a reminder that Art and Nature make sublime mates.
Binoculars: In addition to being a must-have tool for bird-watching, a set of binoculars can also help the user locate far-off familiar landmarks when lost.
Compass: Although one can be improvised with a simple sewing needle (page 80), if expense is no object, splurge on a well-made compass—it will never steer one astray.
Maps: Ideally, one’s collection of maps will provide an accurate layout of the surrounding land, although attractive maps of other places can make inspirational place mats.
Linens & Colorful Textiles: Snip them into napkins, a tablecloth, or a makeshift apron; spread them upon the ground in lieu of a burdensome oriental rug; hang them over a clothesline for shelter—beautiful fabrics make a beautiful camp.
Snail Forks: Perhaps this seems one of our more fanciful items, but rest assured that it is an unrivaled means of wrenching a roasted snail from its snug shell (page 138).
Finger Bowls: Pretty little bowls for dipping one’s fingers in after dining on cob corn or sticky teacakes make such a clever addition to the camp table.
Candlesticks: Though a blazing campfire should always remain one’s main source of light, an extra candle or two upon the camp table lends a spirit of romance and drama.
Caviar Spoons: We once made the mistake of trekking into the wild with only teaspoons for the caviar; it led to unimpeded greed and overquick consumption of our caviar supply. These petite spoons provide modest portions and lend no unpleasant metallic tinge to our beluga.
Finest China: Whether one packs all one’s plates, bowls, and saucers or simply one’s favorite platter or teacup, china brings an air of elegance to the outdoors. Should one experience breakage, a tip: the sticky juice of garlic has adhesive qualities and can be employed in the temporary mending of glass and china.
Tea Service: What is teatime without one’s sugar bowl, creamer, and teapot?
Champagne Bucket & Flutes: Our companions are always so pleasantly surprised when we pull these from our trunk the first evening at camp. While swigging from a coffee cup is not a criminal offense, a flute’s shape is designed to retain the drinks’ signature carbonation for as long as possible.
Thermos: When hiking over snow-capped peaks, a thermos filled with steamy campfire soup makes a most welcome lunch.
Ideally, one should never set out for a jaunt in the wilderness without one’s personal surgeon, nurse practitioner, and friendly neighborhood apothecary in tow. However, for those occasions when medical professionals do not number among one’s fireside guests, it is best to practice prudence (not to mention hospitality) by bringing along a fully stocked First-Aid Kit. We recommend a stylish valise in basic black or perhaps taupe, which will complement the other camping accessories, no matter what their color or design.
Oh, and the kit should contain the essentials of first aid as well! In addition to the obvious items one may need in the outdoors (sunscreen, insect repellent to ward off mini blood-sucking predators, antihistamine tablets in case of allergy, aspirins for the fuzzy head, bandages and cold packs for the light sprains and to soothe minor cuts and scrapes), one’s valise should have enough room to carry a few necessities specific to a holiday around an open fire.
Spray-on Wound Cleanser: Give minor cuts or burns a gentle spritz of cleanser (no need to rinse) before bandaging. Keeping the wound clean right from the start promotes speedy healing.
Sterile Gauze Bandages: Fluffy cotton balls or adhesive bandages sometimes stick to minor wounds—especially burns—and could lead to further injury or scarring. Sterile gauze dresses wounds safely and effectively.
Pure Aloe Vera Gel: This is a natural way to sooth fire blisters or sunburn and other skin irritations. And it has a lovely aroma, too!
Hand Cream: A day spent with the hands over the fire can leave one’s fingers as dry as an elephant’s hide; rehydration is key.
Lip Balm: Scaly, flame-parched lips are no way to attract companionship. But do avoid flavored varieties—during one journey to the mangrove forests of Southeast Asia, a strawberry balm pulled from our pocket quickly drew a curious band of Silvered Leaf monkeys. Paying no heed to our protests, those nimble monkeys made off with our balm, and we were left indignantly damning their opposable thumbs but admiring their now oh-so-kissable lips.
Tweezers: One can use them to remove stubborn wood splinters (which, alas, abound fireside) or to groom brows, which seem to sprout, weedlike, in the fresh country air.
Saline Eyedrops: “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” may be an enjoyable tune to warble around the fire, but it is less enjoyable when the lyrics are all too real. Bring along eyedrops to clear the windows to the soul.
THE INCOMPARABLE CAST IRON
A cursory look at the recipes contained within this work will promptly show that when it comes to campfire cookery, we are staunch advocates of cast iron. It is simply the metal of choice for any outdoor outing. In the first place, no other material will withstand the torrid temperatures of the open fire. The cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven can be counted upon to sit directly in the embers—indeed, in the very flames—without suffering so much as a blemish on its pristine cook surface. So great is its mettle that one need only set out with a lidded cast-iron skillet and Dutch oven in order to meet all culinary needs. Within these vessels anyone can cook up anything, from a creamy fondue to a pine-smoked salmon to a buttery Madeira cake. Truly, it is a miraculous metal.
One must, however, take certain precautions in order to maintain the quality of one’s cast iron. If it has not been preseasoned by the manufacturer, this must be done before its first use. This is a simple matter of gently cleaning the vessel with a mild detergent and cloth, rinsing it with water, then anointing it inside and out with cooking oil. Place the oiled cast iron in a low-temperature oven until dry and voilà! Seasoning is complete.
After using the cast iron, it’s best to clean it with only a steel brush and warm water. Using detergent may rob the cast iron of its seasoning and allow rust to form. Alternatively, one may scrub it with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt to remove any crusty detritus. Always dry the cast iron thoroughly with a soft cloth or paper towel. Then, following a particularly vigorous scrub, anoint it once more with a swipe of cooking oil and dry it over the dying fire before stowing it for the night. With a little tender care, one’s cast-iron skillet and Dutch oven will last and last—treasured heirlooms for generations to come.
To understand how, as Dante once scribbled, “from little spark may burst a mighty flame,” it is necessary to turn to Science. Although the noble institution may possess its follies (oh, alchemy!), on the subject of fire, it is most reliable. From the gentle flicker of a candle to the towering blaze of a bonfire, all fires are created equally. Three things must be present to create the pure energy of fire: Air, Heat, and Fuel.
Just as we need oxygen to fill our lungs and keep us sprightly (or alive, for that matter), so, too, does a fire need oxygen to burn. When oxygen meets with a combustible material (fuel), and a source of ignition (heat), it bonds rapidly with the fuel, creating the light and warmth we identify as fire. Therefore, do not discount the importance of air to one’s campfire—its role is pivotal, impacting the temperature of the flames, the speed at which the fuel will burn, and the ease with which one will be able to maintain or squelch a robust flame. Commit to memory this advisement; we will return to it more than once.
Consider the crack of lightning that sets a forest aflame. It is precisely this quick flash of heat that one strives to achieve in the building of a campfire—on a drastically reduced scale, of course, confined only to one’s cozy fire pit. Heat can be conjured through several means, including electricity, friction and sparking, and the energy of the sun.
Of the three elements involved in creating a wood fire, fuel demands the greatest attention. In the wild, fuel-related inquiries abound: What sort suits one’s purpose? What size and how much is needed? How might it be quickly secured? Each question is of paramount importance, and will be as much a constant companion on one’s adventures as the fire itself.
If we should identify a single key quality for the cultivation of one’s fueling skills, it would be patience. Many outdoorsmen have been burned, Icarus-like, after a botched attempt at building a fire too large, too quickly. Like the Great Pyramids of Egypt, superior fires require slow and careful construction (though, mercifully, less slave labor). The aim is to create enough energy with one’s base level of fuel (tinder) to proceed to a slightly larger level of fuel (kindling), before crowning the flame with the dense, heavy logs that will burn longest and hottest. Haste, in this event, shall truly make waste—forge ahead too eagerly and one will likely suffocate the budding flame, only to be returned to square one, with fortitude waning and no fire to show for one’s labor. In the interest of personal safety and air pollution prevention, we strenuously oppose toxic fire starter aids such as lighter fluid or, even more abhorrent, gasoline.
Tinder. This is one’s first-level fuel. Tinder is material that is small and dry, and requires the least heat and air to ignite. Any number of materials make excellent tinder, provided they are relatively shredded or fluffy, which allows for the maximum exposure to the air and ignition source. For example, leaves, as plentiful a gift as they are in nature, also happen to be flat and flimsy and frequently damp, making for poor tinder. Look for objects with the approximate thickness of a needle; our favorite sources include the curling, paperlike strips of cedar or birch bark (which also contain natural, flammable oils), pine needles, dry moss, thistle, cattail floss, milkweed fluff, the feathery tops of certain dead weeds, such as wild carrot or goldenrod, and the extremely fine fallen branches of dead trees or wild grapevines. If these are not available, one can also rely on dry, thin shavings from a larger piece of wood or, as a last resort, crumpled newspaper.
Igniting the Fire
AT OUR CAMPFIRES, THE MOST COMMON STARTER IS THE FRICTION OF A STRUCK MATCH; HOWEVER, SHOULD CURIOSITY AND INDUSTRY REIGN, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE EMPLOYMENT OF ANY OF THESE CLASSIC METHODS:
MAGNIFYING GLASS
After one has finished identifying all the flora and fauna in the field, it is gratifying to know that one’s magnifying glass can be put to further use. In truth, any object with an intensified focal point will work to concentrate the sun’s beams, including reading spectacles (not distance spectacles), the bottom of a glass bottle, or a pair of binoculars turned rearward.
Instructions:
1. On a clear and sun-drenched day, arrange a loose pile of tinder in the center of the fire pit.
2. Hold the glass several inches from the tinder. A bright white light should appear on the ground. This is one’s concentrated sunlight. Twist and turn the glass until the point of light shines on the tinder.
3. Hold the lens steady (this is not work for a member of the party suffering from delirium tremens) for five to ten seconds. The tinder should ignite.
4. Blow gently upon the flame until the tinder catches.
FLINT AND STEEL
This method relies on the spark created when a hard material strikes against steel; it is the same basic principle that ignites firearms. The most popular material for striking is flint, though any stone harder than steel will do—one can enjoy similar success with bloodstone, agate, jade, quartz, or our favorite, diamond. (Consult a geologic scale that measures such things for other options.)
Instructions:
1. Before going camping, make a char cloth for the fire-starting kit: Set a scrap of linen or flannel aflame. Once it is burning well, transfer the cloth to an old tea tin and put the lid on to smother the flame. The resultant carbon on the cloth will ignite quickly upon contact with the spark.
2. Place a few bits of char cloth into the fire pit and scatter a loose bundle of tinder on top.
3. Hold the steel at an angle over the cloth. One can use an official, C-shaped fire steel or any old scrap of high-carbon steel, such as a metal file.
4. Strike a glancing blow with the stone upon the steel. It should spark briefly, but sufficiently to ignite the cloth.
5. Blow gently upon the flame until the tinder catches.
Kindling. As soon as one feels confident in one’s glowing tinder, it is time to proceed to kindling. No thicker than a match, or at its largest, a nub of drawing chalk, tinder can consist of twigs, slightly larger splinters of bark, pinecones, or woodchips. So long as one can snap a bit of kindling with one’s hands, it ought to perform its duty quite well. Although soft-wooded conifers such as pine, fir, spruce, and cedar tend to spark and burn too rapidly to provide good cooking logs, their keen flammability makes for wonderful kindling. Look for dead lower branches on these trees, or small chips of wood filled with sticky resin. As a cautionary measure, we occasionally divide our kindling into two groups, one smaller and one slightly larger.
Fuelwood. The largest pieces of wood required to feed a fire, fuelwood should not be confused with those grand, knotty stumps upon which one perches near the fire. Fuelwood logs need not possess great stoutness; in fact, larger logs will only serve to slow one’s fire and the subsequent creation of the coals necessary for cooking. The best fuelwood will match the size of one’s arm and no more. Should one be a strapping lad or lass with arms like cabin logs, we suggest one split the logs to a more manageable size, like that of a neighbor’s wrist. Logs similar in diameter and length will burn most evenly. Deciduous hardwoods, like maple, hickory, beech, oak, elm, ash, mesquite, and gum tree will burn the longest and hottest.
HAND-DRILL METHOD
This method has on its side the annals of history. It was the preferred fire-starting technique of primitive man, who did not enjoy the benefits of modern metallurgy and glasswork. Essentially, the friction of wood against wood can create heat enough to cause combustion. The nemesis of friction fire is moisture; procure the driest wood. We do not recommend this method for humid jungle adventures.
One can investigate several adaptations of this method: the fire-plow, bow-drill, and hand-drill method. We present only the latter as it can be used spontaneously and in an emergency.
Instructions:
1. Find a 2-foot-long, ½-inch-thick spindle of hardwood (such as oak). Whittle away any knobs that might irritate one’s hands.
2. Secure a board of dry softwood (such as pine). Carve a small round depression on the top of the board near the edge.
3. Carve a ½-inch-wide, V-shaped notch adjacent to the depression. Cut the notch into the edge of the board all the way to the ground, so that the embers created will fall through it.
4. Place a leaf or piece of bark beneath the notch to catch the embers.
5. Arrange a loose pile of tinder in the center of the fire pit.
6. Burrow the spindle into the depression and roll it furiously between the hands until an ember is formed from the hot wood shavings.
7. Carefully transfer the ember to the fire pit and place it atop the tinder. Blow gently on the tinder until it ignites.
SPURNING SODDEN WOOD
Fire-fighting brigades arrive equipped with water for good reason: fire and water make abysmal playmates. By the same token, attempting to construct a fire with sodden or damp wood—tinder, kindling, or fuelwood—will lead to sorrow and gloom. The wood will smoke and smolder unbecomingly. One’s eyes will redden, the lungs will cloud, the skin will parch, and the fire will, at best, sputter meekly before petering out entirely. Meanwhile, all those nasty smoke particulates have swarmed into the air, sullying our beautiful blue skies.
Obviously waterlogged wood can easily be avoided, whether foraging or purchasing it. A simple brush of the hand is typically sufficient to confirm the direst suspicions. Moreover, avoid wood that is green or freshly cut. Freshly cut wood is 50 percent water, and all that water must evaporate before the wood can flame. Ideally, firewood should have a water level of only 20 percent. It is for this reason that most commercial firewood is either kiln-dried (dried in an industrial kiln), or seasoned, meaning it has dried beneath the natural elements of air and wind for a period of six months to two years.
If, quite plausibly, one is collecting wood in nature, do not despair. Green wood can be identified by its flexibility; gather only wood that snaps and breaks readily. Moderately damp logs, sticks, and twigs may be split or whittled and the dry inner bits collected. We’ve discovered it also helps to remove the bark from twigs; bark tends to be a repository for moisture. Severely drenched wood, we regret to relay, remains a lost cause and is best cast aside.
Alternately christened “natural lump charcoal” and “hardwood charcoal,” charwood is in no away affiliated with noxious, chemical-filled charcoal briquettes. Charwood is simply as it sounds—irregular-shaped bits of wood that have been fired in a kiln until reduced to carbon. The process yields a wood that ignites with greater ease, burns particularly hot and steady, and produces less smoke and ash. And because it is merely a product of combusted hardwood, the cold ash can be collected at the fire’s end and sprinkled merrily over one’s garden compost back home. We do find it has some drawbacks, notably that, having already been burned, charwood has 60 percent less energy to contribute than firewood and is therefore inclined to be exhausted more quickly. We also miss the comforting aroma and crackle of standard wood.
Although we know intimately the longing to gallop past the tedious minutiae of fire building and plunge headlong into the delights of cookery, one must remain sensible. Was Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel a slapdash affair? Did Paris advance heedlessly through the erection of Notre Dame? Certainly Rome was not built in a day. If history has taught us anything, it is that great art requires prudence. To organize oneself properly is to reap great rewards.
Investigate fire authorization. Whether setting out for a privately run campsite, a national park, a state forest, or one’s own backyard, take a moment to determine any fire-building restrictions. Each site maintains its own regulations; fire privileges might be gratis or available for a sum, accessible with limitations or free of constraints. In some places, unfortunately, fires may be prohibited entirely. Rather than spoiling a journey with unanticipated disappointment, a distasteful confrontation, or an unexpected natural disaster, take a moment to communicate with one’s local land manager prior to departure.
Be mindful of the weather. Sometimes, dear campers, a fire is not meant to be. Do not let hubris turn one into a tragic hero. Forewarning of weather that is excessively dry, hot, windy, or stormy can and should delay one’s adventure. As we write this, we are reminded of an unfortunate incident that occurred some years ago to a supercilious Moroccan sultan we happened upon while trekking through the North African steppes en route to the Sahara. As one probably knows, this might well be one of the most dubious places on earth to build a fire, for here the implacable desert winds blow hot and dry across the grassland. Blessedly, although his entire party survived the inevitable blaze, their worldly goods did not fare so well. By the time we encountered them, all that was left of their caravan were the skeletal remains of a steamer trunk and an ornery, singed camel named Marrakesh.
Select one’s wilderness residence carefully. Three points must be taken under consideration when putting up camp: where to designate one’s sleeping arrangements, where to establish a food preparation area, and vitally, where to construct the fire:
Fire: