The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-10-19
WHAT TO COOK IN CAMP.
NOVIcES ASTONIShED At THEIR
FONDNESS FOR PRIMITIVE FOOD.

Squirrel Stew Broilin: on q Plank - A
Man Made .Henu Bread with Staying
Qualities-Baking Eeans In the Ground
| Canoe Pie Provided for the ! astidio ious.
Plans for the daily bill of fare, while
Of a>far simpler nature, are as neces-
sary in the camp as in the home. For,
although conventiOnalitic5 and ultra
fastidious tastes have been left be-
hind. in their place have appeared I'M
wonted appetites for hearty food tat
In party Of healthy people can be re
lied upon three times and more day.
AS the object Of such a trip is recrea-
ton, 1t is well to heed this fact. for no
one can have good time while he is
| as hungry as the proverbial bear and
sees no good dinner in prospect. Peo-
pie spending their first summer in the
! woods in primitive fashion are inva-
riably astonished by their sudden
! fondness for cooking that at the home
table would be scorned. Doughnuts
and crullers, for example, assume new
favors and, with coffee for the morn
ing meal, in the woods excel the choic-
est confections.. 1T is good idea to
take along enough Of these cakes to
last for at least a week, taking pains
to use recipes that insure them against
| drying too quickly. Once there. they
can be put in a good bag and kept in
! cool, and, if possible, not too dry
place. Waterproof food bags in va
rious sizes are among the conveniences
| supplied by houses that sell sporting
goods. Two or three bakEgs OF mo-
lasses and one or two Of sugar cookies
will also be appreciated.
Among the utensils should always he
included a covered iron pot; for baked
beans after long days tramp, or even
for breakfast Or dinner, if the supply
of game falls short are not only nu-
tritious but appetizing The baking is
ar over night or all day operation.
First dig hole in the ground that
Is three or four times the size of the
pot. Start fire in the bottom with
pieces of bark, and then fill with gool
hard wood. Let it burn for two or
three hours until the surrounding
earth is well heated and there is
glowing mass of Goals in the bottom.
Have the beans soaked in cold water
for day or night previously. Then
wash and parboil them, throwing off
the first water, to which some people
add a little soda. Rinse the beans,
cover them with boiling water, add a
piece of pork (about half pound or
SO to every quart Of beans). and cook
over the range until the skins loosen
easily. Remove the pork and drain
the beans, saving the liquor. Put the
beans in the pot without breaking
them, and bury the pork in them. Sea-
son the liquor with salt and pour it
over them. Sprinkle with pepper, and
Il molasscs is to be had pour a table
spoonful over the whole. Put on the
cover, place the pot in the inpro-
vised oven, cover with the ashes and
Goals and some OF the earth. and leave
for at least 10 hours.
If bread cannot be bought it must be
baked. Bread and biscuit can be made
the same as at home, the only differ
encc being that they are baked before |
an open fire, in pan that comes for |
the purpose. Compressed yeast cakes |
that will keep all summer should be |
among the supplies. A brown bread |
made of one-third rye, one-third flour
and one-third co1nmeal. recommended |
by an experienced camper, mas stay
ing qualities desirable for journeys re-
quiring a good deal of physical exer-
else. 1t is made like the ordinary
white bread.
A broier in camp is not one Of the
needfuls, for a few shingle nails and
. plank, a clean pine board or even
piece of log will answer its purpose.
If fish are to be cooked before the fire
nail the heads against the wood, flesh
side out. of course, and place them
before the heat. A steak, bird, rabbit
or squirrel can be prepared in the
same way.
For squirrel stew, a famous dish
among epicures who haunt forest
jeeps, the old admonition to first
catch your hare" should be remem-
bered. If the days shooting has been
a success (from the hunters. not the
squirrels, point Of view. skin and
dress thcm, cut into pieces, and soak
for time in cold salt water to draw
out the blood. Rinse and cook them
with small slice of salt pork in fresh
boiling water and add abou. Is min
utcs before they are done potatoes and
onions cut up fine, pinch OF oatmeal
for thickening and salt and pepper. A
little beef extract improves the favor
Of the stew.
Canoe pie, a masculine Invention,
for those Of the party who insist on
city ways 10 the extent of an occasion
al dessert. cxccls, so claims its origi-
nator, all the oven baked concoctions
In the world. That it can be made,
providing the material is at hand. on
q minutes notice is an undisputed ad-
vantage. Have ready a dish of fresh
or stewed berries swcetcned to taste.
Toast pilot bread, reduce it to crumbs,
sprinkle it over the top and the pie is