Evening star., 1935-06-27
CarnpCook
Gains Much
In Pleasure
BY ANGELO PATRI.

MOST boys like to cook camp style.
A'A They scorn the shining range as
too feminine, but give them fire.
place outdoors, few iron pots and
pans and tney at once become glorifled
Robinson Crusoes. 1t Is one sure way
of teaching boys how to cook for
themselves The campfire cook is
well started on specialists career.
Some day he will be found with
big apron tied around his sturdy mid
die, frying pan in his hand. ready
to do business for party Of guests
drawn to his fireside by the reputa-
ton Of its savory output. He will
be the happy host who can broil
his own.
saw four happy children prepare
campfire dinner for six. One, the
boy, laid the fire with the care and
gravity of priest at the altar. Each
stick was laid where it would do the
most good and the quickest. One girl
peeled potatoes while another put
lard in an iron pot and hung 1t on
the crane. The oldest girl cut and
trimmed steak in neat bits and pre-
pared 1t for the broiler. Each seemed
to have his own job and the CO.
operation was perfect. BY and by
they called father and mother to
the spread. There were French fried
potatoes. broiled steak. coffee, bread
and butter and cookies, all good, all
improved In taste by the joyful service
of the children. ...
After the meal the children cleared
the table by burning the paper dishes,
washing the cutlery and silver in the
brook. and securing the iron pots in
the sandbox. The boy took charge
1t was he who gave the word when
the potatoes were ready. He stood
over the broiling steaks with a long
fork in his hand, turning them at
the right instant. He noticed that
the salt was not on the table and
sent the small sister scurrying to
make up for her forgetfulness. This
campfire meal was his responsibility
and pleasure. A fine interest and a
fine skill to cultivate in any child,
especially in these days of artificial
stimulation, when the close-at-hand
pleasures are overlooked for those
outside the home.
Cooking Is an art much neglected
in this country, and In this genera
tion more so. There Is as much Joy
in preparing and serving a dish as in
pole vaulting or broad jumping. There
is finer skill employed and the
result gives greater pleasure to the
audience. Why not teach boys and
girls to cook when it Is so easy to
interest them? Many back yard can
furnish the place for the fireplace.
There is usually shady spot for the
table. Maybe the back porch. or
the grape arbor, or the big tree offers
a cool and lovely dining room. It
would be worth trying.
During the Summer outdoor cooking
and outdoor dining become a delight
full experience. Everybody Is weary
of the house. Of the daily menu and
of the routine of three meals and
dishes to wash. Why not break into
it, change the program, the place
and the fashion of service for q while
and let the children enjoy the whole
affair. They get no experience out
of the meals that are cooked and
served for them in the house. save
that Of eating them, and they soon
eat automatically.
Give those bored children D chance
to cook their own In the open. give
them chance to learn what 1t means
to prepare and cook and serve one
dish and you open up new field Of
interest and skill to them.