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All these are goodand different。
Some people like to cook and have a natural knack for it。 Others
hate it。 If you are one of the former； select a propitious moment to
suggest that you will cook； if the rest will wash the dishes and supply the
wood and water。 Thus you will get first crack at the fire in the chill of
morning； and at night you can squat on your heels doing light labor
while the others rustle。
In a mountain trip small stout bags for the provisions are necessary。
They should be big enough to contain； say； five pounds of corn…meal； and
should tie firmly at the top。 It will be absolutely labor lost for you to
mark them on the outside； as the outside soon will become uniform in
color with your marking。 Tags might do； if occasionally renewed。 But
if you have the instinct； you will soon come to recognize the appearance of
the different bags as you recognize the features of your family。 They
should contain small quantities for immediate use of the provisions the
main stock of which is carried on another pack… animal。 One tin plate
apiece and 〃one to grow on〃； the same of tin cups； half a dozen spoons；
four knives and forks； a big spoon； two frying…pans； a broiler； a coffee…pot；
a Dutch oven； and three light sheet…iron pails to nest in one another was
what we carried on this trip。 You see； we had horses。 Of course in the
woods that outfit would be materially reduced。
For the same reason； since we had our carrying done for us； we took
along two flat iron bars about twenty…four inches in length。 These； laid
across two stones between which the fire had been built； we used to
support our cooking…utensils stove…wise。 I should never carry a stove。
This arrangement is quite as effective； and possesses the added advantage
that wood does not have to be cut for it of any definite length。 Again； in
the woods these iron bars would be a senseless burden。 But early you
will learn that while it is foolish to carry a single ounce more than will pay
in comfort or convenience for its own transportation； it is equally foolish
to refuse the comforts or conveniences that modified circumstance will
permit you。 To carry only a forest equipment with pack…animals would
be as silly as to carry only a pack…animal outfit on a Pullman car。 Only
look out that you do not reverse it。
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Even if you do not intend to wash dishes； bring along some 〃Gold
Dust。〃 It is much simpler in getting at odd corners of obstinate kettles
than any soap。 All you have to do is to boil some of it in that kettle； and
the utensil is tamed at once。
That's about all you； as expert cook； are going to need in the way of
equipment。 Now as to your fire。
There are a number of ways of building a cooking fire； but they share
one first requisite： it should be small。 A blaze will burn everything；
including your hands and your temper。 Two logs laid side by side and
slanted towards each other so that small things can go on the narrow end
and big things on the wide end； flat rocks arranged in the same manner； a
narrow trench in which the fire is built； and the flat irons just described
these are the best… known methods。 Use dry wood。 Arrange to do your
boiling firstin the flame； and your frying and broiling lastafter the
flames have died to coals。
So much in general。 You must remember that open…air cooking is in
many things quite different from indoor cooking。 You have different
utensils； are exposed to varying temperatures； are limited in resources； and
pursued by a necessity of haste。 Pre… conceived notions must go by the
board。 You are after results； and if you get them； do not mind the
feminines of your household lifting the hands of horror over the
unorthodox means。 Mighty few women I have ever seen were good
camp…fire cooks； not because camp…fire cookery is especially difficult； but
because they are temperamentally incapable of ridding themselves of the
notion that certain things should be done in a certain way； and because if
an ingredient lacks； they cannot bring themselves to substitute an
approximation。 They would rather abandon the dish than do violence to
the sacred art。
Most camp…cookery advice is quite useless for the same reason。 I
have seen many a recipe begin with the words： 〃Take the yolks of four
eggs； half a cup of butter； and a cup of fresh milk〃 As if any one really
camping in the wilderness ever had eggs； butter； and milk！
Now here is something I cooked for this particular celebration。
Every woman to whom I have ever described it has informed me
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vehemently that it is not cake； and must be 〃horrid。〃 Perhaps it is not
cake； but it looks yellow and light； and tastes like cake。
First I took two cups of flour； and a half cup of corn…meal to make it
look yellow。 In this I mixed a lot of baking…powder；about twice what
one should use for bread；and topped off with a cup of sugar。 The whole
I mixed with water into a light dough。 Into the dough went raisins that
had previously been boiled to swell them up。 Thus was the cake mixed。
Now I poured half the dough into the Dutch oven； sprinkled it with a good
layer of sugar； cinnamon； and unboiled raisins； poured in the rest of the
dough； repeated the layer of sugar； cinnamon； and raisins； and baked in the
Dutch oven。 It was gorgeous； and we ate it at one fell swoop。
While we are about it； we may as well work backwards on this
particular orgy by describing the rest of our dessert。 In addition to the
cake and some stewed apricots； I； as cook of the day； constructed also a
pudding。
The basis was flourtwo cups of it。 Into this I dumped a handful of
raisins； a tablespoonful of baking… powder； two of sugar； and about a
pound of fat salt pork cut into little cubes。 This I mixed up into a mess
by means of a cup or so of water and a quantity of larrupy…dope。＇3＇ Then
I dipped a flour… sack in hot water； wrung it out； sprinkled it with dry flour；
and half filled it with my pudding mixture。 The whole outfit I boiled for
two hours in a kettle。 It； too； was good to the palate； and was even better
sliced and fried the following morning。
＇3＇ Camp…lingo for any kind of syrup。
This brings us to the suspension of kettles。 There are two ways。 If
you are in a hurry； cut a springy pole； sharpen one end； and stick it
perpendicular in the ground。 Bend it down towards your fire。 Hang
your kettle on the end of it。 If you have jabbed it far enough into the
ground in the first place； it will balance nicely by its own spring and the
elasticity of the turf。 The other method is to plant two forked sticks on
either side your fire over which a strong cross…piece is laid。 The kettles
are hung on hooks cut from forked branches。 The forked branches are
attached to the cross…piece by means of thongs or withes。
On this occasion we had deer； grouse； and ducks in the larder。 The
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best way to treat them is as follows。 You may be sure we adopted the
best way。
When your deer is fresh； you will enjoy greatly a dish of liver and
bacon。 Only the liver you will discover to be a great deal tenderer and
more delicate than any calf's liver you ever ate。 There is this difference：
a deer's