Camping and camp cooking

by Frank A. Bates

Fish Chowder, Southern Style:—Cover the bottom of the pot with slices of fat salt pork; over that put a layer of sliced raw potatoes; then a layer of chopped onions; then a layer of fish, cut into pieces, leaving out all the bones possible; on the fish put a layer of crackers, first soaked in water or milk. Repeat the layers, except the pork, till a sufficient quantity is obtained. Each layer should be seasoned with salt and pepper. Put in enough cold water to moisten the whole mass well, cover the kettle closely, and cook slowly for an hour or more. When it appears rather thick, stir it gently and serve.

Webster Chowder:—The famous Daniel Webster lived in the section where my ancestors passed their lives, and his neighbors, for miles around, gleaned a portion of their sustenance from the contiguous waters. Many of them were professional fishermen and their wives were famous cooks in the direction of these products. As Webster’s Chowder was a noted receipt, it being said that he furnished the following to his friends, we need no excuse for its insertion here.

“Cod of 10 or 12 pounds well cleaned, leaving on the skin, cut into slices of 1½ pounds each, preserving the head whole; 1½ pounds clear, fat salt pork cut in thin slices; slice twelve potatoes. Take the largest pot you have, try out the pork first, take out the pieces of pork, leaving in the dripping; add to that three pints of water, a layer of fish so as to cover the bottom of the pot, next a layer of potatoes, then two tablespoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, then the pork, another layer of fish and the remainder of the potatoes; fill the pot with water enough to cover the ingredients; put it over a good fire, let the chowder boil twenty-five minutes; when this is done have a quart of boiling milk ready and ten hard crackers split and dipped in cold water; add milk and crackers, let the whole boil five minutes. The chowder is then ready and will be first rate if you have followed the directions. An onion is added if you like that flavor.”

Once or twice each summer, it was the custom of the farmers to make up a party and go to some beach for a picnic. A chowder was considered a necessary adjunct of the festivities, and I still retain lively recollections of the quality of this toothsome dish. Perhaps it was flavored with the sauce of youth and hunger, but it was good then and is now.

Clam Chowder:—Shuck out a peck of clams and add to the chowder instead of the fish. For those who have never learned the art of shucking clams, the shellfish may be put on the fire in a kettle, with just enough water to cover them. Please use hot water, turned over the clams, so as to avoid trouble with the Society for P. O. C. T. A. When the clams open their shells, take the kettle off the fire, turn them out into a pan to cool, saving the liquor to use in the chowder. Shell out the clams. Make the chowder as by the first receipt given, using as much of the clam water as is necessary; the children will take care of the remainder as a beverage. Do not put the clams into the chowder until it is nearly done, or they will be tough.

Bean Soup:—Wash 2 quarts of beans, and either put them to soak over night or parboil them till the skins begin to peel off. Scrape clean one pound of salt pork and cut into thin slices. Boil the beans for an hour or longer if necessary, then mash the beans into a pulp; put in the pork and cook slowly for another hour. Stir occasionally so it will not burn. Season with salt and pepper to taste. It is a fussy job to make this and not burn it, and at the same time have it good; but it is worth the while.

Pea Soup:—Take a ham bone, from which the most of the meat has been sliced. There is no objection if it has been once boiled. Put over the fire with cold water and cook until the bone will slip out of the meat. Then add split peas and cook till soft. Have some cubes of bread, about one inch square, prepared, fried in lard or butter. When the soup has thickened, which it will do as soon as the peas are cooked soft, put in the bread, and serve immediately.

Oyster Stew:—Half a cup of oysters (shucked, if you please), with a very little water; simmer over the fire till the beards wrinkle. Turn in a pint of milk, a piece of butter, salt and pepper; let it come to a boil, stir in a little thickening, and it is ready to eat. Don’t burn your tongue.

MEATS.

Unless camping in a game country, we seldom have any other meat than what may be brought into camp on the occasional visits to town. But it has been thought advisable to treat the subject as if there were a market within easy access, for the benefit of those who may be thus advantageously placed. Deer, bear, hares, squirrels, rabbits, grouse, quail and shore birds, however, will be at times available. And as the acme of the camper’s art is to live, so far as possible, off the country, due attention will be paid to those dishes which can be prepared from those products. No hard and fast rules can be made, for individual preferences vary to such an extent that what would be luxury to the one, would be starvation to another. Nevertheless, it may be considered that all wild meats should be well done, except in the case of an occasional chop from some member of the deer family. With fowl, however, it is different. All dark meated birds should be rare done; all white meated birds well cooked. I consider that criticism of a man’s epicurean tastes is pure impudence, if not insult. It is none of my business if a man wants to make a salmi of his woodcock: I simply deplore his taste or ignorance.