Re: Car camping food

Ok, backpacking food has special requirements. What do you like when car camping?

Whatever comes in cans. Plus in the evening at a campfire at Pumice Flat, a quick run to the Vons in Mammoth gets you some fat juicy steaks.

Quote
Vince
Vons in Mammoth

Is it just me or do other people find the employees at the Mammoth Vons to be a bit rude?

Quote
eeek

Quote
Vince
Vons in Mammoth

Is it just me or do other people find the employees at the Mammoth Vons to be a bit rude?

Rick, Vince got there before you?

(Sorry, guys, but the juxtaposition was just too good to pass up.)

Some of the best items for car or backpacking in my experience are the quick stuffing (like stovetop) preparations. And dry gravy (or canned if you are car camping) can be
sprinkled on for additional taste sensations. Add some dried cranberries and you have a pseudo-thanksgiving feast. I hate to carry canned food into the hills, so turkey usually only option if car camping.

Hormel has created a line of packaged meat/starch foods that do not need refrigeration. I think for "car camping" they might be a good option in a double boiler arrangement or if you have access to a microwave. Almost light enough to backpack also. Some cooking bags can be boiled (I dread the concept of plastic polymers contaminating food, but suspect that occasional use not a big problem) and that helps with the food preparation/clean up program.

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

Quote
eeek
Ok, backpacking food has special requirements. What do you like when car camping?

I can rival Mike in his gourmet BP food

First of all, one must start with one of those Seal-a-meal gadgets -- a must. The last partial car camping trip was a 2,000 3 week miler all over the Southwest (which was mixed in with some overnight packing) I have an outlet in the back shell area of the truck, and it allows me to carry a small refrigerator, so I can take anything I want:

All pre-cooked and sealed, ready for a quick warm-up on the stove

1. Cajun food: Red beans and rice pre-cooked for two days with a side of corn bread and optional beer, Filet Gumbo with wine and extra shrimp added during trip

2. "Dirty Rice" (more cajun food) barritos with chicken, salsa, lime-chips...and root beer

3. Tuscan chicken with a side of sweet potatoes/yams and cornbread, wine

4. Spagetti with homemade sausage and meatballs, marinara sauce (all homemade)

5. Southwest eggs (lots of sweet peppers) sausage, oatmeal, fresh fruit and juice

I llike to cook

Hey! You peeked at my menu for this weekend! Watch that stuff!

---

Old Dude

Quote
mrcondron
Hey! You peeked at my menu for this weekend! Watch that stuff!

I can read minds, too

Bee

Quote
Bee
I can read minds, too

Bee

Oh, crap. No wonder I'm in trouble.

Car camping breakfast:
Real hand made hashbrowns lightly slathered with tobasco and catchup with over easy eggs on top.

Lunch:
White bread, bologna, and Best Foods mayo sandwich.

Dinner:
Out

---

Old Dude

i'm camping next week in the valley with my son's family .... we plan on a nice dinner (which we do every year)... we usually splurge...

dinner:

ribeye steaks
tiger prawns cooked in white wine, butter and garlic.
pre-cooked rice

breakfast:
eggs, bacon, and homemade (pre-cooked) hashbrowns, hot chocolate.

One other suggestion regarding "car camping":

With my unpredictable schedule I find it useful to have 2 large tupperware boxes filled with everything (except sleeping bag and tent) that I need for camping. When I find I have a free time, I just throw the boxes, sleeping bag and tent in the car and take off. Each box has a list of items included. One box has clothing that I can tolerate wearing but do not need every day. The other box has food/stove/tools/kitchen utility stuff. An optional third box includes maps and guidebooks for Yellowstone (where I usually go).

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

Quote
Frank Furter
An optional third box includes maps and guidebooks for Yellowstone (where I usually go).

I'll be leaving for Yellowstone in a couple of weeks. Just wish it wasn't a two day drive to get there.

Quote
eeek

Quote
Frank Furter
An optional third box includes maps and guidebooks for Yellowstone (where I usually go).

I'll be leaving for Yellowstone in a couple of weeks. Just wish it wasn't a two day drive to get there.

Its about 1000 miles from San Francisco. Makes for a long day although I have begun to enjoy the section through Nevada (have been travelling a lot between Montana and California this past year). If you want an interesting alternative route, consider driving through northern Idaho on the Arco/Butte City route via Craters of the Moon. What do you plan to see/do in Yellowstone?

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

Quote

consider driving through northern Idaho on the Arco/Butte City route via Craters of the Moon.

I looked at that. But it'd add another day onto the trip. Nothing really works out from here other than the basic I-15 route.

Quote

What do you plan to see/do in Yellowstone?

Plan? We don't need no stinkin' plan!

It'll really depend on the snow coverage, the bear coverage and moods.

Quote
forrestranger
ribeye steaks

The bears thank you!

For me, camping is usually a means to something else; hikes, photography, bike rides, or just enjoying the area, so "simple" is my choice.

Breakfast...when I get up, coffee and a quick snack such as a muffin or turnover, then I'm off taking photos or hiking for the early morning. For the real breakfast when I get back, cereal with nuts & raisins, fruit (cantaloupe, melon), maybe yogurt, O.J. Nothing cooked other than coffee (maybe whole wheat toast if I really want to get involved in cooking 8^).

Lunch, not usually eaten at camp, but if it is, a sandwich with lunchmeat or peanut butter, apple, maybe chips and cookies. Even when camping with the family, we usually pack up something to take and eat for a picnic or trail stop.

Dinner, in the valley is always at one of the concessions, usually the food court. Warm, convenient to the evening show, and a good variety without high prices. And Dessert! Or the pizza loft at Degnan's, if with family. In other areas, maybe barbecued hamburgers, or canned soup and bread, chili, hot dogs, other easy stuff.

Of course a lot of folks make camping itself the adventure, or have a big group, and then the big bacon/egg, steak, or gourmet meals are a highlight and probably worth all the effort, but for just me or with a few family members, 'easy' and 'no mess' is the word. There are too many other things to do besides cooking and dishes...8^).

---

Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

One final "car camping" suggestion:
Hollow out center of slice of bread and crack an egg into the middle. We called them "Bulls Eye's" but they also go by "eggs in a frame or nest". Saves on pots and pans, you can eat them without utensils or treat them like pancakes and add syrup. Kids seem to enjoy them.

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

There's also a good one for chicken, but some of the details are dusty, as it's been years. You find a big rock (not a wet river rock) and put it by the campfire for a few hours to get good and hot. Foil wrap a chicken (not alive) and the rock, and wrap that in a bunch of layers of newspaper, loosely wrapped. Put in a large paper bag, add wadded up newspapers all around for insulation, and let sit for several hours, and the chicken will be nicely cooked. With directions this non-specific, be sure it really IS cooked well, but the times we did it it was nice and done.

Of course, you'd definitely want to leave it in the bear box while it's cooking.

---

Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

Quote

Foil wrap a chicken (not alive)

Pecking through the foil would spoil things?

My favorite meal car camping is breakfast. Anything to fill my colesterol fix! Fried bacon, fried eggs in all the bacon fat. Take antilipid pill. Poor off the fat after cooking but don't clean the pan. Use same pan next morning for scrambled eggs and hash browns. Take antilipid pill. Revert to Cream of Wheat thereafter to unclog arteries and add one day to life (you hope).

Jim