MEALS WHEN ON TOUR

Chronicle (Levin), 31 December 1946, Page 7

MEALS WHEN ON TOUR

This summer Will give numbers of ns the iirst camping lioliday for many years. Perhaps some have almost for--gotten the art of preparation for such a venture. If so read this extract from the Otago Automobile Association Year Book, for, although it was printed many years ago, it will be most useful -even to the experienced, and - invaluable to the beginuer. To pian the meal in advance when going camping is highly desirable as it avoids monotony and ensures that ali stores negded will be available for the dishes which are to be cooked. On the other hand, in view of the uncertainty as to weather, and as to the supply of fresh food, it may at first appear to be a waste of time that^owing to unforese'en circumstances, the whole plan may need to be dropped. Even under these circumstances tbe planned menu is a great help as it can be re-arranged and the meals changed over, or one dish substituted for another as need arises. k Tlle following menu is planned for summer camping party which mov^V every day and, not less often than every second day, is able to buy fresli meat, etc. To be on the safe side, itcavries emergency rations of tinned milk, meat, fruit, etc. The midday meal does ijot involve cooking or mucli washing up. No allowance is made for lish that might be caught to make a welcome addition to the diet. Dried fruits when used should be soaked overnight (except the apple siiees on the market at present). Eresh fruit should be used as often as possible, especialiy for iunch. No travelling on (Sunday. With tliese words of explanation, I now give you a sample meuu: — A Week's Menu Mouday. — Morning: fcitewed apples, shredded wheat, milk, cocoa or coifefe. Noon: Cold comed beef, -bread, toinatoes. Night: Pressed beef, cabbage. potatoes, pie. ' Tuesday. — Morning: Bacon and fried potatoes, tea. Noon: Cold left-over ineat, salad. J^ight: Stew and dumplings, beans, junket and fruit. Wednesday. — Morning: Prunes, shredded wheat, cocoa. Noon: Tongue, creamed Or mayonnaise, tomatoes and bread, dates. Night: Irish stew (chops, potatoes, carrots, onions), blancmange and fruit. Thursday. — -Morning: Pancakes. Noon: Hani, salad and cucumber. Night: Sausages, potatoes, cabbage, fruit sago (substitute with fruit whip j . Eriday. — Morning: Tomatoes and bacon, tea, toast. Noon: Hard-boiled eggs and cheese, salad. Night: Curried vegetables or stewed rabbit, vegetables, boiled pudding. ' Saturday. — Morning: Scmmbled eggs. Noon:. Tomatoes and spaghetti 011 toast. dates. Night: Mince, greens, potatoes, dumplings and syrup. Sunday. — Morning: Rhubarb and weetbix. Noon: Bacon and eggs (no travelling to-day). Night: Hot corned beef and carrots, potatoes, vegetables, jelly and fruit salad. As soon as she has drawn up lier menu the mother of tlie pitrty makes out her lists: (1) .Eoods to be; prepared Avell in advance (a week.or more); (2) foods to ;be- cooked just: before. leaviug; (3) stores to be' packed; (4) 'stores 'to be broughf. fresh. . (1) Eoqds to be prepared well In ad-v.ancei-1 — Unless the 'f&'mily consists of experienced, campers, the iirst few days aleihpf toj prdseht culinary problems. heiice it is: as :>vell to stock up the iiiovjng. larder witli ready-cooked foods. . Als'o oue :g'ets ia\(eiious: aft'er outdoor dxercise, nii day, 4'pieces" and "stbp- ' are |alwaiys in demand, so plain "liut and conie again" eakes are useful, Und alsO some sealed tins of chunky liisciiits'such as "parkin" and cookies. ;Hence I suggest the following: — (a) A large plain fruit calce; (b) HSeveral plunl puddings, cooked so that tliey only fequire half an hour to iinish them; (c) Some tins of biscuits, cookies, etc.; (d; some fudge or other plain tolfee; (e) hojne-made cordial. (2) Eoods to be cooked just before leaving. — (a) A large unison jar of salad dressing; (2) one or more double crusted pies with bacon and egg or fruit-square iillings; (c) a round of corned beef or some pressed beef or brawn, Aberdeen sausage or hani. (3) Stores to be packed and replenished as used. — Elour, cornflour, sugar, cocoa or preparatory drink, co'ii'ee, tea, condensed milk or milk powder, golden syrup, dates, raisins, sait, pepper, vinegar, curry powder, baking powder, rexiuet, gelatine, bacon, wlieeties, weetbix, cheese, marmite jam, lioney, tinned meat, tongue, fruit, fuel for burner or primus, matches. (4j Stores to be bought fresh. — Butter, bread, milk, tomatoes, other fruit and vegetables, iisli and eggs. Although space does not permit of my going into the niatter of equipment, I would lilie to draw attention to oue of the biggest godseuds to habitual campers — the iireless cooker or hay box. 1 Oue of these can be quite easily liome . made to iit 011 the runuing-board of the car. Working on the principle of insulatiou, like a thermos flash, it can be used to keep things eitlier hot or cold. Eor insfcance, a stew can be siiumered for, say, three-qiiarters of an hour before the morning start, popped into the iireless cooker, and enierge at lunchtime completely cooked and still hot; or butter jelly (in a mason jar or covered basin) after being cooled in running water or shade ali night can be put in the "cooker" which would have been left open in the shade overnight to cool thoroughly and kept cool aud firm even on the hottest day. Eor cooking such things as porridge during the night it is also ideal.