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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



June, 1 9 13 



Care in the preparation of the food for the campers makes the cooking of it easier 



should have on it a tight-fitting cover. For best results, a 

 large flat stone should be placed over the entrance to the 

 hole, and if the food requires long heating, a small fire 

 may be kept going above. Food cooked in this manner has 

 the most delicious flavor, not to be equalled by that cooked in 

 any oven made. All these suggestions can be put into prac- 

 tice, no matter what kind of camping trip is contemplated. 



Should the trip be for a day only, fresh meat and a 

 few vegetables may be carried along. Mutton chops are 

 never so juicy and delicious as when broiled on forked sticks 

 in front of a low camp fire. The stick should be long so that 

 the cook need not stand too near the fire. 



There are many ways of cooking potatoes, all of which 

 bring good results. One of these is in an oval hole scooped 

 out under the forestick, from three to four inches deep. 

 Into this lay the potatoes which are of even size and cover 

 them over either with heated sand or ashes. If more heat 

 is desired, glowing coals may be put on top. To test the 

 potatoes, run a small pointed stick into them. This is for 

 two reasons — first, to see if the potatoes are done, and sec- 

 ond, to let the steam escape. Another way to cook potatoes 

 is to roll them in large leaves, holding them in place with 

 small twigs and placing them under the ashes. 



If they are to be boiled, remember the best of the potato 

 lies just under the skin. Wash thoroughly, cut out the 

 eye, and if a bit is cut off the end, it keeps them from burst- 

 ing open. It is better to put into cold water and let them 

 come to a boil, for the reason that the skin of a potato 

 contains an acid poison which this method extracts. Boil 

 gently, but continuously, and throw in a little salt in the 

 water. 



If the camping trip is made near the salt water, where 

 fish may be procured, nothing tastes so good as a fish 

 chowder, a very famous recipe for which was given by 

 Daniel Webster: "Cod of ten or twelve pounds, well 



cleaned, leaving on the skin, cut into slices of one and one 

 half pounds each, preserving the head whole. One and one 

 half pounds clear, fat salt pork, cut into thin slices; slice 

 twelve potatoes, take the largest pot you have, try out the 

 pork first, then take out the pieces of pork, leaving in the 

 drippings. Add to that three pints of water, a layer of 

 fish, so as to cover up the bottom of the pot, next a layer of 

 potatoes, and then two tablespoonfuls of salt, one teaspoon- 

 ful 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 will follow these suggestions. An onion is 

 added if you like that flavor." 



Possibly the fish will be baked. This can be done in your 

 "hole-in-the-ground" oven. Take the fish, which should be 

 fresh, to the side of the water where there is plenty of mud. 

 Rub it over with the soft clay, particularly against the scales 

 and gills, and let it set for a while. Then roll out a flat 

 surface of clay, putting the fish into the center of it and roll- 

 ing it over. If there is any trouble in its staying, it can be 

 fastened with fine wire or cord. Dry this before the fire 

 for a few minutes, then bury it in the oven with plenty of 

 hot coals and ashes, until the clay is very hard. Take this 

 out and crack it open with the hatchet. You will find that 

 the scales and skin of the fish will come off and that it will 

 split in two pieces, so that the spine may be easily taken out. 

 The inside waste material will have shrunk to a small ball 

 which can be removed easily. The flesh of the fish is then 

 ready for serving and when eaten off a board or plate with 

 a little salt sifted over it, it is a joy which will never be lost, 

 its flavor returning to memory at any thought of fish baking. 



