A cast iron pot, frypan, or skillet over a campfire is the best for outdoor cooking (unless you are using a BBQ). Build the campfire up then let the flames die down until the embers are glowing red hot. Cook directly over these hot embers rather than in the flames; or place a grill over the embers to use as a barbeque.
Damper on a stick
The timeless tradition of camp fire eating is making your own damper. Damper is cross between a scone and bread in many respects; lovely hot with butter and jam.
Our friends at Bluelightcamping suggest these ingredients to make 4 servings:
500g self-raising flour
small amount of salt
Maybe some grated Parmesan cheese
200ml water
A foil-covered stick
Chocolate spread or Jam
- Put flour and salt in a bowl and mix well. Add water a little at a time and knead gently until mixture forms a soft dough. Mix in the cheese.
- Divide the dough into eight equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough in your hands until it is a long, thin sausage shape. Wrap it around a foil-covered stick and press to ensure it is well attached.
- Carefully hold the stick over the embers of the camp fire for 10 minutes, turning regularly.
- When firm to the touch, carefully slide the dampers off the stick.
- Fill the cavity down the centre with chocolate spread or jam.
Marshmallow shots
This started out in my family as a substitute at Easter time when we had a bottle of Baileys (the creamy liqueur; not Richard Bailey’s own brew) but no glasses to drink from. We helped ourselves to a few of the kids’ Easter eggs, the ones that are the size of a regular egg and come in a tray. We carefully nibbled the top off and filled the egg with our Baileys. Then, nibbling away around the edges taking sips of Baileys as you go. This tradition extended to chocolate Santa Claus figures at Christmas. We started this in 2002 but we note Facebook has been showing this same yummy tradition more recently.
Since then we have tried it with marshmallows. Simply stick a marshmallow on the end of a stick and hold over the fire until nicely toasted. Scoop out the middle (it’s hot, be careful) and fill with Baileys. Open mouth and place the whole tasty morsel in. Yummo! As an alternative for the children, try placing a Rolo into the marshmallow before toasting. The Rolo will melt inside the marshmallow. Again, open mouth and place the whole tasty morsel in. Another yummo!