May 20 2008
Many paddlers, bike tourists, and hikers seem to hanker after a simpler life, and our yearning for simplicity encompasses meal-making, too. Some folks even give up cooking altogether. That’s a little too close to roughing it for most of us, though. Then again, maybe we don’t have to choose between these two extremes. There IS a middle way. Read “Minimalist Cooking” to find out more. That’s alimentary, right?
May 16 2008
Who doesn’t love ice cream? No one I know. But when you’re hot and in a primitive camp, there’s no way you can cool off with a bowl of this delicious frozen treat. Or is there?
It’s easy to make ice cream if you can pack the ingredients and some ice in a soft cooler. And making ice cream is a novel way to delight and entertain the kids, too. You’ll need only a few basic ingredients:
Combine cream, half-and-half, or milk with vanilla extract and sugar in the quart-sized zip-close freezer bag, expel as much air as possible, and seal it up — carefully. Inspect for pin-holes and put the sealed bag inside the larger bag. Then add the ice and salt to the larger bag, expel the air, and seal. Now gently knead and roll the nested bags for five to ten minutes. You may want to wear gloves, even on a hot day. The bag will be cold. (No gloves? A towel or shirt will work fine.) You’ll feel the ice cream gelling as you knead. When the ice has melted, the ice cream is ready. Don’t expect it to be rock hard, by the way. If it’s the consistency of the soft ice cream you buy from roadside stands, it’s done. Just open the outer bag, carefully extract the inner, and rinse off the salty residue. Now unseal the inner bag and dish up the ice cream. That’s all there is to it. Enjoy!
Want to learn more ways to keep cool in a hot camp? Check out “Cool Treats for Hot Days” for help in how to “Chill Out! ”
