Encamped

There is rarely anything cooler, in my opinion, than experiencing history by living it.

Whether you are the sort who prefers historical Wars and Battles, or larger time periods, such as the Regency, or Middle Ages, or even if you have just been to one of the more hokey Renn fests, you have perhaps experienced the excitement that comes from seeing history firsthand.

Being able to smell the sharp smoke from muskets, watch a craftsman shape antler into buttons, and taste rugged campfire cooking all give one a deeper appreciation for the people who came before us, and the skills they employed.

In an age when information is available with a flurry of keystrokes, and just about anything can be delivered to one’s door, I think it’s important to take a step back in time, and reevaluate what’s really important.

This is how we camp…

What a weekend!

While last week’s roasted haunch of goat was incredibly delicious, and very fun to cook, we really outdid ourselves this weekend. We pulled out our canvas tents, packed up the cars, and set off for VT. We watched in amazement as the boiling thunderheads rolled to either side of us, and only had to duck under the tent for about thirty seconds of intense hail.

But what did we eat, you ask? A sample dinner: Game hens and rabbit roasted over an open fire, with a spread of ripe fruits, oatcakes, cheesy-meaty-biscuits, and a plethora of drinks.

Between six of us, we also neatly polished off: 1 specialty growler, 3 cases of beer, 13 ciders, 3 bottles of mead, 1 bottle each of plum, raspberry, and peach wines, 2 magnums of regular wine, and 2 bottles of home-made “Skittle Juice”. And that’s just what we drank in our own camp…

Oh, and there was also fire dancing. Epic win!

Oatcakes

“When they woke the next morning, the fire had gone out and the Liddle was gone, but he’d left a sausage for them, and a dozen oatcakes folded up neatly in a green and white cloth. Some of the cakes had pinenuts baked in them and some had blackberries. Bran ate one of each, and still did not know which sort he liked the best.” -A Storm of Swords

Traditional Bannocks

Thoughts:

While we liked both of these recipes, the traditional version really matched what we imagined from the book. They are a unique combination of crisp and soft, dry and moist. Because of their texture, they are wonderful with tea, or on a hike. We also liked the contrasting colors that resulted from mixing the blackberries in with the dough. We’d like to nibble them while out in the countryside, followed by a drink from a cold mountain stream. However, we’re glad we aren’t relying on them during a mad survival dash for The Wall…

Both recipes are available in The Cookbook!