Another question

[Delmonico]

OK, I am working on a book on how to do Post-Civil War camp cooking, I want it to be a book that someone with some cooking skill in the kitchen can pick up and learn what they need for equipment, groceries fires, firewood and everything else needed to do it.  There seems nothing that comes close out there so I'm going to do it. 

I don't want to miss anything someone should know so I ask, "if you wanted to learn to do this and was to buy a book to cover it, what would you want to see in it? 

[Camille Eonich]

I would want to see some ideas, ranging from simple fire pits to other more elaborate things that would work with other outdoor cooking methods, for being able to set up in my backyard.  Somewhere in here there is a post of my very simple fire pit that Stump fixed up for me but for something more elaborate maybe someone already has an outdoor fireplace (brick fire pit) that they grill on that could be utilized.  You can now buy hardwood natural charcoal you might present some way to use that to get them started.

One thing that I ran into working over my open pit was a place to do final preparations for my food and then a place for all my utensils.  I got a folding table out as a last resort but it was really too small.


Heat control, both getting the temp that you need and maintaining it.  I know that comes with experience but the more than you can put your experience into some kind of simple instructions the more likely the chef's initial success will be and the more likely they will be to keep using your book.


Products that are readily available.  Even if you really think that such and such flour ordered 3 months out from someplace in Cairo is the only way to go with a certain recipe provide a suitable alternative that can be gotten at ANY local grocery store.  I'm still waiting for creme freche (or whatever) to show in a store around here.  If the products have more that one name then put that in there too.


These days you would do well to provide some healthy alternatives to recipes as well.  For instance I love grilled onions slathered in butter, salt, pepper and garlic.  On one barbecue sight that I go to someone suggesting skipping the butter and adding a small amount of EVOO and balsamic vinegar.  AWESOME!!!

Maintenance of ovens, everything from curing them, to cleaning then to what you do if you do get a major stick or if for some reason one gets a little rust on it.


Suggestions on where to buy stuff.  Even if it's something that comes from a supermarket but that someone may not usually keep in the cupboards tell them what other products you can usually find it with.  Fire roasted peppers are usually found with pickles and olives BTW.


Simple language, WTH is prepared mustard?


Fixes for recipes.  On NOSER!  My gravy is lumpy/too thin, too thick!  How do I fix it now and why did it happen?



Does that help any at all? 

[Delmonico]

You bet, along the lines I have planned but I'm glad for the input, I may have taken on a bigger task than I thought at first, but it is going well. 

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[Delmonico]

OK Cammie, I got back was busy at work tonight.

The best way to get that natural lump charcoal lit with what little I've use it is to pile it up and get some dry twigs and some paper and build a small fire on top of it.  It catches real good that way I've found out.  Do you also want to know how to make it with a 55 gallon drum with a sealing type lid?

Rather than creme freche I bet you mean Creme fraiche (Don't know how to make the backward apostrophe for the e in Creme)

It is a less sour and thinner sour cream from France, just put unpasteurized buttermilk, sour cream or even some milk that soured in some heavy cream out in a warm place and let the lactic bacteria do it's thing a few hours.

Lumpy gravy is most often caused by not enough grease in the mix, you can add some more but at this point yer in trouble, to thin add some more flour mixed well with a bit milk or water.  To thick add more milk and keep stirring.  (You did mean cream gravy I hope.

Prepared mustard is a condiment made of ground mustard that is a thin to thick paste, the liquid can be beer, liquor, wine vinega, oilr or water and other things can be added. 

Most recipes that call for it today means that common yellow mustard sometimes called ball park mustard or American mustard or yellow mustard.  The bright yellow stuff in other words. 

I'm still tryin' to think of what flour I'd have to order from Cairo.   I've been to Cairo it's only about a 100 miles west of here and I could drive there in a short time. With only 790 folks there although I've never stopped there I can't see there grocery store having any kid of flour I couldn't get at home.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo,_Nebraska

Now if the one store in Lincoln quits carrying steel ground rye flour I may have to get my rye flour of that type from Wilbur, but since that's only 40 miles away it would be even easier to drive there or since I know folks down there they could just bring it when they come to Lincoln.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilber,_Nebraska

Since I use it mostly for Czech style rye bread it's a logical place to go, the stuff I get now comes from down that way.

Oh and since Wilber is both the Czech apital of Nebraska and the county seat of Saline County, a local joke for you:


What do they keep in the basement of the courthouse in Wilber?
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Bad Czechs. 

[Delmonico]

OK I'll keep the bad local jokes out of it.

[Stu Kettle]

I guess its funnier if you know the jail is in the basement of the courthouse

[Delmonico]

I guess its funnier if you know the jail is in the basement of the courthouse

Well we'd hope they could figger it out.

[wildman1]

Ah thought it was always there. WM

[Camille Eonich]

 

I wasn't asking questions...I was answering your question about what someone getting started might find useful in a book. 

[Delmonico]

I wasn't asking questions...I was answering your question about what someone getting started might find useful in a book. 

Oh I know, but I was showing you I had the answers.

[Oregon Bill]

Del: I'd like to see some attention to getting proportions right; for example, advice on cooking for ten and cooking for two.
There's nothing like a big old dutch oven just bursting with enough pork shoulder or brisket or some such to feed a Scout troop, then realizing the only caballeros at hand are my wife and I and we'll never eat all that chow.
Love to see an appendix showing rough dates of when 19th-century foods show up (e.g. first air tights), and also a rough date of origin for those recipes where such info is available. This seems to be a consistently popular discussion point on the Cosie forum.
You know I am a huge fan of this project, and wish you every success on it!