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+--- Thread: Wine & Camping Ideas (/thread-16873.html)
- NorCalGirl - 07-22-2003
Here's the background: My boyfriend and I along with a number of our friends are very regular campers (the wimpy kind - we all have motorhomes or travel trailers) and never do we take a trip with out a good stash of wine. This summer, talk has gone back and forth about a camping trip that actually integrates wine as part of the trip. It looks like I'm finally going to put something together for Labor Day weekend. We will probably concentrate on Zins from El Dorado County since that is where we will camp.
So here's the question...any fun ideas to do food and wine one evening? I'm thinking a tasting followed by dinner where everyone can polish off their favorite wine from the tasting. It would be fun to do a theme but I haven't come up with too much so far (pizza? fondue?) Any ideas??? Keep in mind we're camping but we all have full kitchens so preparation is not a problem although the simpler the better...fun, casual and/or wacky is certainly acceptable in our group. I have already searched the archives with little success. I look forward to hearing what your creative minds can come up with!
Thanks in advance....
- cablover - 07-22-2003
We go up to a lake every year with a group. One time we had a wine tasting party. Everyone had to bring a bottle of something they like (for a couple that means 2 bottles). We each had to also bring a cheese that would go with our wine. Then everyone wrote on an index card a description of their wine and their cheese. We passed out wine tasting note paper so everyone could have their notes for future use. This was followed by a light dinner during which the wine was finished. It was one of our most memorable dinners. A huge success.
- wondersofwine - 07-23-2003
How about grilled tri tips to go with the Zinfandel? Less expensive than some other cuts of steak, and can be done with brown gravy or barbeque sauce. Could add mushrooms, onions, or bell pepper strips if so inclined.
- winedope1 - 07-23-2003
great idea WOW. When camping I often do this, marinating and freezing the meat before the trip so as not to worry about refrigeration. By the time I'm ready to cook it, the meat is thawed but I don't have to worry about spoilage. WD
- Innkeeper - 07-23-2003
If planning a dish or dishes that require a lot of ingredients that you are not apt to have in your camper, do the following: Put dry ingredients in plastic bags with tags on them. Liquid ingredients can go into small jars. Even if recipes call for adding different things at different times, you usually don't loose too much by throwing everything in at once.
Have been going through my recipe files looking for something else, and found four of our old camping recipes and "packet contents." They are for Jambalaya, Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice), Stroganofff Stew, and Swedish Meatballs. I said they were "old" recipes!
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 07-26-2003).]
- stevebody - 07-24-2003
Here's a neat little idea that I've used repeatedly:
Find a good Paella recipe that uses a simple sofrito (the garlic/onion paste that flavors paella) and make the sofrito ahead of time. Cool it and seal in a jar. Take the veggies the recipe calls for and plunge them into a pot of rapidly boiling water for about a minute, followed by a quick plunge into an ice bath. Seal these in a ziplock bag. Take jars or cans of your own or a commercial chicken broth.
Cook off either Bomba (preferrably) or Arborio rice until it is just slightly crunchy and drain. Rinse it lightly, ONCE. Cool in the fridge and package in Tupperware.
At the campsite, in a large flat pan (a paella pan is great but a good UNCOATED fry pan will work) pour in about half the broth/stock and bring to a boil. Add the veggies and let them boil for about a minute. Add your sausage, clams, chicken, or whatever you like in paella and give that about a minute. DON'T add shrimp yet, if you're using that. Add the rice and a good chunk of the sofrito - consult your recipe for excat quantities and, of course, adjust for volume - and stir well. Bring to a fast boil and cover. Check it quickly and add the shrimp at the very last minute, to avoid overcooking. Let it cook long enough for the liquid to be absorbed. (You can also start this recipe with dry rice. I've just simplified it to make it faster and more camping-friendly. If you're doing it this way, remember: The rice has already absorbed most of the liquid it can. Reduce your amount of stock/broth and don't let the rice swim in liquid.)
The important thing is to LEAVE IT ALONE. Don't complusively stir it. You want that nice brown, caramelized crust to form on the rice at the bottom of the pan. When it looks dry and you start to see good browning at the edges, turn off heat and scrape the bottom, turning it over as you go.
That's it. Serve with a great, cheap Spanish wine like Vina Alarba, Etim, Torres Sangre de Toro, Mas Igneus Barranc dels Closos, Vega Sindoa Tampranillo-Merlot, Marques de Grinon Durius Tempranillo, or Finca Antigua Tempranillo.
People will think you're cool...
[This message has been edited by stevebody (edited 07-24-2003).]
- curious - 07-28-2003
I don't know how this sounds to you, but salmon steaks are easy to fix, my hubby grills them, with a little lemon pepper, and we have a salad and baked potato.
Boneless, skinless chicken "steaks" are also easy to fix. Marinate them in ziploc bags, and then you can grill or bake them as you want them.
Hubby and I have also pre-baked (or pre-cooked) potatoes and corn on the cob for a shiskibob (forgive the misspelling). Then, we finish them up with pieces of sauages, grill them, and have a tray of cheeses, olives and finger vegies (carrots, celery and such) to round it all up.
As for wines, that seems to be personal choices, we are still learning what we like.
Have fun,we are going to the Smoky Mt. in Sept for a week. Renting a cabin.
Will have to bring our own wine, it is a dry county, we were told.
Janette
- Drew - 07-29-2003
Do a total grill party. Pre marinade meat/chicken with different marinades ahead of time and freeze, thawing prior to cooking. Corn, with husk on, can be soaked in water and cooked on the fire or grill. Grill veggies also, zuccini, onion, peppers, asparagus, whatever and combine with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lime juice as a grilled veggie salad. Zins would pair well. Have fun.
Drew