It's All About the Flame: Barbecues and Campfires as Cookout Staples

If you’re an avid camper, you know that meals are always an exciting part of the experience. Unless you’re incredibly organized, it’s easy to forget a cooking utensil, the can opener, or even coals for the barbecue – and unless there’s a store nearby, you’re usually out of luck. In my personal experience, we’ve used small tree branches to stir food, keys to break open tough packaging, and hammers to crack lobsters; I’ve even been known to shape a piece of Styrofoam into a spoon.

As with many other locations, Cape Breton campouts center around the barbecue. It doesn’t matter whether the barbecue is top-of-the-line or full of rust spots, the food tastes the same. The great thing about barbecuing is that almost any food can be grilled to perfection, as long as the potatoes are started one hour early. Meat, vegetables, shiskabobs – if you can eat it, it can be cooked on the barbecue.

Of course, with the evolution of small camping stoves, campers no longer have to drag around their heavy, portable barbecue and bags of coal (except for those of us who can’t do without). Over the years, camping has become more luxurious, and although a tenting or RV site equipped with electricity makes the entire adventure easier, it also takes away from the fun.

Now, kids use metal marshmallows sticks. Prefabricated sticks. When I was a kid, we embarked on a serious journey into the forest to find the perfect roasting stick – one long enough to reach the flames without burning our arms and thick enough to firmly hold a weenie. There is nothing quite like the taste of snacks roasted over a campfire and if you are new to camping, it’s an outdoor must-have.

If you will be setting up camp in a fire-friendly location (which often feature fireproof bowls or barrels for added safety) – especially if you will be travelling with children – be sure to get a campfire going. Invite any nearby children and watch their faces glow with delight as they toast that perfectly browned marshmallow or hot dog.

If you’re feeling particularly brave, stock up on chocolate pieces and graham wafers. Slide a mix of chocolate, cracker, and marshmallow onto your stick and savour one of the most delicious combinations to ever hit a campground.

They’re not called s’mores for nothing!

To read more about camping cookware go to: http://www.momanddadcamping.com/camping/campfire-cooking/how-select-camping-cookware.html