Jan 09 2008
Outdoor Country Cooking
Home is where the hearth is. If outdoor country cooking is fun and heart warming, it is because of its simplicity and down-to-earth methods of cooking. The tradition of country cooking is associated with nomadic tribes and early settlers of North America. Over the years these have been refined and modern techniques have simplified the way we cook, but the spirit of country cooking is different from cooking in kitchens.
The Freshness of Country Cooking
The basic difference in country cooking and kitchens is the freshness of the ingredients used in cooking. All food is cooked from scratch and from what is available. In kitchens we pull out pre-cooked food from refrigerators lying in cold storage for weeks and flavor food with packaged and ready-to –use ingredients. Country cooking requires much more ingenuity and creativity.
Country cooking is more of a community activity rather than a single family-based activity. Different people do different things to prepare the meal. The first thing to be done is to get the fire burning which is done outdoors, weather permitting, on stones and wood collected from the forests. Country cooking makes use of wild vegetables, fruits, fish and wild game from the wilderness. On bad days, it is not unusual for the community to be partially or totally vegetarian.
Country cooking is often high in fat and carbohydrates as the community is usually involved in hard manual work. The easiest way of cooking meat is roasting on skewers over the flames. Roasting is preferred to grilling as the oil that drips from the meat can be collected in a pan and reused. Most country cooked dishes have flavors of the smoke on which it is cooked. It takes time to get used to this smoky taste, but the freshness of food surpasses all smell and taste.
In the earlier days, utensils used in country cooking were mainly of clay/earthen pots and wooden spoons. The common way of cooking in country kitchens is a simple covered pit with fire under it. Another common method is wrapping food in clay and leaf wrapping. Banana leaves are extensively used as it does not burn easily over a flame. One very down-to-earth method is placing food on heated stones or dropping a heated stone into a pot. Modern day country cooking now uses solar cookers.
The outdoor country cooking activity unifies a community that works together, cooks together and eats together. The helping, giving and sharing creates lasting bonds of friendship and love.
Holiday Menus
(NC)—Try making this delicious Homegrown Ontario Pulled Pork simple slow cooker recipe this holiday season and see the difference a little planning makes. Great as an appetizer served on a crostini, this savoury morsel will save you time in the kitchen while impressing your guests. More delicious appetizer recipes can be found online at [...]
(NC)—Adding new flavour to traditional foods can be fun and be a great way to get family members to try new foods. Indian flavoured products are becoming widely available and provide a great opportunity to create mouthwatering recipes for the whole family. This shrimp korma recipe is a quick and easy one for the entire [...]
(NC)—Mulligatawny soup originally became popular with the British stationed in India (employees of the East India Company) during Colonial Times. When they returned home, they brought the recipe back with them to England, and to other members of the Commonwealth. In fact Mulligatawny is the Anglicized name of two words for “pepper water,” molegoo (pepper) [...]
(NC)—Here are two easy ways to bring some excitement to your next children’s party – Wacky Waikiki or Purple Razzle Dazzle Shakes. For dozens more delicious treats to thrill your child, visit www.homebasics.ca.
Wacky Waikiki Shake
2 large ripe bananas, peeled and quartered
1 can frozen pineapple or pineapple-orange juice concentrate, thawed (6 oz)
1/2 cup milk
4 scoops Breyers [...]
Savor the Flavor Every Day, Every Way
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(ARA) – Long overlooked, mushrooms are nature’s hidden treasure for helping those focusing on living a healthful life. To promote the nutritional benefits of fresh produce this back-to-school season, Weight Watchers continues Pick of the Season, a public health initiative spotlighting seasonal fruit and vegetables, with recipes this quarter [...]
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Luxury items like prepackaged or single serve meals [...]
Blueberries are most abundant and least expensive in the summer, making it an ideal time to get your fill of these little blue gems. Stock the fridge and freezer with blueberries to make meals, snacks and desserts that are easy on the cook. Blueberries never need to be peeled, pitted, stemmed or chopped –just a [...]