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  Canoe and Camp Cookery:

  A PRACTICAL COOK BOOK

  FOR

  CANOEISTS, CORINTHIAN SAILORS AND OUTERS.

  By "SENECA."


  NEW YORK:
  FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO.,
  1885.


  Copyright,
  FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO.
  1885.




CONTENTS.


PART I.--CANOE COOKERY.

  CHAPTER I.
                                                                      Page.
  Outfit for Cooking on a Cruise.--Value of a Single Receptacle for
  Everything Necessary to Prepare a Meal.--The Canoeist's "Grub
  Box."--The Same as a Seat.--Water-tight Tins.--Necessary Provisions
  and Utensils.--Waterproof Bags for Surplus Provisions.--Portable
  Oven.--Canoe Stoves.--Folding Stoves a Nuisance.--Hints for
  Provisioning for a Cruise.                                              9

  CHAPTER II.

  Soups.--Canned Soups.--The Brunswick Goods Cheap, Wholesome and
  Convenient.--Huckins' Soups.--Oyster, Clam, Onion and Tomato
  Soups.                                                                 17

  CHAPTER III.

  Fish.--Fish Caught in Muddy Streams.--Kill your Fish as soon as
  Caught.--Fish Grubs.--Fish Fried, Planked, Skewered and
  Boiled.--Fish Sauce, Fish Roe, Shell Fish.                             20

  CHAPTER IV.

  Meats and Game.--Salt Pork.--Ham and Eggs.--Broiling and Boiling
  Meats.--Pigeons, Squirrels, Ducks, Grouse, Woodcock, Rabbits,
  Frogs, etc.                                                            25

  CHAPTER V.

  Vegetables.--Potatoes and Green Corn, Boiled, Fried, Roasted and
  Stewed.                                                                30

  CHAPTER VI.

  Coffee and Tea.--Mush, Johnnycake and Hoe Cake.--Slapjacks,
  Corn Dodgers, Ash Cakes, Biscuits, Camp Bread.--Eggs.                  34


PART II.--CAMP COOKERY.

  CHAPTER I.

  Outfit.--Go Light as Possible.--Carriage of Provisions and
  Utensils.--Camp Stoves, Ice-Boxes and Hair Mattresses.--The Bed
  of "Browse."--How to Make a Cooking Range Out-of-doors.--Building
  the Fire.--A Useful Tool.--Construction of Coffee Pot and Frying
  Pan.--Baking in Camp.--Fuel for Camp-fire.--Kerosene and Alcohol
  Stoves.--Camp Table.--Washing Dishes, etc.                             42

  CHAPTER II.

  Soups.--General Remarks on Cooking Soups.--Soups Made of Meat,
  Vegetables, Deer's Heads, Small Game, Rice, Fish, and Turtle.          50

  CHAPTER III.

  Fish.--Fish Baked, Plain and Stuffed.--Fish Gravy.--Fish
  Chowder.--Clam Chowder.--Orthodox Clam Chowder.                        55

  CHAPTER IV.

  Meats and Game.--Hash.--Pork and Beans.--Game Stew.--Brunswick
  Stew.--Roast Venison.--Baked Deer's Head.--Venison Sausages.--Stuffed
  Roasts of Game.--Woodchucks, Porcupines, 'Possums and Pigs.            59

  CHAPTER V.

  Preparation of Vegetables for Cooking.--Time Table for Cooking
  Vegetables.--Cabbage, Beets, Greens, Tomatoes, Turnips, Mushrooms,
  Succotash, etc.                                                        67

  CHAPTER VI.

  Boiled Rice.--Cracked Wheat.--Hominy Grits.--Batter Cakes.--Rice
  Cakes.--Puddings.--Welsh Rarebit.--Fried Bread for Soups.--Stewed
  Cranberries.                                                           74

  CHAPTER VII.

  Dishes for Yachtsmen.--Macaroni, Boiled and Baked.--Baked
  Turkey.--Pie Crust.--Brown Betty.--Apple Pudding.--Apple Dumplings.    80

  HINTS.                                                                 88




PREFACE.


A BOOK in the writer's possession, entitled "Camp Cookery," contains
the following recipe:

"BOILED GREEN CORN.--Boil twenty-five minutes, if very young and
tender. As it grows older it requires a longer time. Send to the table
in a napkin."

The writer of the above is a good housewife. She cannot conceive
that anybody will attempt to boil green corn who does not know such
rudiments of the culinary art as the proper quantity of water to put
into the pot and the necessity of its being slightly salted and at a
boil when the corn is put in, instead of fresh and cold; and, like the
careful cook that she is, she tells the camper to send the ears to the
camp "table" in a "napkin."

The faults of the above recipe are the faults of all recipes furnished
by the majority of books on out-door life. They do not instruct in
those rudimentary principles of cooking so important to the outer who
has eaten all his life no food except that furnished him ready for
instant despatch; and they commend to the camper dishes that require
materials and utensils for their preparation which are seldom at hand
in the field and forest.

The object of this little volume is to give to the Corinthian cruiser
and the camper some practical recipes for simple but substantial
dishes, in such a manner that the veriest novice in the art of
the kitchen may prepare palatable food with no more materials and
paraphernalia than are consistent with light cruising and comfortable
camping. The first part, "Canoe Cookery," instructs in such dishes as
the limited outfit of the canoeist or camper who "packs" his dunnage
afoot will admit of, while the second part, "Camp Cookery," deals
with the more elaborate _menu_ that can be prepared when ease of
transportation will allow the carriage of a more extensive supply.

Few of the recipes given are original with the compiler. Some have been
obtained from trappers and hunters, others from army and navy cooks,
and a few from cook books; but all have been practically tested in camp
or on a cruise by the writer, whose pleasure in out-door cooking is
only equalled by his delight in out-door life.




CANOE AND CAMP COOKERY.




PART I.--CANOE COOKERY.




CHAPTER I.

  OUTFIT FOR COOKING ON A CRUISE.--VALUE OF A SINGLE RECEPTACLE
    FOR EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO PREPARE A MEAL.--THE
    CANOEIST'S "GRUB BOX."--THE SAME AS A SEAT.--WATER-TIGHT
    TINS.--NECESSARY PROVISIONS AND UTENSILS.--WATERPROOF
    BAGS FOR SURPLUS PROVISIONS.--PORTABLE
    OVEN.--CANOE STOVES.--FOLDING STOVES A
    NUISANCE.--HINTS FOR PROVISIONING FOR A CRUISE.


FOR canoe cruising a certain amount of food supplies and the necessary
utensils for cooking should be carried in a single box or chest, so
that when one cooks a meal on board he may have in one receptacle
everything necessary for preparing a meal, and when going ashore
for his repast he can take in his hands everything requisite at one
journey. If on a long cruise the large portion of his food supply may
be kept in different parts of the canoe, but the box should contain
sufficient for at least three meals, and can be replenished from the
larger store when stopping for the night or at a camping place for any
length of time. The larger the box that his stowage room will allow the
greater will be the comfort of the canoeist.

The box may be made of wood, tin or galvanized iron. The former costs
but little, can be made by the cruiser himself, and if properly made
and properly taken care of, should answer the purpose; but a box of
either japanned or painted tin or galvanized iron will stand much
knocking about without fracture, and is therefore preferable when its
expense is no objection. Of course it must be water-tight, and if made
of wood the nicest joining and dove-tailing must be done, and it should
be varnished inside and out with shellac or boat varnish. Arbitrary
dimensions cannot be given because of the varying sizes of canoes and
the different amounts of provisions carried on cruises, therefore let
each canoeist first determine what amount and variety of eatables he
will carry, and then construct the box according to his needs and his
stowage room in the cockpit. If made of wood quarter inch or 5/16 stuff
(pine) will do, and if the box is to be used as a seat the top and
bottom pieces should be heavier, say 3/8 of an inch. The cover should
be two inches deep and the handle by which the box is carried should be
a thin, wide, flat strap tacked to the cover. If the box is not used
as a seat but is stowed under the deck it will be found an advantage
to have the flanges of the cover fall over the side pieces of the box
and the strap tacked to one end piece, carried over the cover and
fastened by a hook to an eye in the other end piece in reach of the
hand, so that the cover may be removed and articles obtained from the
box without taking it from under the deck. If used as a seat the cover
may be hinged on one side and two hooks fastened at the ends on the
other, and for the back rest two pieces of three-quarter inch pine are
screwed to the sides, running aft horizontally six or eight inches from
the aftermost end of the box, holes being bored in them an inch apart
"athwartship" and cut opposite each other, through which a quarter-inch
brass rod is passed for the back rest to play on. As the lower end of
the back rest strikes the end of the box near the floor when in use, it
may be "slanted" as inclination demands by changing the brass rod from
one set of holes to another.

[Illustration]

To carry the provisions in the box so that they will not mix or spill,
several water-tight tins should be used. The Consolidated Fruit Jar
Company, 49 Warren Street, New York, makes tin screw-tops for jars and
canisters that are perfectly water-tight. Send for several of these
tops, of assorted sizes, and have a tinsmith make the tin cans of the
dimensions you desire, so that they will nest in the box closely. The
same company will also furnish you with a pint or quart earthen jar
with water-tight screw-top, in which butter may be kept sweet for a
long time in hot weather, and which may be enveloped in a net and
lowered to the bottom of the river or lake without fear of its leaking.

In the tin cans may be carried coffee, tea (or cocoa), sugar, flour
(or meal), rice and alcohol. (A special screw-top is made for fluid
cans.) Pepper and salt are in small spice boxes with two covers, the
one underneath being perforated. Eggs are safest carried in the tins
with the flour, coffee and rice; bread and bacon (or salt pork) are
wrapped in macintosh and put near the top of the chest; the vinegar
goes in a whisky flask (mark it to avoid mistakes), and canned goods,
condensed milk, baking powder, etc., in their own cans. The alcohol
stove and utensils necessary to cook a meal should go in the box,
such as coffee pot, cup, fork, knife, spoon, frying pan and plates.
The coffee pot should be of small size, with handle and lip riveted.
If soldered, they are likely to melt off. Cups or plates should be of
tin or granite ware. The fork and knife have their sheaths of leather
inside the box cover. The plates should nest in the frying pan, which
should have no handle, and is fastened inside the chest cover by two
buttons, so that it may be readily released. Next the knife and fork
have a sheath for a pair of small blacksmith's pliers. This instrument
serves as a handle to the frying pan and a lifter for everything on
the fire, and can always be kept cool. A three-quart tin or granite
ware pail is necessary for stews, and two smaller ones may be nested
in it, of two-quart and three-pint capacity, respectively. Put the can
of condensed milk in the smallest pail. It will be out of the way,
and won't make the rest of the things in the chest sticky. If you
carry potatoes, onions or other vegetables, always have enough in the
chest for three meals. The surplus supplies of provisions, such as
vegetables, extra bread, crackers, flour, meal, pork or bacon, etc.,
should be carried in waterproof bags, and they can then be stowed
wherever necessary to properly trim the canoe. These waterproof bags
may be used also for clothing and blankets. They are made of unbleached
muslin, sewn in a lap seam, with a double row of stitches. When sewn
they are dipped in water and slightly shaken to remove the drops, and
then while wet a mixture of equal parts of boiled oil, raw oil and
turpentine is applied to the outside with a brush. This takes about
a week to become thoroughly dry, and then another coat is put on
without dampening the cloth, and if a little liquid drier is added to
the mixture, this coat will dry in four or five days. Having prepared
several bags, the provisions, clothing, blankets, etc., are put in the
bag, and its mouth is inserted in that of another bag of the same size,
the latter being drawn on like a stocking as far as it will go. If
several bags are used instead of one or two large ones, the canoe can
be trimmed and packed to better advantage.

A canoeist's portable oven is made of two small basins, one of which
has "ears" riveted to its rim, so that when it is placed bottom up
on the other the ears will spring over the rim of the second basin,
thus making an oven that is not air-tight, allowing gases to escape.
The basins should be made of sheet-iron, and, as their interiors
can easily be kept clean, they answer very well for soup dishes.
Instructions for baking in them will be given later on. These should
not go in the provision chest, as they will smut everything with which
they come in contact. Butter, I have found, keeps better in its jar
outside of the chest than in. Outside, too, are kept a small jug of
molasses, and a jug of fresh water, if cruising on the "briny."

There is no perfect canoe stove. The "flamme forcé" is probably as
good as any. It takes up a little more room than the folding "pocket"
variety, and it does not give more heat; but it burns for a longer
time, and is not top-heavy when a heavy pot or pan is set on it. For
cooking in large utensils have three of these flamme forcé alcohol
lamps, light them and place them side by side, and you can cook in this
way a dozen slapjacks at once on a big griddle, if you like. Danforth,
the fluid man, makes a small canoe stove that would be preferable to
all others if his fluid were obtainable at all the corners of the
earth that canoeists frequent; but unfortunately it is not. Beware of
"folding stoves" to use ashore and burn wood in. They are the greatest
possible nuisances--smutty, red-hot and cumbersome. Don't carry an oil
stove. But if you really must, put the nasty thing in a large bucket,
and only remove it from this receptacle when absolutely necessary.

Now as to eatables in general, besides what I have already mentioned,
condensed milk is a good thing, but condensed coffee, condensed eggs
and condensed beef are abominations. Self-raising or Hecker's prepared
flour, wheat, rye, Indian or Graham, is easily made into bread and
slapjacks. The directions come with the packages. Pilot bread will
keep an indefinite time, and is not so unpalatable as hard-tack.
Indian meal is very nutritious and easily made up, as it requires
nothing to lighten it; scald it before using when it is not fresh.
Canned tomatoes, corn, fruits, beans, soups, salmon, etc., are easy to
prepare, and can be stored as ballast in the canoe. Mr. Hicks, of the
Toronto Canoe Club, prepares certain kinds of food in cans for ballast
as follows, according to the _American Canoeist_:

"Get a number of flat square tin cans made like oyster cans, of a handy
size to lie under your floor boards. Then cook a turkey, some chickens,
a sirloin of beef, etc. Cut the hot meat up into large dice-shaped
pieces, and put it in the tins hot, then pour melted fat in till the
tins are full, and then solder them tight. Get as much meat in as you
can before putting in the fat. Put up fruit in square flat cans in
the same way. There is your ballast, and heavy stuff it is. When the
provisions run short let the crew feed on the ballast. The preparation
described is far more nutritious than canned corned beef, is more
palatable, and will keep indefinitely--that is, throughout a very long
cruise."

I have not tried this method of preserving provisions, but the theory
is excellent, and I do not see why it would not be a feasible scheme.
The Brunswick canned soups are the cheapest made, are easily prepared
and as wholesome as any; but I have known squeamish canoeists who would
not use them because they didn't like the looks of the powder to which
they are desiccated. Dried beef, corned beef, lemons and sardines make
good additions to an outfit. Potatoes, onions and other vegetables
should be procured en route as needed, if possible.

As it may puzzle some neophytes to know how much of each article of
food to take on a cruise, I give below the exact amount of provisions
I carried on