Camping

I've just returned from camping up at the Nerd's family cabin. His grandmother's dad built it for his mom. It's a lovely little place without electricity or hot water. There is a gas range, but the oven doesn't work. That's a bit of a bummer because I'd love to bake a pie. However, I suspect not having the oven working is a safety thing as well. If the oven worked, someone might forget it is on when they leave, and we definitely don't want to see the consequences of that.

Having the new gas range up there is great for making delicious meals while away. Using a two burner camp stove just doesn't provide enough room or control for whipping up a hot breakfast without frustration. Trust me, I know from experience.

In case anyone is wondering, there is no refrigerator. We used a cooler and what was considered a refrigerator in the late 1920's. It's a box built onto the outside of the back of the house. It doesn't get a lot of sun, and because we're up between 4000 and 5000 ft on the mountain. It stays nice and cool.

Of course I took along the trusty cast iron skillet. It was its first time on a gas stove, and it's first time at the cabin. It performed beautifully, and I believe I have another best friend in my kitchen.

There are utensils and dishes at the cabin, but I took along my own spatulas and tongs. However, I was risking cross contamination from the flatware and the other dishes I used. But, I ended up having no problems and everything was up to par.



I did miscount the amount of my loaf of bread I'd need for the trip, so I had to remove toast from the breakfasts and serve one of the sandwiches open face. It all worked out thanks to a 5 pound bag of potatoes I brought along. No, we didn't eat 5 pounds of potatoes but we ate about 2 1/2 pounds between us.

Here's all of what we ate, and how we breezed through that many potatoes:

Friday Dinner: Imagine Foods Creamy Sweet Corn and Lemongrass Soup with Salad with Homeade Dressing and Cottage Fries(meant to be toast)



Saturday Breakfast: Kapalua Farms Eggs, Cottage Fries, and Kula Country Farms Strawberries



Saturday Lunch: Tofu, Tomato, Avocado Sandwiches

Saturday Dinner: Maui Cattle Company New York Steak, French Fries, Papa Leroy's local Sauteed Spinach with Pine Nuts

Sunday Breakfast: Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Gluten Free Hot Cereal with cinnamon, nutmeg, and Kula Country Farms Strawberries



Sunday Lunch: Open Face BLT Sandwiches along with a salad and leftover corn and lemongrass soup

Sunday Dinner: Chili beans, local onion, and gluten free TVP spiced up chili style on top of Gluten Free Hoecakes and Salad

Monday Breakfast: Kapalua Farms Eggs, Bacon, and fried potatoes and local onions


There was also a Chocolate Chess Pie to eat for dessert of the course of our stay. It absolutely was the best pie I've ever eaten.

The Tofu, Tomato, Avocado sandwich shocked and awed the Nerd. He wants more.

The Nerd was also amazed at how tasty the Alae sea salt is compared to standard iodized salt. He even called the iodized salt "cardboard salt." He told me about a TV show he saw on which people were taste testing different kinds of salts and were astonished to find such variations in the flavors. Looks like I might have a salt connoisseur on my hands before too long.

What's for dinner tonight? Lentils and Burnt Onions from Mark Bittman. Although, I think I'll do like someone else did over at Cheap Healthy Good and add a few extras to it. Gotta have those extra veggies whenever you can. I do know that I am out of spinach, but I've got some kale I could steal from if I want to.

While I was away I worked up a new life schedule for myself. That's what getting away to the cabin is for. It's for time to think and manifest things for your life. Time to step back, way back, and look down at the world and view how you've been fitting into it. It's a good place to question whether or not you're liking how you're fitting into things, and how things are working out for you.

I also had time to think on what my next few steps in life will be now that I've graduated.

Don't you all worry though, because this blog did get a daily slot in my schedule. I'll do my best to not neglect posting again, unless I absolutely must. I do enjoy sharing with you all. It's like having you sit at my dining table, even if you're not saying anything. Perhaps your mouths are busy savoring something delicious.

P.S. While I was at the cabin I came across a Wusthof Classic Icon 8" Hollow Ground Carving Knife. People get rid of their unwanted utensils and cookware at the cabin, so since there were so many other knives already there the Nerd thought I should go ahead and snag that little treasure. It's his family, so I accepted his word. I saw the name Wusthof, thought it felt good, and brought it home. Little did I know that it originally retails for $165!