Camp Food

Going on camp in the school holidays was always exciting, making new friends, taking on new responsibilities, and the best was exploring the kitchen when it was your turn to cook for the whole camp. Under supervision of course. It was so exciting playing with gadgets never before seen. My favourite was the toaster where you can toast rows and rows of bread at once. All you had to do was lay the bread down flat in single rows of four and the the machine would slide the bread through the heated grills and out they would pop on the other side ready for stacking, then to be served.

For breakfast within New Zealand a favourite is baked beans which are small oval beans soaked in a can of tomato sauce. Baked beans are also a favourite among kids as they make you fart. The boys would always have farting contests on who could fart the loudest, or smelliest. They also make a huge mess, smell disgusting and taste bland. But the thing is people love them served on toast smothered in butter. Other popular toast spreads were honey, peanut butter and marmite... now marmite is another story. A tip for anyone overseas who gets the chance to try it, always remember LESS IS BEST! It does taste amazing though especially with melted cheese on top. I must say marmite is a taste you will never forget.

Lunch on camps were always simple, hamburgers, mac and cheese, toasted sandwiches, fruit salads, or pizzas. What kid doesn't love any of the above!!! I loved making hamburgers, getting to choose what went on it was always fun. My best ingredients for making a hamburger are: toasted bun, tomato or sweet chili sauce on the bun, followed by the beef or chicken meat paddy, cheese so the paddy melts it, cooked burnt slimy onions bits, cucumber, lettuce, then slam the top of the bun on top squishing it all together.

Dinners on camps were always simple; lots of veggies such as carrots cooked in honey which made them sweet, mashed potatoes, beans, peas, corn on the cob, kumera (sweet potato), with chicken drumsticks. Sometimes it would be nachos, but never any good as there were always too many soy beans mixed in the mince. Yuck! Corn fritters with bacon were also very popular.

But best of all was always...

Dessert!!!!

Dessert was always exciting!!!! Especially when you could have seconds. We would be able to choose from chocolate moose, jelly (jell0), fruit salad and ice cream. Mmmmm yum ice cream!!!

I never remember been hungry... for snacks between meals there were always freshly baked muffins and lots of fruit choices.

Camps in New Zealand are usually based on farm like grounds, therefore scraps would be collected in buckets for the pigs... as part of the clean up if you were sadly on dishes was feeding the pigs. They always smelt and were huge when they wobbled up towards the fence waiting for you to pour the food in there containers.

Majority of camps run in our Summer holidays which starts mid December and lasts until early February. Once Christmas was over it would be time to start packing bags.

Mmmmm Christmas feasts. Summer in New Zealand represents Christmas. Santa in New Zealand wears short red shorts, with jandals (flip flops) along with his red hat and a white open vest.

Usually our main Christmas meal is a bbq of steaks, kebabs, and sausages served with various types of salads and pasta dishes. Im sure though that most people hang out for the pudding... or maybe I just do!

Classic Christmas puddings are pavlova which is similar to a giant meringue but it dissolves in your mouth like candy floss. Served with whipped cream on top, icing sugar, sliced strawberries, and kiwifruit (I think called just kiwi overseas).