• Last updated 11/9/11 by Nicko

There are only a few things in this world you can absolutely count on. Death and taxes are the two most familiar. Another one: Come this time of year, food forums will be covered up with discussions about Thanksgiving---the only American holiday whose sole purpose is gluttony. Cheftalk is, of course, no exception. In fact, the fun got started early this year, with a massive discussion about "traditional" foods (http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/food-cooking-questions-discussion/56677-thanksgiving-4.html). Tradition is a slippery concept. For most folks,... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by KYHeirloomer

For most of us, camp cooking starts out as skewering a hot dog to the end of a stick and holding it in the flames. But anybody who's progressed beyond that has likely cooked in foil. Foil cooking is among the earliest outdoor skills many of us learn.There are lots of benefits to cooking in foil pouches. Prep work can be done ahead of time, for instance, and then you just carry the packs ready to pop on the fire. Most food cooked in foil does not need to be minded, so you can take part in other activities until it's ready. And, with a supply of foil packs made at home... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by KYHeirloomer

There are numerous reasons why camping and fishing go together like bacon and eggs.  Sometimes the only way to spend much time at a particular lake or stream is to camp there, because there are no other facilities. There was the time, for instance, we were camped up in Montana's East Pioneer Mountains, fishing for grayling. Only way up there was by horseback, and we stayed in a semi-permanent camp put up by an outfitter. Similarly, if you want to fish for the smallmouth bass and pike of the Quetico Superior Wilderness about the only way to do so is to... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by KYHeirloomer

If you belong to the first group, may as well stop reading right now. But if you believe in setting a fine table at hunting camp, then read on. What we'll be doing is exploring the problems and special conditions inherent in cooking "gourmet," given the restrictions imposed by time, location, and available tools and appliances.First thing to keep in mind is that you have to make some compromises. To be sure, I've been fortunate, in my work, to enjoy meals at some upscale hunting camps that would hold their own against anything served in a fine-dining restaurant. Such... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by KYHeirloomer

After languishing as a footnote to culinary history, Dutch oven cooking is making a comeback. There are several influences behind this, ranging from the vast numbers of historic reenactors who use them on open fires, to the Dutch oven cooking competitions waged as part of the food-fight phenomenon that’s grown exponentially across the country. There are even a few inns that specialize in Dutch oven cookery. Dutch ovens are the most versatile cookware you can use. Name the cooking technique---from braising to baking, sautéing to deep frying, and you can do it in a Dutch... read more