Date:         Sat, 26 Aug 2000 12:09:18 -0700
Reply-To:     Chuck & Lillian <lfjohnson@loop.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chuck & Lillian <lfjohnson@loop.com>
Subject:      Re: Westy Cookware
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

There are some nice nesting stainless steel camping cookware sets
available, often with carrying sacks.

An enameled steel 'coffee' pot works well for boiling water, or one of the
above pots.

Useful cookstuff to keep in the car: can opener, wine cork puller,
scissors, forks, knives, spoons, good cutting knife (we use a sheathed fish
knife), small cutting board (wood keeps down bacterial growth better than
plastic, believe it or not), teflon fry pan, plastic bowls & plates,
plastic mugs, hot pads, flint-type fire starter, salt/pepper, sugar, paper
plates & wicker plate holders (if you don't mind throwing away the
occasional paper plate), dish soap, plastic scrubber, wire ties for plastic
bags, plastic bags, tea bags, instant coffee,, paper towels hand towels and
a fire extinguisher.

I like to make coffee in one of those european-stype small pressurized
aluminum devices that you place directly over the flame.  I've thought of -
but haven't yet done - getting some sort of metal mesh to place over the
grill as the 'hole' in the grill is ever so slightly smaller than my coffee
device, so it's a precarious balance.

Our favorite easy cooked meal:  fry burgers in the teflon frypan, heat can
of chili around the cooking burgers in the same pan, add
salt/ketchup/whatever to food, eat direct from the pan, using hotpats
underneith it to protect the table from the hot pan bottom.  No dishes to
wash!  Just the pan & silverware.

If there's only one of you, this is even lazier:  take can of beef stew or
chili, (for example), remove the label and scrape off any glue that will
come off easily;  put can in pot with water to cover or nearly cover, bring
to boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes; use can opener to get the very
hot can out of the water but don't pour off the water, tip the can about 45
degrees and tap the lowest edge firmly several times on a hard surface to
get the contents to settle, open the can starting at the highest part of
the top rim (where the air pocket you just created by the tapping now is)
while pointing it away from you; take off the top end and eat from the can.
 Hold the can with a hot pad or use the can opener to manipulate it.  The
boiled water can be used for cleanup and/or tea/coffee, and there usually
will be no glue in the water.  People always look at me in disbelief when I
suggest this, but I've done it dozens of times.  No can has ever exploded
or split, and I've never sprayed any boiling juice from the can.  Only the
fork/spoon need be washed, which can be done by dipping it in the boiled
water.  No fuss, no muss!

A-Chuck