Botched Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-down Cake

Everything tastes better when cooked over an open fire. Even a botched upside-down cake. Everyone in the group declared it the best cake for miles around -- not hard to accomplish on a sandbar in the Wisconsin River. Here's how to do it right: 1) At home cut 2 pieces of HEAVY-DUTY aluminum foil big … Continue reading Botched Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-down Cake

Baking in Ashes

It feels wrong not to know basic survival skills our ancestors knew. We’ve let too many fade from our collective knowledge. I try to do my part by learning outdoor skills the pioneers used, so I was thrilled to receive an antique book, Camping and Woodcraft, as a gift. Horace Kephart wrote the first edition … Continue reading Baking in Ashes

Raspberries in the Garden

 I am fascinated by our ancestors' ability to forage for wild foods. I get a thrill whenever I find wild onions, ramps, mushrooms, and even pawpaws. Today the raspberry bushes behind the garage drooped beneath the weight of the red and purple berries.  My bucket filled in no time.      My challenge was to bake … Continue reading Raspberries in the Garden