SouthEast Camper

Southeast Camper will be hosting a Dutch Oven Gathering at Kings Mountain State Park in South Carolina on 10/09/10. We will be in Shelter Area “B” at Shelter No. 5. The shelter is at the end of Crawford Lake Rd. (See link to map)

We will start around 10:00 with a Meet’n'Greet and an early lunch. The cooks should plan on bringing all the items necessary for your lunch and recipes. Please plan your time accordingly for the group supper at 5 pm, if you plan to visit other areas of the park.

We will share food and recipes at the gathering with our new friends and the old pros for a day of outdoor fun. This is the time for the seasoned camp chef to help the new Dutch Oven cooks with techniques and tell a few tall tales.

Visit Southeast Camper’s Forum for updates. Please join the forum and let us know if you’re coming to cook with us or stopping by to visit, All are Welcome and we look forward to seeing you.

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We had a great time at the Cane Creek Campground in Waxhaw, NC. The Dutch Oven Gathering turned out better than any of us could have expected. We had 4 cooks total, along with guest eager to see what was for dinner and to learn the Art of Dutch Oven Cooking. We had folks from both North and South Carolina. Some camped out with us for the weekend, while others came to spend the day. We’re sure everyone learned something new and walked away feeling good having made new friends.

The recipes that we put together were fantastic, Meat Loaf, Chicken Pot Pie, Enchilada Casserole, Beef Stew and much more. We had 9 dishes to sample and each and everyone was very good.

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The pie iron is a great tool for making quick, hot sandwiches and desserts. It’s something the kids can do with a little supervision. Most kids eat a lot on a camping trip and having a set of pie irons will help with that chore while giving them a hot snack. The best thing about cooking with a pie iron is the simplicity for anyone to use which makes it fun for the whole family.

The pie iron can be made of different metals like cast iron, aluminum or stamped sheet metal with long handles and a latch to keep it closed. The best ones are made of cast iron, being heavier and usually of higher quaility creates a better tasting sandwich. The cast iron pie irons are seasoned the same way as any other cast iron cooking utensil. They could last a lifetime with proper care. The more you use them the blacker and better they are, eventually having that nonstick coating that everyone loves.

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This was my first Dutch Oven Gathering and I was not sure what to expect. I spent a few days before the DOG (Dutch Oven Gathering) getting my gear ready and was as excited as a kid going to Disneyland. My son came along as did an old high school friend and his son. I looked forward to spending the time with my friends and family.

The Mile High Campground has some great views and the owner was very friendly and a big part of the DOG. I’d guess their were 50 or more people including the 17 cooks. Some from the Cracker Trail Dutch Oven Group up from Florida and the Tennessee Dutch Oven Group too. I had a chance to put some faces with names and others I meet for the first time. I walked away feeling good having made new friends. The weather turned on us Friday night and most of the weekend, but it cleared out long enough for the gathering. The weather could’nt even dampen the high spirit of the group as we prepared our recipes for the big dinner.Some of the dishes included Mongolian Beef, Cabbage Casserole, Spinach Stuffed Meat Loaf, Sour Orange Cake, Banana Nut Bread, Huckleberry Pie along with Gus’s Famous Dinner Rolls. There was something for everyone. The quality and quantity of food prepared was outstanding.I think this was the only camping trip I’ve been on where I could gain weight. This turned out to be way more than I expected.

If you enjoy Dutch Oven and Outdoor Cooking, attending a Dutch Oven Gathering is a MUST. The folks at the Mile High DOG were warm and friendly and I look forward to see them again next year.

The event is always held on the last Saturday in July at the Mile High Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. I hope to see you there.

Dan
“Camp Master”