Gourmet Coleman Creations

I have discovered a new love: fancy camp cooking. An emergency trip to Target the day we left for our 12 day trip found me with a brand new Coleman stove , and it might just be my favorite purchase yet (in addition to the admitting-I'm-over-30 purchase of an air mattress).

Oh, the creations I made!

My favorite breakfast was a pan full of Migas, (Mexicali eggs) inspired by my favorite Louisville restaurant, the North End Cafe, which sprung up a few years ago back in my old neighborhood. The North End uses mostly local and organic ingredients to prepare delicious meals and great coffee, and serves it up with all the charm you would imagine of a southern neighborhood eatery. Of course, there was no restaurant like this in Clifton in the old days, but, like many old neighborhoods that your parents moved out of as they moved up in the world, it is now the hip place to live. I can't believe how that neighborhood has changed. (By the way, I have to note a place that has always been a Frankfort Ave. staple, Bussmann Bakery. The best place to go trick-or-treating on Halloween--every kid's dream. You should go there and support a long-time local business.)

Back to the camping trip: Groceries on Cape Breton Island, as I have noted before, are very expensive, so we brought some things with us, bought a few things there, and forgot some things. Eggs, when packed responsibly, travel quite well, as do chips and salsa, and, though Jon would never admit it, cheese. Oh yes, and cooking oil, which is indispensable when doing the Coleman Gourmet thing.

So, here is a step-by-step guide on preparing Migas at a tentsite:

1. Go ask some neighbor campers if they have some cooking oil you could use, as you forgot that. Choose the ones that look like they brought their whole house, as they will happily oblige, since they are probably embarrassed about their ridiculous amount of things.
2. Toast some cumin powder in the oil over, well, whatever heat you are able to maintain with the wind on the beach and the fact that you are using a small propane tank (preferably medium heat). The cumin toasting smells really good and makes all your camp neighbors really jealous, as they are all probably eating instant oatmeal.
3. Whisk some eggs with a quick pour of half-n-half and some salt and pepper. Cook the eggs, stirring often, although they will stick anyway, as you are going to be using some cheap-o aluminum camp frying pan which you will not be able to wash for a while. Eggs get their fluffiest when cooked slowly over low heat, but this is camping, you are hungry, and low heat is hard to maintain on a Coleman when it is windy.
4. When the eggs are about halfway done, add some tortilla chips, salsa, and cheese. Stir some more. This is a good way to use up tortilla chips that have been crushed in the bag that got stuck underneath your guitar and map and pound backpack.
5. Eat right out of the pan, sitting on top of the picnic table next to your buddy, and smile as you watch bald eagles soar and whales feed off in the distance. The outdoors is where it's at.

I recommend:
-the freshest farm-fresh eggs you can find
-Green Mountain Gringo Medium salsa (if you live up here in New England. It's more local than others and more affordable than the delicious Guzman's, made in Portland.)
-Garden of Eatin' Blue chips

Yum.