Pilgrim's Fare: Recipes & Recommendations for Travel & Camping

My lord and I have the custom of cooking dinner for our entire encampment one evening at Pennsic, working from period recipes. On this occasion we were cooking for 25 people. Our constraints are that there are only two of us, although we usually get some help; we have a fairly good kitchen set-up, but it does not so far include an oven; we do not keep a cooler at Pennsic; and we wanted to do something simple enough that we could be assured of being able to wash the dishes in daylight.

I began listing in my head the methods of food preservati on available to the medieval and renaissanc e European. I realized that an entire meal could be developed that would demonstrat e a wide spectrum of the food preserver& #39;s art. The final result, essentiall y medieval take-out, became known among my friends as a Pilgrim&#3 9;s Picnic Basket.

An experiment in recipe redaction and variations suggested in a period recipe.

An example of how period foods can be served with a little effort even in primitive conditions . Includes recipes.

A redacted recipe for a hardtack biscuit from a 16th century Spain.

After too many years of getting stuck in mealplans that I didn't care for or doing a half-assed job of trying to feed myself, I finally realized that I would be much happier if I put together my own proper camp kitchen. Then I would have the right equipment and tools, and I would be able to cook the food that I wanted to eat, when I wanted to eat it. While I certainly have respect for those who choose to cook period recipes in a period fashion, I knew that was not the path for me. Instead my goal was to build a modern camp kitchen that was as versatile as possible, while also remaining compact and easy to set up. I think that over time I've accomplished this goal rather well. So I've decided to share what I've learned, in the hopes that it will speed the process for others.

If you have a bit of talent feeding your household on a regular basis, you can do the same using recipes from the Middle Ages.

Cooking at a camping event like Pennsic can be difficult, whether you're cooking for yourself or for an entire encampment . Food storage is even more so; bringing a mini-fridg e would hinder the medieval ambience, lugging ice from the camp store to the Serengeti or other far-flung spot is a nuisance, and making daily food runs is impractica l. This article provides several period recipes suitable for cooking at camping events.

A long time ago we considered the problem of keeping food at the Pennsic War. Coolers are drastically unmedieval, and keeping them fed with ice and drained is a nuisance. Going to market every time you want something perishable is worse. The most useful period answers we have so far found are period nibbles, meatless meals, and pickled meat.

"To Prepare a Most Honorable Feast" (translated from Maistre Chiquart), "To Make a Feast," "An Islamic Dinner," "A Dinner at Pennsic," "A Jeweler's Bibliography," "Books on Metalworking," and "Period Jewelery You Can Make."

A couple of friends of mine once told me about their first Pennsic War. They managed to get all of their gear to Pennsylvan ia and got their camp set up, then realized that they had given absolutely no thought to eating. They had nothing to eat, nothing to eat it with and nothing to cook it on. They simply hadn't considered food. I hope you'll give more thought to this problem than they did. Before you start packing for Pennsic, you should know exactly how you are going to be preparing your meals and what you will need to bring with you to accomplish the job. To help you make these decisions, here is a bit of informatio n on your main choices.

Rather than creating nonperisha ble food, I take slowly perishable food along with the nonperisha bles I'd be carrying anyhow. I don't follow recipes often, preferring to improvise most of the time, but in case it's useful, here's what I do.

Generally, any and all events that feature a Feast may not offer lunch. Some day events may not offer a meal at all. Decide how to fill the Food Basket with wholesome goodies that will quiet the tummy grumbles, keep the fighters fortified, and still keeps a medieval flavor until the feasting begins.

A class handout with a practical guide to firepit baking at SCA events; it is as period as possible, but not 100% period.

Some additional camping-su itable period recipes from period sources.

This time, we'll share the developmen t history of a Cooler-Fre e recipe that doesn' t have the Sweet-N-So ur flavor imparted by meats preserved in Lord's Salt; and uses fresh (or even freshly-pi cked) greens.

Handout from a class on how to eat more medievally at events. With a little forethought, it's not as hard as it may seem. Shares tips & tricks on encampment cooking and meal planning for camping events.

This paper is written to assist individual s in preparing foods for feasts by preserving . Whether the feast be one for camping or an event feast, these dishes will allow the maker to do so ahead of time and without need of ice to keep the dish. There are several period recipes for preserving foods, I have included a few here, but I have added the aspect of using modern canning methods as a way to utilize period recipes in order to ensure food safety and extend their shelf life.

Article discusses various recipes and the science behind how they keep food fresh.

Ideas and comments about camp kitchens for SCA use.

Period and SCA camp ovens. Small ovens that can be used to bake food at SCA and other re-enactment events.

Storing and preserving food in period. Non-refrigerated food for camping and Pennsic.