Camp Sparkle Itinerary and FOOD PLANS

[nopseud]

This is the outline plan for the week. Obviously this is subject to rain, sea frets etc.

Friday - Arrive! Pies - Pen.
Saturday - Day of rest, relaxation and the Homemade Afternoon Tea.
Sunday - North York Moors train and Whitby, with fish & chip lunch. Turlough.
Monday - Castle Howard. Potato soup - Saba.
Tuesday - Day of rest and preparation for the Moderately Tidy Dinner (which this year, weather permitting, will be a Moderately Tidy Barbeque). CJ, Nopseud & Pen.
Wednesday - Day trip to York. KC.
Thursday - Day trip to Scarborough (with the option of Second Afternoon Tea for anyone not yet suffering from clotted cream poisoning). Eating up the contents of the fridge.
Friday - Home again!

With that in mind, we'd like people to volunteer days for taking on cooking and/or minion duties. Please post in the comments with what you're offering to make, and any particular day you'd prefer to cook.

Please also sign up if you have a sweet or savoury treat in mind for the Homemade Afternoon Tea on Saturday. And if anyone has a favourite salad or side-dish they would like to contribute to the Tuesday barbeque, that would be awesome.

Comments

[adelate]

As ever I'm too scared to take charge of a whole meal thing but I shall endeavor to be a minion. Poke me if I seem lazy.

[sperrywink]

I can minion too! Any day is fine.

And I was planning on chocolate chip cookies for the tea, if people were interested.

[saba1789]

I can make an easy potato soup, meat free. Maybe on Monday?

I can also make Fleur's fab chocolate cake for the afternoon tea since she won't be there to do it herself :( No flour so should be glutenfree.

[saba1789]

I also have an easy salad recipe for the bbq!! Cucumber melon! Sounds weird, taste delicious!!

[turlough]

Hooray!! Her cake is so GOOD!

[saba1789]

I looooove it!!

[fleurrochard]

If I can't be there in person, at least I'll be there in cake!

[saba1789]

YES!! <3

[nopseud]

Excellent!

[pensnest]

I could probably make a cheesecake for the Feast, which with gluten free biscuits in the base should be suitable for everybody.

[letterboys]

I can definitely be someone's minion during the week!

[turps]

That looks like a great schedule.

I'm no cook, but happy to minion.

[turlough]

I was thinking of making Saffron Coconut Macaroons (and maybe something else sweet) in advance and bring them with me. So I can make dinner on Saturday. (Which means I've discharged my obligations early and can just laze around for the rest of the week ;-)

[nopseud]

I'd expect that we won't need a dinner on Saturday, as everyone will probably still be full from the Afternoon Tea.

[turlough]

You might be right ;-) I guess I'll just have to grab Sunday then.

[nopseud]

I'll put you down for Sunday.

[fadedsouls]

I'll minion when needed (just hunt me down if I'm being lazy and slacking off). I'll also see if I can think of something for the BBQ or Afternoon Tea that works for everyone. Anyone have a peanut allergy?

[ephemera]

I am trying to finalise ideas for something savoury for the afternoon tea - maybe mini-fritattas if I can work out a portable cooking process?

If I get a weekend the weekend before camp, I may also make signature fruitcake, which is sadly not gluten free, though, and if I get roped into work, I wont have time to do the process. (Ooo - clementine cake would be an option if I get up early enough on Saturday... do we know if the kitchen has a food processor? That's fairly essential for that one, and I don't think it will keep well enough to make ahead)

[nopseud]

How big a food processor do you need? I'm not sure if there's one at the house, but I could bring one of the small ones that attaches to a hand blender (it's like this one). Would that do the job?

[ephemera]

It needs to obliterate a half-dozen stewed whole clementines, so - I would worry that I might burn-out a hand blender.

(I got roped into a 14 hour work day yesterday, and am coming to camp more than a little crispy, so may scale things back to a recipe I'm certain off - low-carb, gluten-free almond cake ok?)

[nopseud]

Sounds delicious!

[bettina]

I'm no cook, but I'm always happy to be a minion!

The past few years we always had a day with pizzas, maybe we could do that again for one evening.

[rikes]

Sadly going to vote no on pizza night - the old pizza team will not volunteer this time in any case. It was quite impractical, and people can't gather around the table to eat at the same time, which is half the fun of dinners at Camp I feel!

[msktrnanny]

I'd love to bake! (For the tea or just for fun). Am also happy to cook. Uhm, assign me a day and I'll figure a dish?

[nopseud]

Okay, I'll put you down for Wednesday.

[msktrnanny]

(You laugh about the clotted cream poisoning, but before I was diagnosed, I thought I might have actually made myself sick from eating so mich of it at camp!)

Does anyone want homemade marahmallows? I love making them and can bring some or make them there- if there's a mixer.

[nopseud]

What kind of mixer do you need?

[msktrnanny]

A stand mixer would be preferrable but a hand mixer will do. Just need power and a whisk attachment.

[nopseud]

I'm going to bring my hand blender, which has a balloon whisk attachment. It's like this one. Will that do?

[msktrnanny]

I don't see why not!

[pensnest]

Homemademarshmallows!!! Can we have Buffy* flavour and Giles** flavour and all manner of good things***?

Whatever the flavours involved, I am Very Much In Favour.


* involves blood orange
** involves Earl Grey tea
*** also, admittedly, 'essence' of the actors, which sounds extremely dubious

[rikes]

What's the dress code for Moderately Tidy Dinner?

[nopseud]

We don't have a particular theme this year, so just the usual something smart. Although since weather permitting we're trying for the barbeque outside, bare arms and legs might not be the best choice :-)

[ihearthings_ii]

I'd love to cook one of the days*, with Saba and Riikka minioning for me. I'll also bring stuff for kringle. :)

* One of the days I'm there in time for it, meaning Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday

[nopseud]

Can I put you in charge of the non-grilling parts of the Moderately Tidy BBQ, then? Salads, potato/bread/other starchy things, and dessert?

Also - kringle! *\o/*

[ihearthings_ii]

Yep!
I was thinking roast potatoes, mac'n'cheese, tomato salad and a broccoli salad?
Also, do you want kringle for dessert thursday or do you want another dessert then?

[nopseud]

That all sounds yummy. I think Saba was offering a salad with cucumber and melon, too.

Probably do the dessert for the BBQ on Tuesday. Depending on how many people go for Second Afternoon Tea in Scarborough on Thursday, people might already be full of sweet things then.

[ihearthings_ii]

Sorry, I've read it wrong, and thought the BBQ was on Thursday. Kringle for Tuesday!

[msktrnanny]

I'll also bring stuff for kringle. :)

I love you, CJ!

[ihearthings_ii]

Love you to! :*

[pensnest]

Can I recommend Kringle is earlier in the week than Thursday? This gives us more time to eat it, ahem.

[ihearthings_ii]

Kringle on Tuesday - I had read it wrong and thought the BBQ was on thursday. :)

Also, since I'm getting in late on Monday (I believe Noora talked to you about the pickup in Scarborough?) do you need my grocery list in advance, or will we be getting groceries on Tuesday?

[nopseud]

We're going out on Monday, so we'll do the BBQ shopping on Tuesday.

[ihearthings_ii]

Alright, thanks! :)

HI, CAMPERS!!! (hope this works....)

[ninjetti75.livejournal.com]

HI, EVERYONE!!!

*hugz everybody*

MAN, I just SO wish I could have made it this year (it's our tenth anniversary!), but sadly, it was not to be.

I am more or less the same as I ever was, not quite as broke as I was a year ago when I was working two jobs & had to declare bankruptcy, but close. (My brother fell in love and moved out to become a step-dad, so I am now making up for the years where he covered the bills by paying them all myself. I can't really afford that, but my best friend is moving in to split the costs, and who knows, we might even end up more than friends. *fingers crossed*)

I work second shift and am a night owl, so I'm up until 10am UK time and shall be refreshing the DW Camp Sparkle page like mad, to see if any posts or pics show up. *g* I'm off work on Tuesday and shall be available at ANY time (we arrange in advance) if someone (Noora, lol) wants to set up a Skype call; I would absolutely *L*O*V*E* to say hi to everyone, see your faces and hear your voices!!!

I've no idea what y'all have in the way of condiments & spices available, but I thought I'd contribute some ideas/recipes to the sweet & savory discussion (that's for Tuesday, I believe? I'll ping Noora back; hopefully an interested & relevant party catches this in time!) American measurements, sorry.

For the sweet, the ice-cream hot topping sauce I made a number of years back at Camp. (Note that cherries or any other sort of small fruit can be substituted for blueberries.)

HOT BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM TOPPING SAUCE
(makes roughly 6 servings, so double for Camp, or even triple if all are interested, or just for leftovers.)

Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg*
2 cups blue-(or other)berries, separated

Directions
Combine all ingredients other than the berries in a medium-**to-small sauce pot and bring to a boil.
While pot is heating, smash 1 cup of the berries (in a tough [food-storage] plastic bag, in a bowl with a fork, whatever works.
 Note that cherries or other fruit with pits or seeds will need to be pitted ahead of time.)
Once sugar/spice/water mixture is boiling, add the cup of smashed berries and cook for 4-5 minutes, until thickening.
Add last cup of berries, cook for 1 minute more.
Serve hot, over ice cream.

*Another 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon or even a 1/4 teaspoon of allspice can be substituted for the nutmeg, but it does change the overall flavour.
**If doubling or tripling this recipe for Camp, a regular sized pot would do fine, I imagine.

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And for the savory, two From Scratch salad dressings that are absolutely DELICIOUS.

BBQ SALAD DRESSING
(makes very roughly 7 servings)

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise or plain salad cream
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1 tablespoon dried/instant minced onion, OR 1/2 tablespoon freshly minced onion (the more finely chopped, the better!)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (balsamic, cider, or other mild cooking vinegar may be substituted; each alters overall flavour.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper (freshly-ground black pepper is INFINITELY better suited to this flavouring process!)

Directions
Mix mayonnaise and barbeque sauce thoroughly (use very low speed on a powered blender, or just stir briskly; do not whip.)
Once thoroughly mixed, continue mixing and add onion and lemon juice.
Once onion and lemon juice have been fully blended in, add salt and pepper.
Cease blending once salt and pepper are fully blended in; serve immediately.

MUSTARD-BACON SALAD DRESSING
(makes very roughly 7 servings)

Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1/4 cup bacon drippings
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste...freshly-ground black pepper is INFINITELY better suited to this flavouring process!)

Directions
Combine all ingredients thoroughly; serve immediately, or allow to come back to near-room temperature if refrigerated for storage.

(..And frying some bacon up crisp to get more drippings for the second salad dressing just means you have fresh bacon bits for the salad!)

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Hope to hear from y'all soon! *virtual hugs line*

Enjoy!

 -Josh/Ninjetti75