We try as near, as we can, to create a step back in tiime.
That means, of course, period correct clothing, no modern rain gear...no flashlights...no radios, tv's, gas stoves, charcoal, etc.
It is a lot of fun and a great learning experience.
There are clubs like this all over the country.
If you can, go to a Rendezvous, or Renaissance Fair or similar event.
You will be amazed.
We cook over the fire. I have hand forged camp irons and we use a lot of cast iron cookware.
We can cook pretty much anything that we want.
I have an amusing story about my first time cooking a duck at Rendezvous.
I decided that I would try this at the Spring Rendezvous.
Not ever having cooked a duck before I wasn't sure how to go about it,
but I figgered that potatoes, onions and carrots are mighty good with beef, so they oughta go good with duck.
Well, I cut up the taters, onions and carrots and put them into a dutch oven.
I put the duck into the dutch oven and put the lid on.
I spread out some coals from the fire on the ground and put the dutch oven on the coals.
I dug more coals out of the fire pit and put them on the lid of the dutch oven.
well, after 20 or 30 minutes,I said "Hoot (that's what I call myself when I am talking to myself), you best check on that duck"
So I got a hook and lifted the lid just enough to see what was going on in the dutch oven.
Whatintheworld??? There ain't no duck in the pot!!
I put the lid back on and studied a bit.
I lifted the lid again....nope that dang duck ain't in there.
I immediately began to suspect skullduggery was afoot, so I looked around to see if anyone was watching me and laughing.
Nope..now I am puzzled.
I lift the lid again and there ain't nothin in the pot but taters, carrots and onions.
"Where the H*** is my duck???" I said, rather loudly.
My cousin, Marty, who was sittng off to one side, looked over and said.
"Hoot, your duck is stuck to the lid!!" I raised the lid up high enough to see underneath and looked and, sure enough, there was my duck!!!
Well it took me and Marty, a camp fork and a spatula to pry that duck off that lid.
I put the duck back in the dutch oven and after a few more additions of
coals on top and bottom, over the next hour and a half or so, it was done!
And let me tell y'all, it was mighty fine eatin'.
Just goes to show ya that you never get too old to see stuff and learn things you never knew!
We had many a laugh over that.
