COOKING

"A Patrol cooking its own meals is playing one of the most fascinating games in Scouting." Handbook for Boys, 5th edition, 1948

As dawn breaks over the mountains, the first sound you hear might be the sizzle of bacon and eggs over a backpacking stove. At night under a dining fly rattling with rain, the smell of baking bread can make your mouth water. At the end of a long day on the trail, how about digging into a big helping of stew, a couple of fresh, hot biscuits, and a bowl of wild blueberries? In the middle of a winter hike, why not pour yourself a steaming mug of cocoa or a cup of rich, thick soup? Food in the outdoors is more than just a way to cut your hunger. It powers your body through days packed with action. It helps you stay warm at night. When the sky turns stormy or when you are tired and feeling low, a hearty meal will cheer you up and energize you to do whatever needs doing.

Get a feel for mixing ingredients, handling pots and pans, and judging when a dish is done by helping to prepare family meals at home. Learn to cook in your own kitchen, and you will find it's easy to cook an the trail.