Ever participated in a stone soup?

[Bertha Venation]

I'm going camping with 30 or so strangers and I'm beside myself - can't wait!

One of the staples at the communal dinners is stone soup, made of ingredients campers bring for that purpose.

All I can think of to bring is kielbasa and carrots, which would hold up well in soup, and dry tortellini, which would be OK if they put it into the soup just a few minutes before serving.

Can you suggest anything?

[LWolf]

1. Yes.

In my classroom 20 or so years ago. We'd grown an indoor garden, under lights. We harvested our "crops" to make salad, made some corn muffins in an electric skillet, and had students bring in fresh stuff to make soup; I provided the crockpot and some boullion. We put it together in the morning, left it on high, and ate it in the afternoon. Yum.

Of course, this was bringing together several things: our garden, our reading of Stone Soup, our school-wide harvest festival...

How is the soup going to be cooked? In a kettle (or kettles, for 30?) over a campfire? On a camp stove? All day, or?

I make a lot of crockpot soup during my work year; it cooks all day, is done when I get home, and lasts me several days. I generally throw in whatever I've got on hand; mostly fresh stuff:

onions, mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach or chard or collards, lots of fresh garlic ( ), leeks, paprika, sea salt, sometimes some rosemary or basil or thyme, or whatever I've got on hand and am in the mood for. Sometimes okra, because the slime cooks out of it. Summer squash, added after I get home shortly before I eat.

I'll also add white beans or garbanzo beans or lentils and/or wild rice or barley or quinoa.

Canned tomatoes or tomato juice, sometimes.

I tend to use large chunks of things, rather than carefully cut into bite-sized pieces; mostly because I'm lazy, but also because I like it that way.

[Bertha Venation]

3. Don't know what they'll cook it in,

but it will be cooked on camp stoves.

Cabbage sounds good. Do you know - if I cut it before I go to camp, will it wilt or turn brown? Will cut sweet potatoes brown? As you can see, I don't cook much. I'm pretty sure that if I take beans, I should soak them.

I think I'll take some canned tomatoes, too. Good idea.

Thanks!

[LWolf]

5. Definitely soak the beans.

Keep the cut stuff cool, and they should be okay, if it's not too long. All day is probably okay, 24 hours maybe not.

Edited to add: I don't cook much, either. Throwing a bunch of stuff into a soup pot is about as much as I ever do.

[Texasgal]

2. Small red potatos

maybe take a bag of those little pearl onions... leeks are hardy too.

Sounds yummy!

[Bertha Venation]

4. Great ideas! Thanks, Texasgal

[sarge43]

6. Rice or barley and can never have enough onions n/t

[trof]

7. OK, Bertha...I gotta know...camping with 30 'strangers'?

Sometimes it's hard enough camping with folks you KNOW.

Tent camping?
Cabin camping?

Also, veg are best/freshest cut (if at all) just before cooking.
Take a good knife. You should have one for camping anyway.
And a flashlight.
Definitely a flashlight.
With new batteries.

Good luck.

[Bertha Venation]

10. Camping

Hi, Trof!

I have a facebook friend who posted in May about Rustic Roots Primitive Music Camp, and I decided to go. I've been camping before, for two nights at Palomar (San Diego Co., CA). Tents (other peoples'), cars about three steps away, toilets and showers just over there. But this is a little different. See link http://www.rusticroots.net/

I have all my gear (including lights and a good knife). There is a staff, and a camp kitchen. People will help this gimpy noob with tent, cot, etc., and will answer all my stupid questions with good cheer.

I "know" my facebook friend, and through her, the leader. I am a little apprehensive, but really, beside myself with excitement.

Thanks for the luck!

[trof]

13. Have fun.

[d_r]

8. anything you would put into vegetable soup

onions, carrots, potatoes, beans, green beans, corn, honestly whatever, it will all taste good.

You are going car camping right? Honestly just bring a can of something like beans and you'll be fine.

[Bertha Venation]

11. Thanks, d_r

Yep, car camping. Can't wait!

[Major Nikon]

9. If it's anything like Hobo Stew, I'd suggest two pigeons from under the power lines

[Bertha Venation]

12. Bahahaha!

Will squab from Whole Foods be sufficient? I'll have to drive for an hour to get to one, but if you think it'll be worth it . . .

[Major Nikon]

14. No self-respecting Hobo would be caught dead in Whole Foods

If you can't find a fresh one under the power lines, just tell them it's an aged squab and Whole Foods charged extra for it.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. Stoned soup? Dude! You camping in Colorado? nt

[jmowreader]

16. Oh...I think we can help...

Pound of corned beef, some potatoes, a little celery and a dime bag.