Part of the fun of Civil War Reenacting is cooking a meal so good the company lick their plates. I enjoy serving a hearty breakfast and a rib-sticking stew for supper. Lunch is on their own. As all reenactors, I want to maintain my authenticity, but I also enjoy visiting with friends, shopping at the sutlers’ and of course watching the battle. I don’t want to spend my entire day stoking the fire and poking the carrots and potatoes to see if they are done. So I cook everything ahead of time. The entire stew is done, then frozen solid, and thawed over the weekend in my cooler, which is always carefully hidden from view. I bring the pot into my tent, tie my flaps and dump the stew into the pot, cover with a lid and put over the fire. Within 20-30 minutes depending on the heat of the fire, dinner is ready! Do you have any hints? Next week: Mexican breakfast. And one day cobbler.
