Let's Talk Food!

[Hooch]

Okay, we all know that the topic of "Food" is not nearly as important as topics such as: music, home brew, non-home brew, festivation, jam sessions, old friends, new friends, hooch, hot-water showers, tarp runs, free box fashion shows, and porta-pot chariot races while blindfolded, but it still ranks within the top 25 things to consider when planning for TBF.  Daniela and I have been discussing the best foods and cooking setups and decided we should just ask what the veteran Town Parkers (or is it Town Parkies?) bring.  So, fill us in!  We've realized that, especially once the festival starts, we will have very little interest in doing much actual "cooking" so are now approaching food from the angle of "re-heating" which is faster.  What has everyone else found works best? What is fast, filling, semi-healthy, a good base layer for drinking, and contains Yellow Dye #5?  Any recipes from those with some food festivation experience?

 Listening to: Stephen Kellogg And The Sixers

[TellurideTom]

I let Jerry do most of the cooking.

                                              Did someone say food?

                                               


                                              *Looks around for food*

[Monkeygirl]

And cook he does...

Jerry?  If I bring fixins will you make those yummy breakfast burritos from a couple of years ago?

please, please, please... with sugar on top?  (my last name IS Kane, you know!)

xoxo MG

 Listening to: DBAs and Developers argue about Java

[Bumbershoot]

When I go camping, I like to take fried chicken- 3 or 4 ziplocs with 2 or 3 pieces each, thrown in the cooler. Quick & easy (if you don't mind cold chicken)! Another personal favorite is leftover pizza. The night before I leave, I order an extra-large pizza, eat my fill, and put the rest into ziplocs in the cooler. Cold pizza for breakfast- with a frosty "Breakfast Cylinder" of course! You can't beat it!

Don

[Hooch]

When I go camping, I like to take fried chicken- 3 or 4 ziplocs with 2 or 3 pieces each, thrown in the cooler. Quick & easy (if you don't mind cold chicken)! Another personal favorite is leftover pizza. The night before I leave, I order an extra-large pizza, eat my fill, and put the rest into ziplocs in the cooler. Cold pizza for breakfast- with a frosty "Breakfast Cylinder" of course! You can't beat it!

Don

Hmmm....cold pizza.  I love that stuff!  Ha...Breakfast Cylinder??  I guess beer, which is made of grain, is a lot like liquid toast, which is a breakfast food.  Somehow I'm going to convince myself that I can make a mixed drink to substitute for almost any meal.

[Bumbershoot]

You guessed right, Hooch!

Remember, beer has food value , but food has no beer value!

Something to keep in mind!

Don

[Monkeygirl]

My approach is to put a lemon, lime, orange slice, cherry, olive, or celery stick in every drink...

Then it's salad.

xo MG

[SteamboatPaul]

My wife and I have been the "Mom and Pop" at many festivals in the past. (Camp Triphi Acres, sometimes now known as Steamboat Also Or Steamboat II or the steamboat camp that's not crossroads  ) We would organize every one in advance, create a menu and collect the funds.  All the cooking was done in advance and frozen in those huge coolers in order by day/meal. River trip style. One year we made three meals a day four all four days plus a cocktail du jour for a cost of only $60 per person. We were thirty three strong that year. Oh man what a party!

Some of our staples for the "re-heatable" meals were, Spaghetti and meatballs, the sauce was veggie for those who can't eat face. Fajitas, marinated in advance pre chopped veggies. Chili, with and without face. Gumbo, an excellent precooked meal. This all worked out really well. Meals were quick and efficient and delicious. Victor Wooten was particulay fond of our chili. 

For lunch we had a cooler full sandwich meats and all kinds of other fixings that you could grab when ever you wanted. No scheduled lunch time.

Breakfast was piles of potatoes and scrambled eggs batched by the chronic early risers, plus we would bring piles bagels and cream cheese.

And of course lot various snacks and treats.

This was a lot of work, but it was all worth it. It made the festival that much more enjoyable, less work, more fun. Plus the cost was low enough that if you wanted to eat festival fair instead of the group meal, it didn't feel like you were wasting any money. 

On the other end of the spectrum I have a friend that brings enough powered Natures Burger and bread to last the whole time and that all she eats   


 Listening to: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

[Hooch]

My approach is to put a lemon, lime, orange slice, cherry, olive, or celery stick in every drink...

Then it's salad.

xo MG

Okay, I've now got my grains (beer), salad (bloody mary's), veggies (vodka...made from potatos), and fruit (margaritas).  All I need now is a drink with meat or beans in it for protein.  Suggestions?...I mean non-repulsive suggestions?

SteamboatPaul's suggestion of pre-made pre-packaged mildly-aged re-heated chili sounds pretty darned tasty right now!! 

[TellurideTom]

Okay, I've now got my grains (beer), salad (bloody mary's), veggies (vodka...made from potatos), and fruit (margaritas).  All I need now is a drink with meat or beans in it for protein.  Suggestions?...I mean non-repulsive suggestions?

Have a can of peanuts with your drink!

[Hippie]

Town Park is a celebration of all things good in life.

I approach the food scene much the same way as I approach my music.

We start out with the oyster barbecue on tuesday night, that is my big event for the greater crowd. The Arizona Bowl Potluck usually covers my Wed needs just fine. Once the festival starts I reserve some time each afternoon for hanging in camp next to the Bbq, it usually timed to coincide with a band that I can be comfortable listening to from there. Menus center around some kind of meat on the grill and a great communaly assembled salad. Past main courses have included: Wild caught pacific salmon, brined free range turkey ( never again, the clean up was a bitch), grass fed top sirloin roast, beer can young hens, Karl's killer chicken wings, veggie kabobs - - - etc.

Breakfast is usually some form of breakfast burrito or sourdough waffles with maple Al's syrup and fresh fruit. I can't do without my morning cafe au lait with fresh ground coffee from the Unseen bean.

Lunch is skipped or consumed inside the festival.

I emphasize community involvement and food contributions, our kitchen is suitable for groups of up to 60 for regular meals. Think potluck.

there are usually a couple homebrew taps flowing, a bottle of tequila and/or moonshine stashed in view, and some really good northern california wine in hiding.

Again the emphasis is on meeting a celebrating with good friends and family, bring whatever fresh ingredients you have and we'll always be able to cook something up at Camp Run a Muck.

See you there.

 

 Listening to: Wake the Dead - Blue Light Cheap Hotel

[Hooch]

Hippie,

Thanks for the info. Daniela and I definitely want to help out with the "potluck" environment as well as homebrew (in our case it's homemade wine).  It obviously won't be as extensive as your 'groups of 60' setup but we'll have stuff to share.  Typically we are backpacking camp mentality (small, necessity only, and lightweight) so are trying to switch our thinking around to decide what we are going to need. 

 Listening to: the hum of my computer lulling me into a mid-morning nap

[Pirate Looks at --]

Also don't forget, you are in the mountains....but not in the wilderness!!! There are stores and restaurants within walkin' distance...Sophio's has a great breakfast...and you can get a shot of tequila in your coffee!!! Baked in Telluride has the greatest coffee and pastries (accept for Gerry's)...so you will not starve. Hey Jerry how many bottles of Gran Centenario are we going to need this year

[Hippie]

Guess I better start saving up....   even at altitude your thirst can be mighty fuerte. BevMo had it on sale a couple weeks ago.   Let's see...
a swallow with cafe latte
a swallow before the tarp run
a swallow with the oysters
a swallow for the opening act
a swallow for that killer sunset
a swallow.... 

I'm losing track off the swallows here...

Isn't that the bird that flies back to Capistrano

now where was I.




 Listening to: Arlo - Live in Sydney

[Pirate Looks at --]

Ok...I'm not buying Tequila for the Birds.....Hmmmmmm I wonder if Bev Mo has a case discount??????