I DOUBT THERE WAS MUCH gossip when Lawson, Blaxland
and Wentworth strapped the last pannikin in place and set
off for the inland. Do you think their expedition had hardly off for the inland. Do you think their expedition had hardly
turned the first corner before gossipers were speculating turned the first corner before gossipers were speculating
about how they had gone all ‘alternative’?about how they had gone all ‘alternative’?
Yet, when the Squire and The Chosen One followed Yet, when the Squire and The Chosen One followed
in their tracks a sensible couple of centuries later, city in their tracks a sensible couple of centuries later, city
colleagues seemcolleagues seemed to assumed to assume that natural attrition had e that natural attrition had
thinned out the herd (this, I proudly add, is a termthinned out the herd (this, I proudly add, is a term I have I have
picked up in the interimpicked up in the interim and they will never understand). and they will never understand).
That we’d turned a bit alternative.That we’d turned a bit alternative.
WWhen we followed Blaxland out of town, we weren’t hen we followed Blaxland out of town, we weren’t
trying to get in touch with Mtrying to get in touch with Mother Nature... or even just to other Nature... or even just to
drive slowly past her place. Wdrive slowly past her place. We weren’t into the wholegrain e weren’t into the wholegrain
and handicraft dreamand handicraft dream of self-sustainability. I’d be perfectly of self-sustainability. I’d be perfectly
happy to have somhappy to have somebody else sustain mebody else sustain me, any day of the week. e, any day of the week.
WWe were just a bit over the capitalist rat race that we’d never e were just a bit over the capitalist rat race that we’d never
been very good at anyway. So we took vows of poverty and been very good at anyway. So we took vows of poverty and
serenity and knew we’d succeed with at least one.serenity and knew we’d succeed with at least one.
WWe were looking for the honest life, and such a worthy quest e were looking for the honest life, and such a worthy quest
deserved a symdeserved a symbol that would stiffen our resolve. Wbol that would stiffen our resolve. We looked e looked
around... and there it was, the around... and there it was, the
perfect emperfect emblemblem — — a round a round
black cast-iron camblack cast-iron camp oven.p oven.
Food had always been a big Food had always been a big
part of our lives. Wpart of our lives. We got into e got into
it when it was about taste, so that’s going back a bit. Wit when it was about taste, so that’s going back a bit. When hen
pretension and snobbery washed over food like a tsunampretension and snobbery washed over food like a tsunami, i,
we headed for the hills. I knew I was trapped in a great big we headed for the hills. I knew I was trapped in a great big
hoax when a fellow diner said to mhoax when a fellow diner said to me one day, “It says here the e one day, “It says here the
barrambarramundi is pan-fried. Wundi is pan-fried. What else would they fry it in?”hat else would they fry it in?”
The camThe camp oven has been a great friend to us here. Yes, our p oven has been a great friend to us here. Yes, our
eating habits changed. Weating habits changed. We rediscovered the pot roast, the e rediscovered the pot roast, the
bush pork casserole and even jugged sombush pork casserole and even jugged some venison. We venison. We gave e gave
away the away the scaloppine di vitello al tartufo neroscaloppine di vitello al tartufo nero and gained and gained
a taste for veal goulash. But ma taste for veal goulash. But mostly it’s been a totemostly it’s been a totem for for
honesty and a life change worth mhonesty and a life change worth making.aking.
A lot has been written about camA lot has been written about camp cooking, but, even p cooking, but, even
within the honest little cast-iron pot, authenticity is starting within the honest little cast-iron pot, authenticity is starting
to simto simmmer away. There is great enthusiasmer away. There is great enthusiasm for the chicken for the chickenand prosciutto parmand prosciutto parmigiana and the Migiana and the Mexican lasagne fromexican lasagne from
new-generation camnew-generation camp oven enthusiasts, but I was hoping to p oven enthusiasts, but I was hoping to
find somfind something that showed a little mething that showed a little more bush provenance.ore bush provenance.
Surely in the pioneering days, our forebears would run Surely in the pioneering days, our forebears would run
down a rabbit, tenderise it with a handy clog, and throw it down a rabbit, tenderise it with a handy clog, and throw it
in the camin the camp oven with a sprig of snifflp oven with a sprig of snifflewort and a handful ewort and a handful
of stink beetles and contemof stink beetles and contemplate a sumplate a sumptuous supper. That’s ptuous supper. That’s
what I wanted to know about.what I wanted to know about.
So I’mSo I’m driving past the driving past the
landmlandmark Hark Hotel Dunedoo the otel Dunedoo the
other weekend and it had a lairy other weekend and it had a lairy
banner draped across it. It’s the banner draped across it. It’s the
CamCamp Oven Cook-Off and there’s enough smp Oven Cook-Off and there’s enough smoke to suggest oke to suggest
that things are under way. I’mthat things are under way. I’m just in tim just in time for the judging e for the judging
of the best stew category —of the best stew category — the m the main event for main event for me. Me. Matthew atthew
Stopforth fromStopforth from M Mudgee reigns supremudgee reigns supreme and his winning e and his winning
dish is... drumdish is... drums, please... Toms, please... Tom Yum Yum Goong (Thai hot and Goong (Thai hot and
sour prawn soup). I suspect msour prawn soup). I suspect my search is not yet over, but y search is not yet over, but
congratulations, Mcongratulations, Matt. Matt. Meanwhile, I bet there are a few old eanwhile, I bet there are a few old
pioneers up there wishing they’d thought of the dish that pioneers up there wishing they’d thought of the dish that
won best signature dish: Tiny Lewis fromwon best signature dish: Tiny Lewis from Coonam Coonamble’s pork ble’s pork
should, infused with apple and pineapple juice and served as should, infused with apple and pineapple juice and served as
sliced and pulled pork with a rumsliced and pulled pork with a rum-and-coke barbecue sauce.-and-coke barbecue sauce.
Next year, I’ll sponsor a True Blue Dinky-Di Jolly Next year, I’ll sponsor a True Blue Dinky-Di Jolly
SwagmSwagman Billabong Juman Billabong Jumbuck genuine pioneer category... buck genuine pioneer category...
and I’ll lift mand I’ll lift my lid to all who enter.y lid to all who enter.162 162 CCOOUUNNTTRYRY S T S TYYL E L E NOVEMNOVEMBER 2017BER 2017
CCOOUUNNTTRRYY S Q S QUUI RI REE
NOWNOW YOU’RE YOU’RE
COOKINGCOOKING
ROB INGRAM TALKS UP THE CAST-IRON ROB INGRAM TALKS UP THE CAST-IRON
CAMP OVEN —CAMP OVEN — THE ONLY WAY TO THE ONLY WAY TO
PREPARE AN HONEST COUNTRY FEAST.PREPARE AN HONEST COUNTRY FEAST.PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHYMICHAEL WEEBACKGROUND PHOTOGRAPHYSAM McADAM-COOPERSTYLINGPHOEBE McEVOYMICHAEL WEEBACKGROUND PHOTOGRAPHYSAM McADAM-COOPERSTYLINGPHOEBE McEVOY“WE GAVE AWAY THE SCALOPPINE DI
VITELLO AL TARTUFO NERO
AND GAINED
A TASTE FOR VEAL GOULASH.”