Re: camp cooking

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Posted by Steve Karoly on June 09, 1998 at 19:22:01 :

In Reply to: camp cooking posted by regina simon on June 07, 1998 at 23:11:28 :

Now you guys are talking up my alley -- institutional cooking!

Have you tries any of the classic institutional cookbooks? Look for Food for 50 by Bessie West, et al. It's in the 7th or 8th edition. (My copy is the 6th ed.) As the name implies, all recipes are for 50 portions.

For a camp that size, the military recipes are a good starting place. They are called the Armed Forces Recipe Service, or AFRS. They are good basic recipes for 100 portions. I've used them for years in and out of the Navy. If you have a good background in the culinary arts, you can modify them with little trouble at all. I have used a Busquick type dough before, but ...

I keep a clipping file at home (I'd loose it at work!). I use it for ideas and recipes. I clip recipes from all sources: trade magazines, popular mags such as Sunset (here in the west), recipes from the commodity boards (you know, the rice board, etc.), etc. Although I only cater one or two events annually at work, my file comes in handy when it's time.

I agree with Carl. Convince the management that the best way to go is using frozen pizza shells. I think the kids will appreciate pizza either way. The large food service companies all sell pizza shells in a variety of styles and quality products. You may need to make it from scratch one time and have your boss watch. Can you convince him/her based on the time and labor it would take to make the product from scratch?

You should be using 18x26" aluminum sheet pans for that quantity. Depending on the age group and portion size you plan to serve, you'll get at least 24 or more servings per pan is you make square pizzas to fit the pan. Of course, the number of servings will vary with round pizza shells.

Again, I agree with Carl on the meatballs. In the Navy and in every institutional job I've had (hospitals, ships, prisons, schools) that's the method we've used. Make sure you drain the fat off. And serve them with utility tongs (the spring loaded type). For large quantities, I usually bake them on 18x26 sheet pans. After they're done, I transfer the meatballs to a steam table pan using a spatula and cover with sauce.

Now for the real question: where do I sign on? My dream job has always been camp cooking. Maybe one of these days I'll get a job (or form a company) feeding campers in the wilderness.

If you'd like some recipe adjustment tips, I'll post them in a day or two.
--
Steve Karoly
Editor-Publisher of the Seabee Log, a historical journal
http://www.seabeecook.com/seabee_log/
SeabeeCook Publishing, P.O. Box 908, Shingle Springs, CA 95682-0908

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