Tuesday, July 24, 2012

First Stop: California and the Pacific Northwest!


The campers rolled in to a scrolling ppt taken from the front seat of a car traveling north on Highway 101 in California, the Pacific Ocean crashing on the left and redwoods towering on the right.  Alyssa led the tour of the great American west, starting in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge. The campers heard all about Napa Valley and Marin County, where the Marin Agricultural Trust tries to keep the farms there from selling out to the developers. Everyone wants to live in California! Next we moved up the coast to the Pacific Northwest and heard about the Native American tribes. Thanks to the bounty of the sea and forest, the population there has always been gifted with natural abundance, living off the fruits of the fertile land. Traveling through the Southwest and Texas, the geography changed dramatically to high desert and eerie wind swept plains.

Eggs were front and center as chef showed how to cook a soft boiled egg (for 3 minutes) and then a hard boiled egg (for 10 minutes) using a handy egg timer gadget.  Next was a roux demonstration and the campers learned how to make a Bechamel Sauce. Just in time—Katelyn, Katerina, and Morgan needed to do that for their recipe!

Soon the campers were back in their units, baking potatoes, zesting oranges and lemons, chopping vegetables for chili and salad. It was quite a kitchen session! While listening the the Songs from the Vineyard, the campers made themselves a potlatch of interesting dishes, very nicely arranged--and tasty too!

The buffet lunch included the perfectly sauced Chicken Tetrazzini, California Club Salad with Avocado and Bacon, Orange County Muffins, Monte Cristo Sandwiches, Steak Fajitas, Refried Beans, Mexican Rice, Blueberry Pudding Cake, Ranger Cookies, Buffalo Chili, Twice Baked Idaho Potatoes,Teriyaki-glazed Salmon, Plum Crisp and Nectarine Crisp, Peach Cobbler and several variations of Strawberry Lemonade. The Apple Cheddar Bread wasn't ready in time, but it sure smelled good!

After lunch, the campers learned how to make a Blueberry Bliss smoothie—banana, blueberry, with almond milk, almond butter, and a dash of cinnamon. That ended the day and tomorrow continues our Road Trip across the United States. Next stop on our Road Trip: the Heartland!

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