Show A teste of home oa the toil Campfire fans get tips from lecping under the Stan earing cut of a can — is there any ocher way to survive the Great Outdoors? Steven Shephard of Salmon River Outfitters figures there is His formula Forget the cans and freeze-dn- ed packages and code in die wilderness 2S you would in your own kitchen The ambitious dishes he tackles on five-da- y rafting trips down the Salmon River in Idaho have turned his guests into happy campers Imagine Gruy&e souffle beer bread banana-waln- ut buttermilk panokrs and a peach crisp with Grand Marnier whipped cream — all made with fresh ingredients And his chicken enchiladas (tortillas layered like a cake and baked in a Dutch oven) have drawn kudos from Gourmet magazine “It’s just plain old good food” says Shephard 41 who was a river guide fix 10 yean before forming his own company in 1980 Three years ago wife Shannon a native of New Zealand joined the team And with Darcy Williamson Shephard has written Salmon River legends and Campfire Cuisine (Maverick Publications $795) a collection of his favorite outdoor meals “At home we wouldn’t eat canned or prepackaged foods because they’re foil of additives” he says “On the river we operate under die same philosophy Why should you nave to compromise the comforts of good living just because you’re camping in die wilderness?” The good life outdoors however must be carefully orchestrated Shephard has to feed as many as 30 people a day (up to six guides and 24 passengers) and make sure nothing spoils or fills off a ran in the process After two decades ndirg this river’s rapids from mid-Juto the end of September he’s learned a few tricks Shephard’s system is foolproof — and waterproof The first trick: Mark die bottoms of cans so they’re easily identifiable in case the labels soak off Second Make sure you’ve bought all the ingredients you’ll need Shannon who shops for all their trips takes a list with her to the cads item to ensure it supermarket and double-check- s will be ripe on the day it’s used “When you’re out on the river” she says “there’s no comer store” Thirdly proper storage can mean die difference between culinary bliss and botulism — or worse Each ice chest gets a six-in-ch layer of ice in the bottom "The quality of ice is important” says Shannon “We get the clearest ice we can nod It lasts longer White ice is mostly air- and melts foster” If you can designate separate chests fix meat produce and dairy products light vegetables go on top heavy items like cabbages on bottom Lettuce leaves are wrapped individually in a paper towel or paper bag then put m a plasric bag Meat is frozen packed in the bottom of the ice chest and used toward the end of the trip when it has thawed As fix getting dinner cooked the Shephards swear by cast-irDutch ovens “It’s as ample as heating charcoal briquettes” he says “You heat briquettes until they turn almost completely gray put seven briquettes under die oven equally Cp sect's checklist Da yse have a camping hip ptenacd? Steves hr feeding a family of four on 12 USA WEEKEND Afrit 27-2- 9 1990 Septan! offers these tips Essential equipment 1 1 (tee “aest" of cooking stainless-stee- bonds lor preparation l d serving tee or two Cutdi ovens preferably cadkon (abo gvstebte n afcimifnun) They oast tew flat Sdt Hbn c$i fed wafer fe one for spaghetti cook sues in ibe Fai them at canping or hardware fterthrest River Shafts other sma nr caS i Sat pamela pttSe lor egp and pancakes instead of a ftying pan with sides Bat Sid it diufcait to flip A Hartfflas& plates (partitioned plates are hardio wash) Avoid disposable plastic pistes or paper pistes cups utensils: They break collapse and are Sturdy plastic mug: with $ten CMks Im ne - cooks river-raftin- g Skepbsrd diiclca abm id left a portable grill far kiagry rafters The rafting eijMit dosu’t white-wate- r feeds like “Ilea’s petal sated” then line the top edge of thc lid widi 14 briquettes That equally transfers the heat from the totem to the top to get a baking temperature of 375 degrees” What’s tricky is knowing when something is finished baking Beca we Shephard discourages the use of watches on river cangs he’s gotten good at guessing “You stand nes k and v hen it start: to smell like the finished product it’s done” The final step: cleanup The Shephards carry their diny dishwater well above the high water line and sieve window screen to remove it through a garden-variet- y the larger partseks of food Garbage is packed up and put back on the rafts A fire pan is used to contain ashes so the riverbank is left spooos for the next campers “Everything that goes into the wilderness must come out” Shephard is fond of saying Unfixtunaeely that applies to happy campers as welL By Julia Lawler For matt inbaasaom Shoot Shcpliad'i trips Rim Ooe&tm (209) S32-276- & at cookbook oQ Ssiatoo lips prep work At-ho- ard keep a nas-te- r than to tafiddua! packages Before 'leaving home plan each meal fist of recipes or attack dry fegredtents for pancakes breads and in plants tags and label dearly store ofcs Don't attempt any radpa that takes more than one Mix spaced and turns your Recycled paper products: paper towels napkins toilet paper if poes&w to reduce waste ti ba tests (asd Mas) “wfwtesecw” Kefal Regular silverware from your kitchen tmpnmi to a avatars cmforto is the wild ids feather coffee hour to bake Precook or meats and label dearly Plan on having die most perishable (Asha (fresh fish homemade potato slad) at the bejhrwg of the trip Packing pointers Store milk at the bottom of the ice dust near the ke Keep fruits and vegetables as far from the be as pos- sible so they don't freeze Me the plastic bag off the block of ice before you place it ir the chest Drain the chest every day and keep it in the shade or covered with ftam 0 n |