Summer Camp Food

[LNTGirl 10]

I'm sure those of you who have been to camp know about the heated topic of food.

At our camp, our food is consistently rated the lowest of all the things that one can rate at camp. I understand it tastes bad; I eat it for 8 1/2 weeks! I'm also a vegetarian, so I get the worst possible meals on camp, both in taste and nutrition. Our camp has grown so large that we hire a food service company to plan and prepare the meals. In my three years on staff, we've gone through 2 companies. People still have conflicts with the quantity and quality of

[Joni4TA 10]

Hi LNT

Not sure where you were going with this... looks like you had a problem with the server cutting you off. I had a similar problem with a few posts. Thought I would respond to you and hopefully bump it up some.

[LNTGirl 10]

Since I'm not sure of how to change my post, I'll just reply. What I was asking was for the name or number or something of a food service company that is willing to serve in Wisconsin. I thought the food at Ransburg was good, and I did get their card. Unfortunately, it went through the wash with my scout shorts. So, if anyone knows of a good food management service, please let me know!

[Eamonn 61]

While I am in no way defending or out to put down Food Service Companies. I think that you might find that they are working to a menu that they have been given and or they are working within a budget that has been set by the Council.

As with most things you get what you pay for. However while most Food Service Companies do try and hire the best people that they can, because of many camps only being open for the summer and at times the location being so far away from everything their choice of workers might not be that great. A good cook or chef will make a world of difference.

The problem with a lot of vegetarians is that they try to be too nice. They "Don't want to cause a fuss." The poor guy who is doing the cooking would more then lightly love to make a fuss or at least know what you want. If no one tells him, he will keep serving salads and plates of the vegetable du Jour. If it happens to be Baked Beans -Oh Well.

I can not stand peanut butter. When I was taking a course at Hawk Mountain I had put this on the form that I returned to the camp. One night the cook served a peanut butter pie for dessert. I would have been happy to skip dessert, but low and behold he came out with a chocolate pie for me. I made a big fuss about how nice it was of him to do such a nice thing and went a bit over board telling him what a wonderful job he was doing. He became my new best friend and at sometime during each meal would come out to see what I thought of the meal. Things went great till one night he served a salad with hot bacon dressing. It was a mix of bacon fat, sugar and some sort of vinegar that had all been boiled up and thickened with flour or way too much corn starch. Everyone hated it. But sure enough out he came and asked about the dressing telling me it was a local specialty. Being the good Scout that I am? I lied and said how wonderful it was. The next day when everyone else got normal salads I got this stuff - Reheated!!He informed me it was always better the next day!!

When the week was over I nipped in to say thank you and as he was a smoker I had bought him a carton of cigarettes as I went to leave he gave me a quart of the Hot Bacon dressing to take home with me. My beloved Mother in-law informed me that it was a depression dish. I said that you only needed to taste it and you would be depressed!! I gave it to her and she loved it.

Eamonn