A new survey tells us campers are abandoning their stoves and heading to local restaurants instead. But cooking is half the fun of a camping holiday, and easier than ever, too.
A recent survey published by the Post Office indicates that almost half (44%) of Britons setting off on a camping holiday will be dining out when they're away. Around 28% say they're bored with cooking on a camping stove.
If this is true, it jars with the rising popularity of camping cookbooks in the UK. The Cool Camping Cookbook has sold over 25,000 copies over two editions. Annie Bell's The Camping Cookbook, Martin Dorey & Sarah Randall's Camper Van Cookbook and Camper Van Coast are all popular titles riding high in the Amazon charts.
Cooking on the camp stove is far from boring. It's a great opportunity to build a sense of community as you rope your fellow campers into doing all the food prep while you enjoy a cold beer or a glass of wine. You can then move in for the glory shot as you add the final touches to provide your pals with amazing, restaurant-quality camping cuisine. If you manage to delegate the washing-up, too, then that's surely half the fun of camping in the first place.
The current interest in food festivals, farmers' markets and the proliferation of local food producers up and down the country means an abundance of delicious fresh and local food is never far from the tent flaps. So campers not only get to explore the great British countryside, but also have the opportunity to discover some great British produce. Also, what's available in the camping kitchen has come a long way from the old primus stove. These days you can get cheap camping stoves with two-ring burners and a camping grill, a wide range of barbecuing equipment and - depending on how far you want to push your culinary skills - even a solar-powered camp oven. The modern camper has an array of cooking methods almost on a par with what's in the kitchen back at home.
The key to good camping cuisine is first-rate ingredients and the simplest recipes. You can easily throw together a quick and tasty starter and main to enjoy under the stars. Here's a couple of favourite recipes from my own camping cookbook, Guyrope Gourmet. Share your ideas below.
Pancharagus
Asparagus
Pancetta
Fresh ground black pepper
Wrap a slice of pancetta around each spear of asparagus and cook for two or three minutes on a very hot griddle pan, rolling each one so that the pancetta browns all round.
Season with black pepper and dip in a good mayonnaise.
Mussels with beer and coriander
1kg fresh mussels
1 small onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 small bottle of lager (33cl)
Milled black pepper & flaked sea salt
Bunch fresh coriander
Bread, to serve
Scrape, wash and de-beard the mussels, discarding any open ones that don't close when tapped with a knife. Finely chop the onion and soften in olive oil over a moderate heat. Add the washed mussels and the chopped tomatoes and give it a stir. Add the seasoning and pour in the beer. Place a lid on the pot and let it simmer for three or four minutes (depending on how well cooked you like the mussels). Meanwhile, chop a good handful of fresh coriander. Remove from the heat and add the coriander. Let it stand for a minute (discard any mussels that did not open after cooking) and serve with chunks of crusty white bread.
Mussels with beer and coriander is a great camping stove meal, writes Guyrope Gourmet author Josh Sutton. See below for the full recipe. Photograph: Josh Sutton