There’s a wonderful thing about campfire that imparts an irreplicably distinctive smokey flavor to camp food. To attain such a rustic kiss, you’ll have to venture into the wilds for this culinary delight.

Suggested companions: “dirty” rice, fresh-caught rainbow trout and Pinot Grigio.

Colorful, flavorful and wonderfully healthful.Ingredients

2 tablespoons arame, soaked in 1 cup filtered water in a small bowl

2 ½ cups water

½ medium onion, chopped into large pieces

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 large or 2 small purple potatoes, thinly sliced crosswise

½ lb firm tofu, cut into 1” cubes

1/2 carrot, halved lengthwise, grated into long strips with veggie peeler

5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced

1 (1-inch) piece kombu

1 package of enoki mushrooms, stems discarded

½ – 1 tablespoon Shiromiso (white miso) to taste

1 cup very thinly sliced bok choy

1 teaspoon tamari to taste

1 scallion, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon dulse flakes

1. Cook purple potatoes in 1 tablespoon of oil in 3-quart saucepan over moderate heat till tender and crispy on the outside, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer into bowl and set aside.

2. Sauté onion in 2 teaspoons of oil in the same 3-quart saucepan over moderate heat. Stir frequently until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook just enough to emit a fragrance, about 30 seconds.

3. Add tofu, carrot, shiitakes, kombu and 2 ½ cups water. Simmer until carrot is tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat.

4. Put miso in a small bowl and add 1/4 cup (cooled) stew liquid, mixing until miso is more liquid. Stir into stew a little at time, to taste. Note: do not allow the miso to come to a full boil. Adding miso to preparations after they have cooled, preserves the flavor and nutritional value.

5. Drain and rinse arame and add to stew along with bok choy, tamari, enoki mushrooms stirring to combine.

6. Serve right away. Sprinkle with scallion, dulse flakes and a few slices of purple potato. Note: purple potatoes are naturally purple and contain the same antioxidant that give blueberries their brilliant color.

How to make:

Strawberry Shortcake has two parts, the lush strawberries and the divine crust.

Gather the freshest strawberries, a couple of baskets full and a few to pop in your mouth will chopping them. Gently rinse the strawberries, take their green hats off, mash them lightly, just enough so they render their juice. Then sprinkle half of a cup of sugar, a couple of splashes of Grand Mariner, five or six chopped mint leaves, and a cup of cream, the thicker the better.

Let them sit in a cool place for an hour or two.

For the shortbread crust, first finely, chop a handful of hazelnuts, then add half of a cup of soft butter, a cup of sugar, two large eggs, two cups of flour, and a teaspoon of baking powder. Mix lightly until it forms a ball. In a buttered (8X11) pan add some wax paper, and then gently pat the crust into place.
Bake for about 20 minutes on 350°

When it is golden, take it out of the oven and out of the pan, and let it cool somewhat before cutting it.

Make sure the knife reaches to the center of the cake. You want to take the top off and add strawberries to the bottom half. Then put the top back on.

Thank you, Corey Amaro of Tongue in Cheek.

I recommend enjoying on a sunny patio alongside pistachios and grissini with a thyme cheddar spread or fresh chevre rolled in herbes de provence on caraway crackers. The play of bright, sweet, fresh and herbal effervescence with a little salty and creamy richness is quite nice.

How to:

Muddle small bundle of fresh basil with Meyer lemon zest (go to town here–the pulverized basil lends not only to the flavor, but its wonderful color as well)

add:

2 parts   -  St. Germaine

stir and strain.

add:

2 parts   -     Brut Champagne

1 1/2 parts  -  soda water

Give it a light stir. Add ice, lemon peel, basil leaf and imbibe!