Yesterday i finished shopping for Week 5 of camp this summer, which means that i am now exactly half way through my ninth season out in the bush. i’m not so sure why i like these milestones so much, particularly when i hate number crunching as much as is do….but i digress.

As i was shopping, i realized that i am going to have to start getting intentional about cooking up all the menus that i have planned out, as well as working in a couple of repeats. Over the years, menu planning in camp has become one of my favorite activities, with a whole set of philosophies around food and foodservice and creativity surrounding the endeavor.

To date, the planters in my camp have been the recipients of myriad foods ranging from burgers or pizza nights to straight up Roast Ham or Beef to African Chili-roasted Plantains to handmade bistro-style Roasted Garlic and Shiitake Potstickers, among others.

This week, the camp will be dining to the sultry wails of middle eastern music on Lebanese night (donairs, falafels, tabbouleh, dolmades…), picking from lineup of modern hippy-styled goods on Dragon Bowl night (grains, rice noodles, raw veggies, slivered meats, asian sauces, nuts&seeds, etc), chowing down on Fish&Chips on English pub night, savouring Maple-Miso Salmon and Avocado Fettuccine on Bistro night, and partying with Burgers on Thursday, which incidentally happens to be the day western Canada’s 6 billionth tree is being planted.

All new meals this week, and i’ve been looking through my papers at so many more that i want to try out, while realizing that if the planters want to have another Mexi burrito night, i don’t have much more time to fit it in. i often wish that i could do this job for more than the little 2 or 3 month season, something more like 4 or 6 months at a time, or part-time year round. These are the times that thoughts of a little cafe somewhere start to tumble around in my brain…something like the Moosewood in Ithaca, NY, or ReBar in Victoria, where the menu is constantly evolving and reflective of the creative staff and curious clientèle.

But for now, i return to camp for another week, ready to dream up delicious dinners and delightful breakfasts, exciting lunch treats and comforting snacks….

See ya next week