Little Luxuries

It wasn't your Coaster at Tyrepower about 3 or 4 weeks ago was it - on a Saturday?

Cutlery wise - I went to the $2 shop and bought six sets of metal knife/fork/desert spoon/tea spoon for (you guessed it) 2$ each set. I wouldn't want them at home but they are great for camping. Likewise with plates and bowls etc. - $2 shop reject Melamine - got a whole set (and spares) including BIG oval plates which sit nicely on your lap in front of the fire. Generally $1 or $2 per item. I also take a largeish metal sieve which doubles as a strainer or steamer. I had to give up on glass wine glasses after breaking loads during 4WDing and now have a couple of polycarbonate "wine glasses" which are pretty good. Pan wise: 1 small, 1 medium saucepan, 1 big Safeways non stick frying pan, 1 Bedourie camp oven. I also take a couple of simple plastic beakers in case all other drinking vessels break (haven't had to use them yet, thank God!). The one thing I refuse to compromise on is my ceramic mug (can't manage china - but the heavy clay type are OK) . Tea and coffee in the morning would not be right from plastic or metal.

An excellent plastic measuring jug is available from Big W, shaped like an inverted cone it can hold up to 500ml but because of it's conical shape can also accurately measure 50ml. Also from Big W a $10 whistling kettle is a must. I usually take a pack of paper plates too for things like lunches on the move - no washing up.

A couple of wire egg cups, an El Cheapo potato peeler, a whisk, a few corn-on-the-cob forks and, most important of all!, a corkscrew :)

All of the above lives in it’s own boxes and is used purely for camping and is always complete and ready to be loaded into the vehicle at a moments notice – none of this taking stuff from the kitchen and either leaving the house short or forgetting something.

Not quite cooking gear but related: I made a lamp support from a 4ft length of thin timber, a cup hook and a cheap (wood working type) clamp – drill shaft of clamp and bolt timber to it. Screw hook into top of timber. Clamp unit to kitchen table and hang light from hook.

Mike Harding

The old faithful Jaffle Iron, aka Wonder Woman's Bra! Baked beans in ham sauce and Tom Piper sweet curry jaffles.....mmmmmmmm.....

The corn cob end thingies as mentioned are the go too.

Dono

I have a set of long welding gloves in the car...been great for around the fire.

We've changed all our plates and dishes to melamine as the plastic ones look pretty ordinary after a while.
One useful tip given by another camper was to buy a large pencil case with a zip for keeping all the cutlery together. If you have lots of other useful utensils apart from knives, forks and spoons, buy two and seperate into eating utensils and "other utensils"
Regards Andrew.

Now I know why no one askes rochie to shout socks (clean!!!)

Its easy to see you lot are all married number one item a high quality can opener

frank