the mountains(山脉)-第26部分
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pudding。
The basis was flourtwo cups of it。 Into this I dumped a handful of
raisins； a tablespoonful of baking… powder； two of sugar； and about a
pound of fat salt pork cut into little cubes。 This I mixed up into a mess
by means of a cup or so of water and a quantity of larrupy…dope。＇3＇ Then
I dipped a flour… sack in hot water； wrung it out； sprinkled it with dry flour；
and half filled it with my pudding mixture。 The whole outfit I boiled for
two hours in a kettle。 It； too； was good to the palate； and was even better
sliced and fried the following morning。
＇3＇ Camp…lingo for any kind of syrup。
This brings us to the suspension of kettles。 There are two ways。 If
you are in a hurry； cut a springy pole； sharpen one end； and stick it
perpendicular in the ground。 Bend it down towards your fire。 Hang
your kettle on the end of it。 If you have jabbed it far enough into the
ground in the first place； it will balance nicely by its own spring and the
elasticity of the turf。 The other method is to plant two forked sticks on
either side your fire over which a strong cross…piece is laid。 The kettles
are hung on hooks cut from forked branches。 The forked branches are
attached to the cross…piece by means of thongs or withes。
On this occasion we had deer； grouse； and ducks in the larder。 The
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best way to treat them is as follows。 You may be sure we adopted the
best way。
When your deer is fresh； you will enjoy greatly a dish of liver and
bacon。 Only the liver you will discover to be a great deal tenderer and
more delicate than any calf's liver you ever ate。 There is this difference：
a deer's liver should be parboiled in order to get rid of a green bitter scum
that will rise to the surface and which you must skim off。
Next in order is the 〃back strap〃 and tenderloin； which is always
tender； even when fresh。 The hams should be kept at least five days。
Deer…steak； to my notion； is best broiled； though occasionally it is pleasant
by way of variety to fry it。 In that case a brown gravy is made by
thoroughly heating flour in the grease； and then stirring in water。 Deer…
steak threaded on switches and 〃barbecued〃 over the coals is delicious。
The outside will be a little blackened； but all the juices will be retained。
To enjoy this to the utmost you should take it in your fingers and GNAW。
The only permissible implement is your hunting… knife。 Do not forget to
peel and char slightly the switches on which you thread the meat；
otherwise they will impart their fresh…wood taste。
By this time the ribs are in condition。 Cut little slits between them；
and through the slits thread in and out long strips of bacon。 Cut other
little gashes； and fill these gashes with onions chopped very fine。
Suspend the ribs across two stones between which you have allowed a fire
to die down to coals。
There remain now the hams； shoulders； and heart。 The two former
furnish steaks。 The latter you will make into a 〃bouillon。〃 Here inserts
itself quite naturally the philosophy of boiling meat。 It may be stated in a
paragraph。
If you want boiled meat； put it in hot water。 That sets the juices。 If
you want soup； put it in cold water and bring to a boil。 That sets free the
juices。 Remember this。
Now you start your bouillon cold。 Into a kettle of water put your deer
hearts； or your fish； a chunk of pork； and some salt。 Bring to a boil。
Next drop in quartered potatoes； several small whole onions； a half cupful
of rice； a can of tomatoesif you have any。 Boil slowly for an hour or
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sountil things pierce easily under the fork。 Add several chunks of bread
and a little flour for thickening。 Boil down to about a chowder
consistency； and serve hot。 It is all you will need for that meal； and you
will eat of it until there is no more。
I am supposing throughout that you know enough to use salt and
pepper when needed。
So much for your deer。 The grouse you can split and fry； in which
case the brown gravy described for the fried deer…steak is just the thing。
Or you can boil him。 If you do that； put him into hot water； boil slowly；
skim frequently； and add dumplings mixed of flour； baking…powder； and a
little lard。 Or you can roast him in your Dutch oven with your ducks。
Perhaps it might be well here to explain the Dutch oven。 It is a heavy
iron kettle with little legs and an iron cover。 The theory of it is that coals
go among the little legs and on top of the iron cover。 This heats the
inside； and so cooking results。 That； you will observe； is the theory。
In practice you will have to remember a good many things。 In the
first place； while other affairs are preparing； lay the cover on the fire to
heat it through； but not on too hot a place nor too long； lest it warp and so
fit loosely。 Also the oven itself is to be heated through； and well greased。
Your first baking will undoubtedly be burned on the bottom。 It is almost
impossible without many trials to understand just how little heat suffices
underneath。 Sometimes it seems that the warmed earth where the fire has
been is enough。 And on top you do not want a bonfire。 A nice even
heat； and patience； are the proper ingredients。 Nor drop into the error of
letting your bread chill； and so fall to unpalatable heaviness。 Probably
for some time you will alternate between the extremes of heavy crusts
with doughy insides； and white weighty boiler…plate with no
distinguishable crusts at all。 Above all； do not lift the lid too often for the
sake of taking a look。 Have faith。
There are other ways of baking bread。 In the North Country forests；
where you carry everything on your back； you will do it in the frying…pan。
The mixture should be a rather thick batter or a rather thin dough。 It is
turned into the frying…pan and baked first on one side； then on the other；
the pan being propped on edge facing the fire。 The whole secret of
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success is first to set your pan horizontal and about three feet from the fire
in order that the mixture may be thoroughly warmednot heatedbefore
the pan is propped on edge。 Still another way of baking is in a reflector
oven of tin。 This is highly satisfactory； provided the oven is built on the
scientific angles to throw the heat evenly on all parts of the bread…pan and
equally on top and bottom。 It is not so easy as you might imagine to get
a good one made。 These reflectors are all right for a permanent camp；
but too fragile for transportation on pack…animals。
As for bread； try it unleavened once in a while by way of change。 It
is really very good；just salt； water； flour； and a very little sugar。 For
those who like their bread 〃all crust；〃 it is especially toothsome。 The
usual camp bread that I have found the most successful has been in the
proportion of two cups of flour to a teaspoonful of salt； one of sugar； and
three of baking…powder。 Sugar or cinnamon sprinkled on top is
sometimes pleasant。 Test by thrusting a splinter into the loaf。 If dough
adheres to the wood； the bread is not done。 Biscuits are made by using
twice as much baking…powder and about two tablespoonfuls of lard for
shortening。 They bake much more quickly than the bread。 Johnny…cake
you mix of corn…meal three cups； flour one cup； sugar four spoonfuls； salt
one spoonful； baking…powder four spoonfuls； and lard twice as much as
for biscuits。 It also is good； very good。
The flapjack is first cousin to bread； very palatable； and extremely
indigestible when made of flour； as is ordinarily done。 However； the self…
raising buckwheat flour makes an excellent flapjack； which is likewise
good for your insides。 The batter is rather thin； is poured into the piping
hot greased pan； 〃flipped〃 when brown on one side； and eaten with
larrupy…dope or brown gravy。
When you come to consider potatoes and beans and onions and such
matters； remember one thing： that in the higher altitudes water boils at a
low temperature； and that therefore you must not expect your boiled food
to cook very rapidly。 In fact； you'd better leave beans at home。 We did。
Potatoes you can sometimes tease along
