Camping, Princess Style

Senior Sea Kayaker · November 13, 2023

On the subject of diverting food:

It takes two to make this kind of thing, the distribution of excess to someone who needs it rather than adding it to waste, work.

Usually it's community groups run by volunteers who make arrangements with businesses, are notified, pick up the food and distribute it in a safe manner.

A lot of the time it's church groups that do this.

And sometimes large organizations such as Canada's Second Harvest, a food rescue charity, provide the service.

It's also crucial that the businesses, be they grocery stores or restaurants, commit and support those efforts.

**Smithy** · November 13, 2023

You all have raised good points about the problems of the beans (and any other food waste) at the end of the evening. One of my cousins works with food shelf programs to rescue food that's about to be discarded from the food shelf programs due to expiration dates, and get it to homeless shelters and some of his poorer neighbors. He and his unofficial co-workers put a lot of time and effort into it. It takes motivation, and planning and coordination...and a certain amount of working around laws.

**Smithy** · November 13, 2023

We had some lovely dinners from Cooper's, and as I noted we got several dinners out of each purchase. We ordered beef brisket (from the fatty end, if you please) that was jiggly and juicy and delicious. There were pork ribs. I splurged on a ribeye steak one night. That's cooked to order, so took 15 - 20 minutes to cook. Medium rare, just as I like it. He had more pork ribs one night. We had a pork skewer one night, and decided that I do it better.

I braised baby potatoes one night, and they featured prominently as a support for reheating brisket and beef ribs, once I remembered our method: put it atop something like potatoes, or a rack or flatware, in a heavy dish like my enameled cast iron Descoware. Add a small amount of water -- enough to cover the bottom to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch, put the lid on, and rewarm slowly at low temperature.

You can see that we also had vegetables! Peas one night; corn another night; cole slaw (not photographed) yet another evening.

I'm not as crazy about their potato salad as I once was, but I enjoyed a small container of that once or twice; in addition to a dinner accompaniment, it was lunch one day and breakfast the next.

The potatoes are almost mashed, and this salad includes bits of dill pickle and red bell pepper. Not a touch of sugar to be had. My kind of potato salad!

Here's the pork skewer, along with a hunk of brisket as we whittled away at it. The pork was a bit dry. Again, I'll say modestly that I think mine is better.

For some odd reason, all the photos were taken before we added barbecue sauce. I'll have more to say about barbecue sauces in another post.

At last, we were down to these bits of leftover meats. I suffered from allgoneaphobia and stretched them as much as I could after we left Llano. But alas, they're all done until our next visit.

Nancy in Pátzcuaro · November 13, 2023

I have the same problem--allgoneaphobia. As a result my pantry is full of little jars of oriental seasonings, among others. Or I'll read a recipe that has a specific ingredient, so I'll search for it. Once I have it I've forgotten the recipe--the reason I bought it--and so it languishes on the shelf. I'm not sure why I bought that sesame paste, for instance.

Edited November 13, 2023 by Nancy in Pátzcuaro
spelling (log)

JoNorvelleWalker · November 13, 2023

1 hour ago, Nancy in Pátzcuaro said:

I have the same problem--allgoneaphobia. As a result my pantry is full of little jars of oriental seasonings, among others. Or I'll read a recipe that has a specific ingredient, so I'll search for it. Once I have it I've forgotten the recipe--the reason I bought it--and so it languishes on the shelf. I'm not sure why I bought that sesame paste, for instance.

I am not alone.

**ElsieD** · November 13, 2023

38 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I am not alone.

Not by a long shot.

Porthos · November 15, 2023

On 11/11/2023 at 9:50 AM, Smithy said:

Yay for Fage yogurt.

Porthos · November 15, 2023

On 11/11/2023 at 10:11 AM, Smithy said:

Still, it reminded me of this topic on Indian food becoming common at truck stops.

In my runs between AZ and So Cal I've noticed the increased number of Indian drivers.

**Smithy** · November 16, 2023

On 11/14/2023 at 10:46 PM, Porthos said:

Yay for Fage yogurt.

On 11/14/2023 at 10:54 PM, Porthos said:

In my runs between AZ and So Cal I've noticed the increased number of Indian drivers.

Nice to see you here, @Porthos! Thanks for dropping by. 🙂

heidih · November 16, 2023

On 11/14/2023 at 9:54 PM, Porthos said:

In my runs between AZ and So Cal I've noticed the increased number of Indian drivers.

Did you mean "diners" v. "drivers"? Did you sample food if diners?

**Smithy** · November 16, 2023

We're "home"!

There's more to tell about Llano (yes, really) but as usual the timeline is going to be a bit jerky. Sometimes I have to work backward, then forward, and I hope you find it more entertaining than frustrating. (There's a wonderful sequence in T.H. White's The Once and Future King (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) where Merlin gets horribly frustrated because his invisible assistant can't give him the right hat. "Be more specific," advises the owl, "perhaps the poor fellow finds it as confusing as you do to live backward.")

We were surprised and delighted that (a) our spot was available and (b) nobody had bothered our fire ring. This is the second year in a row that we've been so lucky. Even the decorative rocks, the poker stick and a horseshoe-shaped piece of wood were still there!

We opened up and set up the interior. There are hunters nearby; you can see their trailer out the back deck doors. They're far enough away that we can barely hear each other's generators.

What a relief to be set up, and know that we won't have to move for a while!

At some point during the setting-up I got hangry and mixed up some tuna salad. Pickle juice, a diced hard-boiled egg and mayo went into it. We still had a few stray leaves of lettuce. We had no sandwich bread, and only 3 burger buns left. We split one bun and shared it.

Later that day we relaxed on our deck, and luxuriated in the sunshine. That Llano Estacado Sauvignon Blanc from Luddock is good. I'd buy it again.

That night, while rummaging around for celebratory food, we discovered that we STILL had brisket left over from Cooper's! We really did finish it this time, along with the last of the baked rice dish I posted about here. It reheated nicely in the oven, in a small Corningware dish that helped buffer the heat and keep the brisket from overcooking. As usual, we used our preferred barbecue sauces.

The next day we had a beautiful halo around the sun: rain soon, maybe?

We set up the outdoor kitchen anyway. That night I cooked 2 superburgers atop the camp stove. This time I tried using the cast iron griddle that I'd remembered to bring along. It's been riding in the oven all this time, adding thermal mass. I think it worked pretty well atop the stove.

blue_dolphin · November 16, 2023

How nice to be able to stretch out a bit! Whereabouts is "home," these days, generally speaking?

**Smithy** · November 16, 2023

6 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

How nice to be able to stretch out a bit! Whereabouts is "home," these days, generally speaking?

Desert land outside Yuma, on the California side of the border.

rotuts · November 16, 2023

@Smithy

what sort of internet connection do you have ?

Water ?

Electricity ?

closest neighbor ?

**Smithy** · November 16, 2023

Further to the issue of barbecue sauce. This may really be my last Llano-related post for a while, but the sauce is important enough that it deserves its own marker.

Cooper's barbecue sauce is perfectly suited to my tastes. It's runny and tart, not particularly sweet. There's obvious pepper in it, but not so much that it's hot. My darling prefers sweet, clingy barbecue sauces. I don't. I collect and hoard the Cooper's and try to make it last until the next visit.

One day I asked a worker whether it was vinegar-based, and he said he thought so. That was at service time. The next day I went in early, before opening time, to see whether I could possibly get a recipe for my own use. I asked the workers first, and they referred me to the manager.

I poured on the charm. "Your barbecue sauce is THE BEST barbecue sauce I've ever had! As I'm sure you can hear, I'm not from around here. I'd suuure like to be able to make it for myself for those times when I'm away; we only pass through here twice a year."

He smiled.

"Any chance I could get the recipe for my own personal use?" I wheedled. "I promise not to share it."

Not a chance.

"Well, could you at least tell me the ingredients? A list? Rough proportions?"

Nope.

"Is it vinegar based?"

He politely explained that he couldn't even tell me that. There are franchisees who pay "big bucks" for that recipe, and it wouldn't be fair to share it with me. He couldn't even tell me the ingredients. But they sell it! By the bottle, by the gallon. And they ship!

I thanked him for his time and explanation, told them we were looking forward to seeing them all that evening, and left. Of course when I made my purchase that night I loaded up on the free sauce. But I did also buy a bottle.

The joke's on me! The first ingredient is ketchup! I never would have guessed that.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Smithy
Reloaded photo collage (log)

rotuts · November 16, 2023

@Smithy

ketchup is used in a lot of very good BBQ sauces

you get tomato , some sweetness and tartness

your pic didn't come through for me

just guess the proportions based on their order

of course : spices and herbs on the label are not going to be that helpful.

**Smithy** · November 16, 2023

Just now, rotuts said:

@Smithy

what sort of internet connection do you have ?

Water ?

Electricity ?

closest neighbor ?

We're on cellular wifi, and I must say it doesn't go very far when I'm doing photos the way I am. That's one reason I do so many collages; they save a lot of data.

The trailer has water and waste tanks. We fill (or dump, as appropriate) at campgrounds such as the last one we visited. When we're out here boondocking, we can refill the water tank from a portable tank in the back of the pickup. That way, we can get water without having to tow the trailer. It's an interesting exercise in water thrift. The two of us use about 100 gallons of water in a week. We're pretty careful with water, especially out here in the desert, and try not to waste it.

The Princessmobile has a generator that produces 110v electricity when we need to run the 110v appliances (microwave, coffeemaker). The generator also charges the 12v batteries aboard the Princessmobile; they run the rest of the appliances and trailer features. The refrigerator, for instance, runs on 12v and propane. When we aren't plugged into "shore power" at some campground, we make a point of having every battery-powered gizmo plugged into an outlet when we start the generator. As a rule we run 1-2 hours in the morning and 1-2 hours in the evening, and that keeps most stuff charged. There are also a couple of USB outlets for charging cell phones and the modem.

**Smithy** · November 16, 2023

3 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Smithy

ketchup is used in a lot of very good BBQ sauces

you get tomato , some sweetness and tartness

your pic didn't come through for me

just guess the proportions based on their order

of course : spices and herbs on the label are not going to be that helpful.

I've reloaded the photo. Thanks for letting me know it didn't come up right the first time.

You're right about guessing the proportions based on their order, and that's my plan. I'll also need to be choosy about the ketchup, I think. To me most ketchup is too sweet and I tend to turn my nose up at it.

rotuts · November 16, 2023

@Smithy

the ketchup might be something they buy

check the major labels for the ingredient list they offer

to look for a close match . it also might be a ketchup sold only to

food service units. a key is that is does not contain tomato paste .

it they made their own , which is possible , it might be a method to further disguise

their stuff. I think they buy a certain ketchup made elsewhere

and then the key is their ' spices ' you will do better changing out the canola

good luck !

Edited November 16, 2023 by rotuts (log)

lindag · November 16, 2023

26 minutes ago, Smithy said:

Further to the issue of barbecue sauce. This may really be my last Llano-related post for a while, but the sauce is important enough that it deserves its own marker.

Cooper's barbecue sauce is perfectly suited to my tastes. It's runny and tart, not particularly sweet. There's obvious pepper in it, but not so much that it's hot. My darling prefers sweet, clingy barbecue sauces. I don't. I collect and hoard the Cooper's and try to make it last until the next visit.

One day I asked a worker whether it was vinegar-based, and he said he thought so. That was at service time. The next day I went in early, before opening time, to see whether I could possibly get a recipe for my own use. I asked the workers first, and they referred me to the manager.

I poured on the charm. "Your barbecue sauce is THE BEST barbecue sauce I've ever had! As I'm sure you can hear, I'm not from around here. I'd suuure like to be able to make it for myself for those times when I'm away; we only pass through here twice a year."

He smiled.

"Any chance I could get the recipe for my own personal use?" I wheedled. "I promise not to share it."

Not a chance.

"Well, could you at least tell me the ingredients? A list? Rough proportions?"

Nope.

"Is it vinegar based?"

He politely explained that he couldn't even tell me that. There are franchisees who pay "big bucks" for that recipe, and it wouldn't be fair to share it with me. He couldn't even tell me the ingredients. But they sell it! By the bottle, by the gallon. And they ship!

I thanked him for his time and explanation, told them we were looking forward to seeing them all that evening, and left. Of course when I made my purchase that night I loaded up on the free sauce. But I did also buy a bottle.

The joke's on me! The first ingredient is ketchup! I never would have guessed that.

I see it's on Amazon. Cooper's

**Shelby** · November 16, 2023

2 hours ago, Smithy said:

Further to the issue of barbecue sauce. This may really be my last Llano-related post for a while, but the sauce is important enough that it deserves its own marker.

Cooper's barbecue sauce is perfectly suited to my tastes. It's runny and tart, not particularly sweet. There's obvious pepper in it, but not so much that it's hot. My darling prefers sweet, clingy barbecue sauces. I don't. I collect and hoard the Cooper's and try to make it last until the next visit.

One day I asked a worker whether it was vinegar-based, and he said he thought so. That was at service time. The next day I went in early, before opening time, to see whether I could possibly get a recipe for my own use. I asked the workers first, and they referred me to the manager.

I poured on the charm. "Your barbecue sauce is THE BEST barbecue sauce I've ever had! As I'm sure you can hear, I'm not from around here. I'd suuure like to be able to make it for myself for those times when I'm away; we only pass through here twice a year."

He smiled.

"Any chance I could get the recipe for my own personal use?" I wheedled. "I promise not to share it."

Not a chance.

"Well, could you at least tell me the ingredients? A list? Rough proportions?"

Nope.

"Is it vinegar based?"

He politely explained that he couldn't even tell me that. There are franchisees who pay "big bucks" for that recipe, and it wouldn't be fair to share it with me. He couldn't even tell me the ingredients. But they sell it! By the bottle, by the gallon. And they ship!

I thanked him for his time and explanation, told them we were looking forward to seeing them all that evening, and left. Of course when I made my purchase that night I loaded up on the free sauce. But I did also buy a bottle.

The joke's on me! The first ingredient is ketchup! I never would have guessed that.

Well, the only thing left to do is disguise yourself and get a job there. Maybe they need holiday help 😄

C. sapidus · November 17, 2023

5 hours ago, Smithy said:

Desert land outside Yuma, on the California side of the border.

Do you ever explore the Mexican side of the border?

FauxPas · November 17, 2023

6 hours ago, Smithy said:

It's an interesting exercise in water thrift. The two of us use about 100 gallons of water in a week. We're pretty careful with water, especially out here in the desert, and try not to waste it.

We measure water consumption up here in cubic metres. Your 400 gallons per month would be less than 2 cubic metres, I think. We used 7 cubic metres in October at our house and I think we are pretty careful with water usually. Mind you, we probably did a little bit of garden irrigation, but it wouldn't be much in October.

Our summertime consumption was pretty high because we were trying to establish new shrubs/trees and lawn and a small veggie garden and it was a very dry summer and we have an irrigation system, etc. We think about capturing rain water during the winter but haven't done anything about it yet.

But your consumption is really very moderate! Do you shower in the PrincessMobile all the time or do you have other options? Does PJ get bathed? Do you have a flush toilet or composting?

**Smithy** · November 17, 2023

22 hours ago, C. sapidus said:

Do you ever explore the Mexican side of the border?

We have gone across the border (on foot) in other states, but so far haven't done it here. It's about 50 miles each way to the nearest Mexican town. We may make the trip this year, just to see what's there.

**Smithy** · November 17, 2023

21 hours ago, FauxPas said:

We measure water consumption up here in cubic metres. Your 400 gallons per month would be less than 2 cubic metres, I think. We used 7 cubic metres in October at our house and I think we are pretty careful with water usually. Mind you, we probably did a little bit of garden irrigation, but it wouldn't be much in October.

Our summertime consumption was pretty high because we were trying to establish new shrubs/trees and lawn and a small veggie garden and it was a very dry summer and we have an irrigation system, etc. We think about capturing rain water during the winter but haven't done anything about it yet.

But your consumption is really very moderate! Do you shower in the PrincessMobile all the time or do you have other options? Does PJ get bathed? Do you have a flush toilet or composting?

Our water consumption is much higher at home! Here, we have no garden or yard to water, and we're very careful with dishwashing...usually it's just one dishpan worth per day -- say, 1-2 gallons of water per day. I used to save that water for washing floors later, but I admit that this year I've taken to using a vacuum and a chemical mop (Swiffer). I'll answer your other questions offline.

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