Cook-Off and Pioneering

By: Kyle Andrews

The great outdoors could be as simple as going to the park. It doesn’t have to be all out camping in the woods with minimal food and no showers. Last Saturday, the Integrated Outdoors Program (IOP) and Community Service and Internal Socials (CSIS) departments grouped together some people to have a picnic at a park; and of course, a picnic isn’t complete without food!

A really fun aspect of camp that I found not many people knew about is that camping doesn’t mean all day hot dogs and granola. You have so much freedom to get creative with what you have. Other than the fresh air and amazing scenery, the cooking is actually one of the best things about camp! Sometimes food at camp is even fancier than food at home!

The theme of this event, and thus its title, was a Cook Off, much like Iron Chef! The main ingredient was the egg. Candidates were divided into two groups with what we gathered as equal cooking abilities. Leaders announced that the mission was to create a dish out of all the ingredients that everyone brought. Two very tasty meals were created from this escapade! The first one was a special omelet, which was presented like a gourmet pizza completed with vegies like beets, carrots, and deli meat. The second one was a very hearty meal, with impressing amount meat. It had chicken breasts, and Korean pork ribs. In between was a double serving of savory (non-sweet) French toast. Both meals were decorated as if professional chefs created these dishes! It was amazing what we have done with the amount of time and ingredients we had. The pictures should speak for themselves.

After everyone was full and satisfied from our delicious meals, IOP led the two teams into a pioneering workshop. Pioneering is the art of using ropes and wood to create structures such as a flagpole or a fence. In Asian countries, pioneering is also sometimes used for creating the framework for small houses and cottages. It was like real construction work!

All in all, it was a great event because it involved cooking. There is something about cooking that makes it a good bonding tool. The feeling of gathering around the stove to wait for the food to cook because it’s kind of chilly, or sitting closely together around the campfire as your marshmallow starts to brown; it’s a unique waiting experience to, say, waiting for the bus. It’s honestly the type of waiting that doesn’t make you antsy, and there’s something about being at camp that makes you not want to take out your phone, but to take ready your graham crackers!

If our events have peaked your interest, check our website for more. The Sun Run and the Barbeque at the beach, in case you are wondering, are some of our upcoming events. Shoot us an comment or e-mail if you want to come. See you next time!