"People think you can't bake over a campfire,"
says Melissa Mullins. "You have to be a little creative." She must be
right: Yesterday Mullins bested four other finalists from around the U.S. competing in New York
City 's Riverside Park to be named America 's Best Campfire Chef in the
third annual Campfire Classic cooking competition (sponsored by Redwood Creek
Winery). Mullins, from New York ,
New York , claimed the $10,000 top
prize and a donation of $5,000 to Appalachian National Scenic Trail to be made
on her behalf. Her
Blackberry
Hand Pies with Jar-Whipped Lavender Cream trounced savory competitors,
including Celebrate Life Zip Packs (made with walleye fish), Campfire Pizza,
Elk Tenderloin Medallions, and Swordfish a Roux Turtle Packs (which won the
people's choice award, voted for on
Redwood Creek's Web site).
Mullins's empanada-like pies are baked over the campfire in
mini-foil "ovens" that allow the air to circulate, helping the crust
get crispy. She says shortening works better than butter for the great outdoors
since it doesn't spoil and also aids in crisping the crust. Mullins first
conceived the dish on a camping trip to Oregon
but she says the pies can be cooked at home over a grill or even a gas stove
(urban cooks might be even more resourceful than boy scouts).
Read about and get the recipe from last year's winner of the
Campfire Classic recipe contest.
What's the most interesting thing you've ever cooked over a
campfire?
Megan O. Steintrager is a senior editor at Epicurious.com.
She has worked as a writer and editor at Epicurious since the late '90s. Steintrager
holds a master's in journalism from New York
University with a concentration in
Cultural Reporting and Criticism, and has taken numerous cooking classes at New York 's Institute for
Culinary Education and the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health. She
has worked as a writer and editor for ConsumerReports.org,
Restaurant
Business magazine, and Spin.com, and has been published in
Self,
Brides, and
Time Out New York, among other print and online
publications.
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