When we go hunting in the north woods, it’s as much about tradition as it is the deer. We’ve been lucky enough to include so many friends and family members through the years. When there was so often a new face, it was sharing our hunting traditions that drew them in. Food is often the center of those traditions.
Up at 5:00 in the morning, a big breakfast starts the day. The same people get up early in the morning and make up pans of bacon and about 30 scrambled eggs and toast. And coffee, lots of coffee. A little bit of creamer for a few, regular, black coffee for the rest. None of us eats breakfast like that on a regular day. But in all these years, even though we’ve talked about it, the breakfast menu on a hunting morning does not change.
A few of us got rebellious a few years ago and switched up the breakfast menu for Friday – the day before hunting begins. You see, some of us arrive on Thursday evening before hunting; get some things set up in the cabin, get the sauna ready and enjoy being up north to just hang out and relax. We get to sleep in, then fix up breakfast, sometimes French toast and sausage, more recently an egg bake of some kind. Mid day is pizza, no prep or work, part of the relaxing day. Some of the hunters arrive later afternoon, into the evening. Friday supper (we live in rural Minnesota, we eat breakfast, dinner and SUPPER) is something that can stay warm for awhile. For years, MA would make up a big pot of homemade spaghetti sauce. After cooking up the spaghetti, the sauce would stay warm on the burner. Supper is ready when the later arrivals get there if they are running into the evening.
Lunch, or Dinner depending on who says it, is basically the same for the first weekend of hunting. Old fashion hotdogs and chili or soup. T makes awesome chili. She makes up 3 gallons before hunting and there usually is none left. Soup, chicken and dumplings or beef barley, another few gallons. It’s quick and easy to heat up. People can ‘trickle’ through. We all know who does what to quickly get it ready when we come back from the morning hunt.
Supper. There have been years we have had 20 + people at the cabin for meals. We had to come up with menus that could be cooked ahead or in as few pots as possible. For years, supper one night was rabbit and potatoes. One of the first generation of hunters would fry up a number of rabbits and in a large roaster, make up a gravy to cover it all. Add potatoes and we had most of a meal in one pan. Another favorite was turkey, potatoes, stuffing. All made up ahead of time so it was more of a heat and eat meal. Roast beef, mashed potatoes and veggies is another meal that cooks up with few pans, yet feeds a lot of people. Hotdish night started a few years ago. Each family contributes a hotdish that is ready to heat and eat. We can get the food into a slow oven before going out for the evening hunt.
An advantage of making the same menu year after year is knowing ahead of time who is going to do what. We don’t have to spend much time with meal prep when tasks are divided out to the same people who know just what to do for each meal. Buying groceries is easier when we make the same meals. Quantities are easier to determine.
I haven’t mentioned the sweets. Oh, there’s a whole counter of sweets. Everyone makes or buys all kinds of cookies, bars and other treats. I have to admit, we have been adding healthy snacks, fresh fruits and veggies into the mix. But, we all look forward to the sweets. MA always had a big pan of pumpkin bars ready and waiting when we got there. If we weren’t eating up the sweets from the pans quick enough, MA would cut bars, etc. and put on a plate to leave on the table. When you are sitting at the table, looking at those sweets, it’s hard to resist.