Category: Long Beach

What the Heck is Australian Campfire Damper?

Our Fall Camping Trip, 2020

Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island

On the way to Pacific Rim National Park, Long Beach

Eerily, smokey skies.  The roads and lakes almost disappear.

Our traditional stop at Coombs for sustenance.

My Husband:  Belgian Hazelnut Chocolate and Burgundy Cherry.  Me:  Espresso Flakes and Salted Caramel. 

Traditional stop at Coombs for sustenance

We veer off the main road for a pit stop at Kennedy Lake.  We are surprised by the unusual depth of layers in our stunning view.

Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island

At Our Campsite

My Husband Gives Me THAT LOOK

Chuck:  “What the heck is Australian Campfire Damper?

Me:  “My Australian friends tell me I have to make Australian Damper over the campfire.”

First Attempt
Second Attempt

Note to self:

  • Remember to bring the teaspoon of sugar from home for next time.  It may help with caramelizing the surface and the overall appearance.
  • Two skewers at a time works better than one.
  • Covering the dough around the sausage was a hit.  Especially when you pinch the ends of the dough together.
Rapid learning curve when dough slides into the fire

          It tastes better than it looks.  Even when you eat it partially raw.

  • Chuck was a great sport.

          Extra Husband Points for helping me with this one.

Extra Husband Points

How Is Camping Still The Same This Year?

Guilty Pleasures:

Many great books to read from morning until night.

Guilty Pleasure. Reading from morning until night.

We Bring Our Luxury items:

  • Blueberry tea
  • Fondue pot
  • Propane Campfire
Camping Fondue

Surroundings: 

  • Untouched Old Growth Forest.
  • Trees covered in a blanket of moss.
Pacific Rim National Park, Long Beach
  • Ocean as far as the eyes can see.
  • The sounds of nature.
  • The sounds of silence.
Pacific Rim National Park, Long Beach

Each Other:

My husband and I continue to laugh many times every day.

           At ourselves.  With each other.

We enjoy our quiet time together.

          “When you can sit in perfect silence with someone, you truly know how to communicate.” Richard Wagamese

We still have each other.

            I cannot ask for anything more.

Grateful for each other. Long Beach.

How Is Camping Different This Year? 

Smokey skies.

        The view is a little different.

Our camper contains extra supplies.

         Masks, Chlorox wipes, disinfecting solutions

I expect changes every year.

This year I learned a great deal from the unexpected.

Pacific Rim National Park, Long Beach

As For Our Australian Campfire Damper?

Our photos do not look like the perfect results in the Pinterest recipe pictures.

We did have a perfectly fun time.  

Would we make it again?

Definitely!

We will call it Australian CANUCK Campfire Damper.  

                    Our New Tradition.

Australian Canuck Campfire Damper

Have you tried out something new you learned from the blogging community?

Behind the Scenery

Australian Campfire Damper

I used the attached recipe as a guide.  I guesstimated the quantities and the thickness of the dough.  Many variations of this recipe found online.

Australian Campfire Damper

A huge thank you to my Australian friends for sharing the recipes and especially for sharing yourselves and your time. 

Blueberry Tea Recipe

A classic recipe resurfaced from 1970’s camping.  A combination of amaretto liqueur, orange liqueur, hot Earl Grey tea or Orange Pekoe tea.  This year we also used Mint Tea.  All great!  Especially on cold, rainy  evenings.

Reading by the Campfire

My reading has changed significantly since I began my blog two years ago.

I spend many hours each week reading entertaining and inspirational blogs.

I enjoy wonderful books written by these gifted and creative writers.

I am introduced to diverse genres:

  • A wonderful collection of short stories and poems.
  • A Land of Fantasy
  • A coming-of-age story
  • New perspectives on the Human Condition 
  • Action and Adventure
  • Beautiful and powerful Poetry
  • Love in all of it’s forms

Recent Books I Have Enjoyed Reading By These Remarkably Talented Writers:

“The Storyteller Speaks: Powerful Stories to Win Your Heart”  by Annika Perry https://annikaperry.com/about-me/

“Liars and Thieves (Unraveling the Veil Book 1)”  by D. Wallace Peach https://mythsofthemirror.com/2020/08/29/liars-and-thieves-book-launch-central/

“A Home for Her Daughter”  by Jill Weatherholt https://jillweatherholt.wordpress.com/2020/08/25/a-home-for-her-daughter-newrelease/

“Moments We Love”  by Balroop Singh https://balroop2013.wordpress.com/about/

“Vanished”  by Mark Bierman https://markbierman.wordpress.com/about-my-book/

“Dog Bone Soup (Historical Fiction): A Boomer’s Journey” by Bette A. Stevens https://4writersandreaders.com/about/