Festival Food

By Pete Nielson
Food Editor

Summer is finally here. The lakes, camp-outs, barbeque food and music festivals: all of these things can be found in one spot this weekend. There is a lot to cover when preparing for a festival so I will stick to what I write about best: food.
       
When preparing for a camp-out there is a lot that can be forgotten in the hurry for the fest.  Are you going to survive off the food and drinks that are available at the festival grounds or will you bring your own rations?

The ration kit is going to need cookware, utensils, and food. I love natural charcoal; it has the best flavor that you are going to find. Propane is by far the easiest and quickest form of fire that you can bring along to the campsites.

I am an advocate of preparing as much as possible ahead of time so that the festival itself is as relaxing as possible. If you are making kabobs to burgers, marinade, skewer, and patty before you leave for the festival. Running water may be a small hike away depending on your location and honestly, who wants to be playing with their food when the music is jamming and there are plenty of games to be played or people to be met? Kabobs can be skewered and held in plastic containers (no Ziplocs here, trust me), and burgers can be pattied and wrapped individually. Do the work ahead of time so that it’s that much easier at the campground; you will also reduce the amount of waste that you are bringing to the festival.

A mess kit is as important as the food that you are bringing. If you get to the Soo Pass Ranch and you don’t have all of your cooking gear with you, there are some options right in town to go and find everything you need. I suggest buying a camp set: a set of cooking and eating utensils that can be washed and reused for many festivals to come. I know paper plates and plastic forks are easy and cheaper, but this is also a huge area of waste that we can help reduce. This mess kit should include a spatula and tongs for cooking, forks, knives and spoons for eating and plates and bowls. You may end up adding all kinds of things like a French press coffee maker or cast iron fry pans for the mornings eggs and bacon.

The weekend is coming quick and the task seems daunting to get all of these things together for two to three meals a day. Well this, my festival friends, is where vendors and the local restaurants are going to suit you best. Detroit Lakes and the Soo Pass Ranch have plenty of locations to get your grub on. Beer and pizza, wine and fine dining: it’s all found in and around the Detroit Lakes. aKnow that the traffic over Fourth of July weekend will be packed, so car pool and find a good parking spot and get out and walk the boardwalk. Stop in to any one of the great spots up and down the shoreline and enjoy a cold beverage; it’s the weekend and it’s summer.

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