A camping theme runs through much of what we do in Rangers. As part of this we learn about making fires and cooking. The photos are taken from one outpost meeting in which we cooked crepes over a campfire. This was really special as we even had a qualified French chef to teach us how to do it!
Every Ranger made a crepe, putting the mixture into the pan, cooking it and finally tossing the crepe. The final stage was of course smearing it with Nutella and eating it. Everyone managed this last stage very well!
This was outpost was part of a merit taken in July 2019. We all learned a number of skills:
(a) How to create a fire table. This is the wooden structure shown on which the fire is built. This involves making a number of different types of knot (square knot, clove hitch) and lashing (square lashing, tripod lashing). More on this in pioneering projects.
(b) How to make a fire safely. This includes how to start a fire (the role of tinder, kindling and fuel), avoiding the fire spreading (in the example shown the fire is placed on a layer of mud to insulate the wood from the heat generated), how to put a fire out safely. There was also some fun in starting the fire with a flint and steel.
(c) Different types of wood and how they burn. Did you know: soft wood burns faster at a lower temperature; hard wood burns slower at a higher temperature.
(d) Practicalities of camp fire cooking: hygiene, tips on removing soot from pots and pans.