Klondike cooking question: what does this mean to you?

[Eliza]

Our Webelos do the district Klondike. On the supply list is a frying pan, spatula, butter and "ingredients for French toast." I volunteered to supply the ingredients.

 

Would this mean eggs, cream, vanilla, sugar, salt -- or could it be a container of premixed batter? And, should I be worried about the ingredients (mixed or individual) freezing? (Last year's Klondike temp was 10 in the morning, rising to 20.)

 

And I presume that the scouts can bring a fork for mixing ingredients with and a tinfoil pie pan for dipping bread into, even if it is not on the list?

[Oak Tree]

I would just cook French toast with eggs and milk, and serve with maple syrup.

 

Could it be a container of pre-mixed batter? I'd think that would be an option. Is there going to be an adult with them? An older Scout?

 

Yes, things could freeze. Unless you include significant alcohol in the batter, I don't think you can avoid that. They could keep the food somewhere warmer, or they could set the ingredients in a frying pan with warm water in it and let it thaw.

 

I would definitely send a fork and a tinfoil pie pan.

[Eliza]

Nice idea about not freezing --Grand Marnier French toast sounds tasty.

 

But, I see what you mean -- (1) heat the frying pan -- thaw out the bread in it if necessary, (2) put the pie pan in the cast-iron frying pan, thaw out the ingredients, (3) soak the bread, (4) cook the bread.

 

I am wondering if, in general, various Councils add/take away points, depending on how much a dish is made 'from scratch'... any opinions?

[dg98adams]

French Toast ingredients... 3-4 eggs (powdered if you want), bread (who cares if it freezes), powdered milk, pepper, bottle of water + baggie to mix the coating.

 

Personally, I would go with powdered eggs/milk in the gallon size baggie. All you gotta do is add water, squish it, drop sliced pieces of the bread in the mixing bag.

 

Syrup if so inclined... personally I like Jelly.

[drmbear]

I would do what we always called "Boy Scout Eggs." Tear a hole in the center of the pieces of bread, about 2" across. Place 2 pieces of the bread in the hot buttered frying pan and crack the eggs in the holes. Flip when they are halfway through to cook the other side. Serve with syrup, if you like. Quick, easy, and less mess than trying to do regular French toast, though essentially the same thing. My son, at eight, already knows how to cook these at home.

[Stosh]

If the meal does not need to be prepped on-site which is usually the case with CSA events, you can always do french toast in the dutch oven the night before, bring in a cooler so it won't freeze, heat up and eat on-site. Everyone gets hot french toast at the same time instead of everyone standing around waiting for a slice here and there and it gets cold before you can get the syrup on it.

 

DO French Toast

 

The night before...

 

12 eggs,

Milk, vanilla or almond extract, cinnamon, sugar to taste,

Loaf of bread.

 

Mix up eggs, milk, vanilla or almond extract, cinnamon and sugar

Shread bread into the DO. Pour mixture over it, stir it up, set overnight for everything to soak into the bread.

 

Cook in the morning with center mass at 165 degrees.

 

Variations include, doing up #1 bacon, breaking it up and mixing in with bread and mixture.

 

Your mileage may vary,

 

Stosh

[moxieman]

Eliza, I'd suggest you contact the organizers of the event. Explain you have a group of Webelos attending. Ask them what they're looking for by that request. Are they looking for enough to make ONE French toast, or enough for the judges or enough for the entire patrol and the judges, etc. Ask them if the egg mix can be pre-mixed or if it needs to be done on site. Do they need to clean-up on site, or can they pack the dirty dishes to take home? This last one will determine whether or not they need to pack cleaning gear in addition to cooking gear.

 

If it's like the cooking event at our past Klondikes, the group will be judged not on just whether or not they can cook it, but on whether or not it's made from scratch, teamwork, cleanliness, taste, etc. So, someone who arrives with eggs/milk (or cream or water), bread, etc. and makes it all on site will score more points then a group that arrives with premixed batter.

 

There are many different ways to make French Toast as you've seen so far in the responses to your question. A favorite up this way is to beat eggs with a little milk, dash of cinnamon and a dash of vanilla.

 

As for the concern of the ingredients freezing, you can slow down the freezing process by packing the ingredients in a small hard-side "6-pack" cooler that is at room temp--don't add any ice. The insulation works in both directions. In this case, it will keep the stuff inside warmer than the outside air...at least for a while. Pack no more ingredients then you need for the event. You could also transfer the amount of syrup needed into a smaller, tightly sealing, non-breakable container. Have one of the scouts keep this in an inside pocket of his jacket (if you dare).

[CalicoPenn]

Ingredients for French Toast:

 

Eggs

Bread

 

Serve with Butter & Syrup (whichever kind floats your particular boat), or Butter & Sugar/Cinnamon, or Butter and Fruit. Or just Butter. Did I say Butter? (I think I may live too close to Wisconsin).

 

Milk/cream is optional - all it is used for is to stretch one of the main ingredients - eggs. 4 eggs, no milk, is generally enough to provide 6 pieces of French Toast. Only have 3 eggs? Add milk. Need 8 pieces of French Toast and only have 4 eggs (or don't want to use more than 4 eggs)? Add milk.

 

I like the idea of adding vanilla to the "batter" (let's face it, the batter is really just whipped eggs). I'f I'm going to use cinnamon, I shake it lightly on the un-cooked side of the bread while the bread is cooking. I never put it in the eggs before dipping - cinnamon does not mix well with raw eggs, so most of the cinnamon you add ends up on the bottom of the dipping pan when your done.

 

For the most part, you shouldn't have to worry about the ingredients freezing if you aren't leaving the ingredients out overnight. In my experience, eggs that have been pre-whipped freeze faster than in the shell eggs. What Moxie said for transporting. Get creative with the bread - I like using raisin bread. Other options are a small loaf of "French", "Italian", or "Vienna" bread rather than just plain ole' white bread.

 

Edited Add: A thought on packing. I'd try to make things a little easier - Rubbermaid (and others) make some really nice square or rectangular storage containers (not the sandwich size) that you could probably pack most of the ingredients and some of the tools in. The amount of bread, eggs, liquids, the tools (I'd use a small wisk rather than a fork) needed for this event could probably all fit into it. The container then doubles as your "dipping pan" since you'll empty the container, pour the egg mix or crack your eggs and mix in the container. Then you don't need a pie tin. Afterwards, your trash, tools, eggshells, small containers, go into the "dipping pan" which now becomes a self-contained trash container. What needs to be washed can be washed later - and there will be less mess(This message has been edited by calicopenn)

[Eliza]

Thanks for the great replies -- I tend to agree with moxieman -- more points if it's made from scratch. And I hadn't even thought of teamwork, cleanliness, not to mention eating and cleaning up afterward. Or how much to make. I'll *try* to get some info from District. They didn't put plates and forks on the list -- I wonder what that was about -- I'll let you all when I find out.

 

My son is good at making French toast, but teamwork on this will be tricky. Obviously we need practice!!!

 

BTW, we use thickly sliced challah bread, which makes delicious French toast, and we have an egg container for camping.

[CalicoPenn]

Felt inclined to resurrect this post to add something for anyone thinking ahead to next years Klondike (or for that matter, for an idea for an upcoming campout)

 

Banana Bread French Toast

 

I think that say's it all.

[raisinemright]

After dipping the bread in the eggs, drop it in another tin filled with finely crushed Cap'n Crunch with Crunchberries. You'll surrender to the taste of Capn' Crunch French Toast.

[Eliza]

Those are great ideas -- I'll try them at home.