I know I’m on a bit of rant.

Don’t have time to cook.

Can’t cook.

You make it look so easy.

Ok, you big bébés, let’s quit whining. If you can twitter, read blogs, listen to an ipod, AND talk on the phone at the same time, (you know I am talking to you!) then you can cook and play at the same time. This week at Camp Camont, my 6 nieces and nephews and I made the following good things to eat. Most of them are from our own garden and orchards, playing…and cooking at the same time. Everything was cooked from scratch.

• Figgy Newton Jam-  I used half rapadura sugar/half white sugar, a handful of blackberries, lots of lemon rind, a splash of orange juice then let it cook, cook, cook.
• Piment d’Espelette Salsa with fresh lime, tomatoes and salt. Tyler was the king of salsa’s by the end of the week. Some like it HOT!
• Reine-Claude Plum Jam.
• Zucchini Chutney
• Breakfast Scones with multi-grains, fresh eggs and fromage blanc
• crushed and strained Stolen Honey
• Apple Granola Crumble
• beans & ribs (See here at the Whole Hog Blog- and yes we blog posted too!)
• Risotto with good Conte cheese and estouffade from the larder
• Tomato, Basel and Mozzarella Salad
• grilled sausage, chicken and salmon
• potato salad with herb vinaigrette
• purple marinated coleslaw
• sweet melon and banana sorbet

Cooking and playing are sort of like walking and breathing at the same time.  Don’t hold your breath. Keep moving. Be spontaneous. Don’t follow recipes; use them for inspiration. Stop to pet the dog. Pick some blackberries. Take a nap. Read a book. Build a tent. It doesn’t just look easy, it is easy. At the end of a week with 7 people, we had a lot of fun… and ate really well at Camp Camont. See you next summer! Now it’s time to go back to School.

The Kitchen-at-Camont fall programs in Butchery & Charcuterie- the French PIG start in October!

Sharing a glass of milk with Bacon in the reading tent.