Bare Grills: The do’s and don’ts of camping food...
Bare Grills: The do’s and don’ts of camping food...
Given the right mix of location, company and climate, camping is a truly unbeatable activity. And what better way to take your camping flex to the next level than with some world-class food? To get the score we got on the blower to Josh Sutton, aka the Guyrope Gourmet, a Yorkshireman who’s dedicated his life to quality cooking outdoors. “I had a revelation at a farm shop at a campsite – when you’re camping you have a fresh supply of great food,” explains Josh. “When you’re camping, you needn’t be eating processed tinned food: there’s no reason why you can’t cook really decent food.”
So, here’s the Guyrope Gourmet’s top tips for easy, delicious eating on a camping holiday.
Pack a decent kit
“It makes the job much easier,” says Josh. “It doesn’t need to be specialist. You need a knife, chopping board and a stove, preferably with two burners. If you’ve got a grill that means you can have toast – that’s invaluable. Just pack the stuff you’d have at home.
Having a ready-to-go selection of spices and seasonings can be a boon too. “I’ve got an old ammunition box which has got herbs and spices: thyme, basil, herb de Provence, paprika,” reveals the Guyrope Gourmet.
Take a meal with you
Save the palaver of fumbling around in the dark when you arrive by doing the hard work in advance. “We’ll normally drive for three or four hours, arriving late. If you’ve got something like spag bol or a good rich soup you can have it when you arrive, then have a bottle of wine and watch the stars,” says Josh.
Eat fresh
Campsites are usually located near some can’t-get-fresher meat and fish. But don’t leave it hanging around. “The issue is storage: you’ve got to eat it on the day! A coolbox isn’t up to the job,” says Josh. “Ambient food is good: chorizo, sausegnone, salami: it’s good because it’ll keep without a fridge.”
Be careful with fire
Most campsites don’t let you have fires – but some will allow it, and have fire pits. “There’s nothing better for a fire than having a good old natter round,” says Josh. “I use a washing machine drum for a pit. When they flames have died down you can barbecue off it – but don’t try it until the flames have died away!”
Never bring your barbeque into the tent
Even when extinguished barbeques can kick out a bit of heat – but don’t bring it into your tent for you to warm up, even if you think the flames are out. The results could be fatal. “They release carbon monoxide, and there’ve been fatalities from people bringing their tent in to get a bit of heat. Even if you think it’s out, don’t,” warns Sutton.
Split the washing up
We know the feeling: darkness has fallen, you’re a couple of tumblers of vino rosso deep and the stars are looking delightful. The last thing you want to do it face a mountain of washing up. So, rope in your pals to get stuck in too. “If you get two or three of you to do it together it’s a lot easier, and you can make it part of the experience,” advises Josh.
Take a look around
Wherever you pitch up, find out what’s the regional delicacy and seek it out. “In Aberaeron there’s a lovely campsite and a superb fishmongers. The Yorkshire Dales is great for lamb. Norfolk has cromer crab, and in Scotland there’s lobster. Find out what the local specialty is,” reckons Josh.
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FAQs - WELSH STREET FOOD AWARDS 2019!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - WELSH STREET FOOD AWARDS 2019!
Below are a bunch of FAQs for you to refer to prior to (and during) The Welsh Street Food Awards 2019 - we hope these help!
Where is The Welsh Street Food Awards taking place?Swansea Museum Park, where Winter Wonderland is based.When is The Welsh Street Food Awards?
Sat 24 & Sun 25 August.
Do I need to show/print the tickets I have pre-booked for the event?
No, these are to provide us with an idea of attendee numbers for the event - though they will still guarantee your entry during peak times, so it helps to have it handy on your phone.
Are dogs allowed at the Welsh Street Food Awards?
Yes! The more doggos, the merrier.
What are the opening hours?
12:00-22:00 daily, unless we all sell out.
Will there be cover if it rains?
Yes! We have a huge marquee to keep you dry.
Will there be a bar at the event?
Yes, our sister company Pop Up Bar Hire will be supplying the booze all weekend long.
Are there vegetarian and vegan food options available?
Yes, The Welsh Street Food Awards has carefully selected its vendors to cater for vegetarians, vegans and those that are gluten intolerant.
THE BIG RUN DOWN: ALL OF THE VENDORS COMPETING AT THE WELSH STREET FOOD AWARDS 2019!
THE BIG RUN DOWN: ALL OF THE VENDORS COMPETING AT THE WELSH STREET FOOD AWARDS 2019!
The big weekend is nearly upon us. Street food traders going head to head for the opportunity to secure a spot at the British Street Food Awards finals in London. Two will succeed; one chosen by the public, and one chosen by the celebrity chef judges. A huge opportunity, and a massive notch for the CV. Just ask Assembelly, one of last year's winners who return this year in a bid for the double. There's no use us trying to guess a winner. Competition this year is stronger than ever, and there's a mind-blowing selection of internationally-influenced vendors looking to gain your vote with their fine dishes. Below, we take a deeper look at each vendor; who they are, what they specialise in and their star dish. Spoiler: they're all hugely talented, and very lovely too!
Spicer’s Meat Wagon
Purveyors of the Street Food Warehouse Hot Wings Challenge, the good folk at Spicer's are big into their BBQ, and big into their huge cooking apparatus. Impressive all round.
Star dish: BBQ tray.
Makasih
Malaysian madness with the Makasih folk, who have been produce fantastically colourful and tasty dishes all summer on the Street Food Warehouse tour.
Star dish: Malay Vegan Curry w/ Blue Rice.
Chock Shop
Mounds of chocolate deliciousness from this lovely family-run brownie bunch. Some of the biggest chocolate/topping collabs you'll see anywhere on the street food circuit.
Star dish: Ferrero Roche Brownie.
Rue de la Cocotte
The French-cheffing wizards have been causing quite the stir with their highly rated, wholesome dishes across the festival season. Trained chefs, and it shows.
Star dish: Tartiflette.
Meating Point
Doing Greek dishes absolutely right are Meating Point. They capture what a proper Hellenic street food experience is about, whether it's Gyros, Souvlaki or Kalamak.
Star dish: Souvlaki Gyros
Wrap It
With a variety of fantastic veggie takes on meat-based dishes, these world-saving superstars are running the show with their gigantic wraps and salads.
Star dish: The Chinese.
Modo
With Sicilian origins, the Modo boys have an abundance of deep-fried Italian goodness on offer for your consideration. Buon appetito!
Star dish: Arancini Balls.
Pink Peppercorn
Innovation at its finest from Alex and co at Pink Peppercorn, who pride themselves on citing influence from Welsh history to influence their dishes.
Star dish: Miso Risotto.
Queen Pepiada
"Plantain, cassava and corn as base for pure culinary imagination." That's the deal with Queen Pepiada, the original Venezuelan street food stall. A seriously exciting addition.
Star dish: The Queen Pepiada
That Street Food
That smiley bunch, it's That Street Food. Mexican street food is often hard to get right, but this lot have got it nailed down. Some superb choices.
Star dish: Jackfruit Quesadillas.
Assembelly
Last year's winners are back with a bang, as Toby returns to the Welsh Street Food Awards with all sorts of fascinatingly tasty fishy goodness.
Star dish: Singapore Chilli Crab Cakes.
Puckin Poutine
Chips and cheese curds with a difference from Puckin' Poutine, who head to the awards with a twist on one of Wales' favourite street food choices.
Star dish: Argentinian Beef Cheek Poutine.
Heffer Wolfe
You rarely go wrong with a burger, but Heffer Wolfe are serious experts on the case. Incredibly cured meats and all sorts of tasty toppings make them stand out from the crowd.
Star dish: Rib Tickler.
Who's getting your vote? Don't miss out on the chance to decide the winner. Sign up for you free ticket here.
FAQs - MIL-FOOD HAVEN STREET FOOD FESTIVAL 2019!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - MIL-FOOD HAVEN STREET FOOD FESTIVAL 2019!
Below are a bunch of FAQs for you to refer to prior to (and during) Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival 2019 - we hope these help!
Where is Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival?Milford Waterfront, Milford Haven -SA73 3AF.When is Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival?Saturday 17 August - Sunday 18th August. Do I need to show/print the tickets I have pre-booked for the event?No, these are to provide us with an idea of attendee numbers for the event - though they will still guarantee your entry during peak times, so it helps to have it handy on your phone. Will there be cover from the elements?
Yes - come rain or shine, we've got you covered with a big marquee.
Are dogs allowed at Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival?
Yes! The more doggos, the merrier.
What are the opening hours?
12:00-22:00 Sat, 12:00-20:00 Sun, unless all traders sell out.
Are there vegetarian and vegan food options available?
Yes, Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival has carefully selected its vendors to cater for vegetarians, vegans and those that are gluten intolerant.
Head over to our Facebook to keep up to date with all things Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival throughout the weekend, including foodie competitions and prizes!
ARE YOU B-READY? THE BEST WRAPS, BUNS AND ROLLS AT MIL-FOOD HAVEN STREET FOOD FESTIVAL!
ARE YOU BREADY? THE BEST WRAPS, BUNS AND ROLLS AT MIL-FOOD HAVEN STREET FOOD FESTIVAL!
Street Food Warehouse are bringing their street food tour back to the sunny climes of Pembrokeshire, West Wales, for a huge bank-holiday weekend of incredible food at Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival. Between 17th and 18th August, some of your old favourites as well as a bunch of exciting newbies will bring their a-game to Milford Haven in what promises to be a perfect way to begin capping off a food-filled summer.
One of the problems most people have - us included - is where to spend your money. What are you into? So much choice, so many lovely street food vendors waiting to tingle your tastebuds. Dishes that draw inspiration from countries and cultures around the globe, or perhaps those that pride themselves on using local produce, are all at your finger tips. We're dough-lovers here in the Street Food Warehouse office. Wraps? Burgers? Tacos? Anything you're sticking inside 'em for a dish of bready goodness gets our vote. With that in mind, below we take a look at some of the vendors that'll be curing our cravings for carbs.
CLARK'S KITCHEN: HALLOUMI BURGER/WRAP
Our man Clark knows his way around squeaky cheese. His Halloumi fries are to die for, but it's the burgers and the wraps that we're all about for this piece. One of the Street Food Warehouse mainstays, Clark's Kitchen has been attracting queues with his cheesy grin and even cheesier burgers and wraps. Accompanied by various delicious condiments - tzatziki, piri piri or onion chutney, all big choices - this wholesome take on a vegetarian classic that'll give you cheesy chappies a tasty fix.
THAT STREET FOOD: TASTY QUESADILLAS
This lovely Welsh bunch have caused quite the storm across the summer on the Street Food Warehouse tour. Punters across the UK have hailed the various dishes they're serving, and this author tucked into the Pulled Pork Tacos - can confirm, absolutely delicious. Our team pick though, on the bready front, is That Street Food's selection of quality quesadillas. For the meat-lovers, there's blackened cajun chicken, whilst there's also an option for the new veggie fave, Jackfruit. Both brilliant options, cooked up by brilliant people.
Little Marrakesh / Street Food South West: Marrakesh Flatbreads
John and the rest of the Little Marrakesh crew are another bunch of Street Food Warehouse day-one's. Literally. John's done practically every event with us since we started out back in 2015, and from the outset the flatbreads have been a big draw for street food festival goers around the country. Treat yourself to a stop at their stand, and you'll see why. Between Shwarma Style Chicken, Vegan Chickpea Tagine, or Moroccan Lamb, we're still undecided on what the best of the three is. Help us decide. Get stuck in.
ASSEMBELLY: FISHY ROLLS!
Multiple award-winner Toby is one of the most esteemed members of the Street Food Warehouse club. Bringing an array of highly original and innovative foodie inventions to our festivals, it's always a pleasure seeing people stroll away from the Assembelly stand with their eyes popping over their delish' fishy dish. In terms of their bready options, two spring to mind: the Bacon Scallop Roll, and the Pembrokeshire Lobster Roll. Both served with a host of delicious trimmings - avocado and chipotle mayo rarely make anything worse - either of these will have you pining for more.
Have you nabbed your FREE ticket to Mil-food Haven Street Food Festival yet? Get it here.
EASY VEGAN SUBSITUTIONS TO MAKE TODAY!
EASY VEGAN SUBSTITUTIONS TO MAKE TODAY!
One in eight people Britain UK and Northern Ireland are vegetarian or vegan according to a 2018 study by supermarket chain Waitrose, with a further 21% claiming to be ‘flexitarian’ – having a mostly vegetarian or vegan diet supplemented by the occasional bit of meat or dairy.But there are some particular culinary itches that you might find difficult to scratch if you’ve ditched animal-derived food altogether.So, whether you’re looking to make a permanent switch to that plant-based lifestyle or are looking to cut down on your consumption for the good of your health (or the planet’s), here’s a few quick and easy vegan substitutions from some of movers and shakers of the vegan and veggie street food scene in Cardiff and beyond…
Lauren Saunders, Wild Thing, Cardiff
After much anticipation, vegan café Wild Thing opened its doors in Grangetown earlier this year and was an instant smash hit with its brunches and Sunday roasts.“For vegan pancakes, use 125g oat flour, 250ml oat or almond milk, one tablespoon of baking powder, one tablespoon of maple syrup and one tablespoon of cinnamon. These pancakes are our best seller in the cafe! They are super filling as they use oat flour! They are really thick American style pancakes but feel really light and fluffy to eat - we use gluten free oat flour so that everyone can enjoy them. Try serving them with seasonal fruit compote, maple syrup, nut butter and seeds.”
Ellie Penny, Last Night a Vegan Saved My Life, London
Last Night a Vegan Saved my Life is in the process of coming back after a fire nearly destroyed it last year – read our exclusive interview."A good one is if you like a creamy sauce soak cashew nuts in water for five minutes then put in a blender - the more water you put in it becomes more like a cream, if you put less in it becomes a bit more like ricotta.”
Chris Braham, Sero, Cardiff
Sero is a newcomer to the south Wales food scene, with owner and kitchen main man Chris pitching up on selected nights at Blue Honey Night Café and around the city….“Here’s an easy fried chicken substitute: you can make a vegan 'buttermilk' from soy yoghurt and white wine vinegar in one bowl. Then separately mix flour, salt, onion and garlic powder, parsley and paprika (you can add literally any spice). Dip oyster mushrooms into the buttermilk, then the flour and deep fry them for about four minutes.”
Delyth Griffiths, The Greenery, Cardiff
A relatively recent addition to Cardiff Market in the space formerly occupied by Milgi, The Greenery specialises in healthy, vegan lunches and snacks and even does a range of CBD-infused drinks.“Lentil Bolognese is true plant-based stale. This recipe is easy, cheap and can go a long way. Add to pasta, or use in a chilli con carne or with tacos. It’s so versatile.You need one pack 500g red lentils, one white onion, one stock cube, melted in one litre of hot water, one tablespoon oregano, one stick of celery, one tin chopped tomatoes, one tablespoon tomato pureè, one clove of garlic finely sliced, about 400ml, salt, some form of oil (sunflower, vegetable, coconut, olive). You can also use red wine for flavour intensity and fresh rosemary.Chop up the garlic and onion and celery, fry off the onion and celery together with a splash of your favourite oil to cook with. Add the garlic to briefly cook, add the lentils and fry off for a minute or so. Then add the tomato paste, chopped tomato, stock, oregano and salt and leave on simmer on low for about 15 -25 minutes. Add more water as required - lentils need a lot of liquid. Finish with more salt.”
Alex Cook, the Pink Peppercorn, Neath
The Neath-based Pink Peppercorn team are Street Food Warehouse favourites and serve up food made from fresh, local and seasonal produce.“Vegan butter is great! It goes great in our miso risotto, pearl barley, miso ,mushrooms, asparagus, peas, tahini cream – we top it with chive flowers, lemon zest, mint and pink peppercorns.”
Tell us about your own vegan substitutions on Facebook and Twitter.
FAQS - DEVON STREET FOOD FESTIVAL 2019!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - DEVON STREET FOOD FESTIVAL 2019!
Below are a bunch of FAQs for you to refer to prior to (and during) Devon Street Food Festival 2019 - we hope these help!
Where is Devon Street Food Festival?Victoria Pleasure Grounds, Ilfracombe -EX34 9BH.When is Devon Street Food Festival?Friday 2nd August - Sunday 4th August. Do I need to show/print the tickets I have pre-booked for the event?No, these are to provide us with an idea of attendee numbers for the event - though they will still guarantee your entry during peak times, so it helps to have it handy on your phone. Are dogs allowed at Devon Street Food Festival?Yes! The more doggos, the merrier. What are the opening hours?12:00-22:00 Fri/Sat, 12:00-20:00 Sun, unless all traders sell out.Are there vegetarian and vegan food options available? Yes, Devon Street Food Festival has carefully selected its vendors to cater for vegetarians, vegans and those that are gluten intolerant.
Head over to our Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with all things Devon Street Food Festival throughout the weekend, including foodie competitions and prizes!
THE 'WELSH STREET FOOD AWARDS' COMES TO SWANSEA FOR 2019!
THE 'WELSH STREET FOOD AWARDS' COMES TO SWANSEA FOR 2019!
Well, well, well. Swansea was a banger, there's no doubt about it. You lot thought you were going to have to wait a whole year for another foodie bonanza at Museum Park, and a year is a long old time. As you may already have heard, your luck is in: The Welsh Street Food Awards 2019 are being hosted in Swansea between 24-25 August, so Street Food Warehouse and Pop Up Bar Hire are all gearing up for another bank holiday weekend of the best street food in the country (literally) and the huge vibes that Swansea festivals always bring. Supported by Hellmann's, the Welsh Street Food Awards 2019 will see food vendors competing for your vote as they jostle for a place at the British finals in London. There are two ways of getting there; receive the most votes from the general public, or get the nod from the celebrity judges who will be on site across the weekend judging the best dish that each vendor puts forward. The Hang Fire girls, as well as Richard Johnson, will get the final say for one lucky (and deserving) vendor, but it'll be you guys casting your own votes that also have huge implications for the other winner. Who are you backing?There's a genuinely superb selection of street food on offer at this year's Welsh Street Food Awards. Some classic Swansea regulars make an appearance in the form of the BBQ bosses at Spicer's, the Frenchy wizards Rue de la Cocotte, and previous finalists Pink Peppercorn. There are also plenty of newbies heading across to lovely Abertawe; Queen Pepiada bring their delightful Venezuelan cuisine, whilst the Mexican/Welshie hybrid That Street Food are enjoying their second summer season, bringing delicious dishes and big ol' smiles. A call out to the sweet tooths, the carb-cravers and the spice-fanatics. There's something for all of you! Full listings of vendors can be found here. Of course, we'll also be bringing our sister company - Pop Up Bar Hire - to supply the pints and the Pimm's all weekend long, for what is expected to be a gloriously sunny and tasty weekend of high quality street food. Have you signed up for your FREE ticket yet? Get on it right here, and you'll be in with a chance of winning a whole host of prizes sponsored by Hellmann's, as well as cocktails and street food meals on the weekend.
SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE TICKET HERE.