August 2011

A Secret

A

Summer on the water How to set sail on S.F. Bay

living in the west August 2011

Last-minute vacations!

LIVING IN THE WEST

secret park escapes | gourmet camp food | luscious melons | Summer sailing guide

Park

Escapes

Find peace at Crater Lake, Oregon

Luscious melons New twists on salsas and salads

AUGUST 2011

The most beautiful places in the West—without the crowds

beyond prefab:

A stylish house in a box p. 42 Nature lover’s day trip near Santa Cruz

*Gourmet camp food

Sunset.com

From rib-eye steaks to fire-roasted veggies + the most awesome s’mores ever

visit us at Sunset.com

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Food styling: Dan Becker

Sharp-looking and juicy-sweet, heirloom and hybrid melons are the cool new kids in the bin by amy machnak | photographs by iain bagwell

Sunset August 2011

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What you need to know to buy and prep these beautiful fruits

How to choose a good one

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Give it the onceover Symmetrical?

Check. No bruises?

Check. No soggy areas? Check.

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find the couche (coosh). That’s the flat spot where the melon rested on the ground. If it doesn’t have one, it was harvested too early.

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locate the “full slip,” or belly button, where the melon attached to the vine. It should be smooth and clean, a sign it was ripe enough to detach on its own.

Lift it Does it somehow seem heavier than it looks?

Good; that means it’s juicy.

top picks

Prime melon season is July through September.

Watermelon family 1] Crimson Sweet: Crisp, sweet, and mild, with medium red flesh.

2] Mickey Lee: Red flesh with a clean taste and slightly grainy texture.

3] Moon and stars: Bright to pinkishred flesh and a sweet-tart flavor.

4] New Orchid: Pale orange flesh and a rich, honey-like flavor.

5] Yellow Doll: Yellow flesh; slightly tart.

seedless: yes or no?

No. We think Mother Nature had it right; seed-studded melons are juicier and more flavorful. Plus, you can plant heirloom seeds to keep the variety alive (just one type, to prevent cross-pollination).

Musk & late-harvest melon family

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ripen it

If your melon doesn’t smell strong and fruity, let it sit a day or two to ripen before you cut into it (the exception is watermelon—it doesn’t ripen after picking). melon on-the-go: A great

quick way to cool a melon after a tip

long car ride to your campsite or picnic area is to put it in a clean, fast-flowing creek.

3 ways to cut Always wash the outside of a melon before cutting. » cut down through the middle, then put halves, flat sides down, on a work surface and slice. Halve the slices to make wedges, or cut into cubes. » trim ends, then stand melon up. Cut off rind, following the curve of the fruit.

Cut into slices and/or cubes. » place melon on its side, then use a mallet to tap the blade of a big knife into the middle of the fruit until it starts to crack. Cut the melon into whatever shapes you like.

This method is especially useful for large melons.

Left: Jeffery cross; illustration: Haisam Hussein (7)

6] Ambrosia: Sweet, floral, and deeply flavorful orange flesh.

7] Canary: Dense green flesh with a sweet flavor that’s musky in a good way, like grapes.

8] Charentais: Deep orange and juicy, with a flowery aroma.

9] Eel River: Supersoft texture, gentle flavor, and elegant perfume; orange flesh.

10] Ha-ogen: Chin-drippingly juicy, with slightly savory, tropical flavors and pale green flesh.

11] Honeyloupe: Hybrid that tastes and looks like a cross between cantaloupe and honeydew; bright orange, sweet, and juicy.

12] Galia: As sweet, juicy, and succulent as a summer peach, with soft green flesh.

13] Green Nutmeg: Tiny, single-serving melon. A bit spicy, with bright green flesh.

14] Tuscan: Earthy, clean flavor with hints of cucumber. Rich, amber-colored flesh.

cool idea Make melon ice cubes

Summer fizzies

PurĂŠe any ripe melon in a blender;

then strain purĂŠe to get about 2 cups juice. Pour juice into clean ice cube trays. Freeze until set, about 2 hours. Divide frozen cubes among 4 glasses and pour club soda over. Serves 4.

PER SERVING 33 Cal., 5% (1.7 cal.) from fat; 0.8 g protein; 0.2 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 8 g carbo (0.8 g fiber); 68 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Sure, they’re good plain, but they also add crunch & sweetness to salads, salsas, and light desserts

Vietnamese shrimp and green melon salad SERVES 6 | 25 MINUTES 1 lb. cleaned, deveined medium shrimp (24 to 30 per lb.), poached 11/2 cups each fresh basil, mint, and cilantro leaves 1/4 cup slivered red onion 1/2 serrano chile, sliced thinly 3 cups sliced honeydew or Galia melon wedges 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice 1 tbsp. sugar 2 tbsp. Vietnamese fish sauce 1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews

Toss shrimp, herbs, onion, chile, and melon together in a large bowl. Mix together juice, sugar, and fish sauce, then pour over salad. Top with cashews.

PER 13/4 CUP 210 Cal., 30% (62 cal.) from fat; 23 g protein; 6.9 g fat (1 g sat.); 17 g carbo (2.9 g fiber); 735 mg sodium; 153 mg chol.

Melon salsa SERVES 6 | 10 MINUTES Great with grilled chicken or pork.

2 cups diced orange-fleshed melon, such as Charentais (1/4- to 1/2-in. cubes) 1 cup diced cucumber (1/4- to 1/2-in. cubes) 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1 serrano chile, stemmed, halved, and sliced 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro 3 tbsp. lime juice 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together in

a medium bowl.

Make ahead: Up to 1 day, covered

and chilled.

PER 1/2-CUP SERVING 48 Cal., 44% (21 cal.) from fat; 0.8 g protein; 2.5 g fat (0.3 g sat.); 6.9 g carbo (0.8 g fiber); 263 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

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sleek & fresh

A grown-up dessert

Watermelon jello

SERVES 6 | 15 MINUTES, Plus about 2 hours to chill 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin 3/4 cup sugar 4 cups watermelon juice (from 8 lbs. watermelon, puréed and strained) Watermelon balls (use a melon baller) Sweetened whipped cream 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves

1. Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup cold water in

a small glass bowl and let stand 1 minute.

Microwave on high until hot and gelatin is melted, about 1 minute. Add sugar, whisking until dissolved. Whisk mixture into watermelon juice. Divide mixture among 6 glass dishes (about 8 oz. each).

Chill until set, about 2 hours.

2. Top each serving with a few melon balls, a dollop of whipped cream, and a sprinkle of mint.

PER SERVING 143 Cal., 0 cal. from fat; 3.4 g protein; 0 g fat; 34 g carbo (0.4 g fiber); 7.1 mg sodium; 0 mg chol. ■

more marvelous melon recipes: sunset.com/melons

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To change mouse color, (fill) with direct selection tool use lay “compound shape” layer and sh then choose color from swatch p

To change mouse tail (stroke), w “mousetail” layer, then choose c

The new campground classics Fresh spins on old favorites, from hobo bundles to pineapple upside-down cake

By Stephanie Dean and Amy Machnak Photographs by Thomas J. Story | food styling by karen shinto

Now Nacho bowls: chicken in a spicy sauce, tortilla chips, lettuce, and a squeeze of lime

Then Frito pie––you know, cheese and canned chili over corn chips

Now Vegetarian packets with fresh herbs and Asian flavors

Then Your basic meatand-veg hobo bundles

For recipes, see page 84 80

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Now Whole-grain pancakes from your own mix, plus fresh fruit and real maple syrup

Then Pancakes made with mix from a box, served with fake syrup

Now Moist, coconut-scented upside-down cake made with fresh pineapple

Then Canned fruit and maraschino cherries in a too-sweet cake

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The classics,

rebooted

Tofu and eggplant hobo bundles

Chicken enchilada nacho bowls

SERVES 4 | 45 MINUTES, plus 1 hour to chill

SERVES 4 | 40 MINUTES

You can start marinating the tofu mixture a full day ahead (while you’re still at home, say).

TOFU and eggplant 20 oz. firm tofu, cut into 16 chunks 12 oz. Asian eggplant, quartered lengthwise and cut into chunks 2 tbsp. each minced ginger and garlic 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 5 tbsp. vegetable oil 2 green onions, chopped

SALAD AND SERVING 1 English cucumber, halved and cut into chunks 1 cup each cilantro leaves and whole dill sprigs 1 red jalapeño chile, halved and sliced 2 tbsp. each lime juice and oil 1/2 tsp. kosher salt Cooked rice and soy sauce

1. Make tofu and eggplant: Seal ingredients in a resealable plastic bag, turn, and chill at least 1 hour.

2. Heat grill to high (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds). Divide tofu mixture among 4 large squares of foil and seal securely. Grill bundles, turning once, until eggplant is tender when pierced, about 10 minutes.

3. Make salad: Mix all ingredients except rice and soy sauce. Unwrap bundles and top with salad. Serve with rice and soy sauce.

PER SERVING 356 Cal., 76% (271 cal.) from fat; 14 g protein; 30 g fat (4.4 g sat.); 13 g carbo (5.1 g fiber); 166 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

At home, prepare the chicken mixture and freeze in a resealable plastic bag. In camp, just reheat on a camp stove. And, of course, you can use Fritos instead of tortilla chips in the recipe.

CHICKEN AND SAUCE 1 medium onion, cut into half-moons 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes 1 can (15 oz.) reduced-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed 1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano 1 canned chipotle chile, minced 1 tbsp. packed light brown sugar 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

NACHOS 8 oz. tortilla chips, coarsely crushed 11/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups shredded lettuce 1/2 cup cilantro sprigs Lime wedges and hot sauce

1. Make sauce: Sauté onion in oil in a large frying pan over mediumhigh heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Add enchilada sauce, tomatoes, beans, oregano, chile, and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot and slightly reduced, 4 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook until it’s hot, about 4 minutes.

2. Assemble nachos: Divide chips among bowls, top with chicken mixture, cheese, lettuce, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.

PER SERVING 772 Cal., 43% (332 cal.) from fat; 45 g protein; 36 g fat (8.4 g sat.); 70 g carbo (13 g fiber); 1,559 mg sodium; 38 mg chol.

Coconut and fresh pineapple upsidedown cake SERVES 8 |

11/4

HOURS

This dutch-oven dessert cooks more evenly if you use charcoal rather than wood for fuel.

CAKE 11/3 cups flour 1/4 cup sugar 11/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup cream of coconut* 2 large eggs

TOPPING 1/3

cup butter cup sugar 2 cups 1/2-in. fresh pineapple chunks

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1. Make cake batter: Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Then whisk in remaining ingredients until blended.

2. Prepare a fire for top and bottom dutch-oven cooking (see page 78), but using only 40 briquets. Line a 4-qt. cast-iron camp dutch oven with foil so it comes up the sides to the top.

3. Make topping: Melt butter in dutch oven, rotating to coat sides. Sprinkle sugar on bottom of pan, then scatter pineapple on top. Gently spread batter over pineapple, cover, and arrange coals on top of pot.

4. Cook cake, rotating pan every 5 minutes and pushing top coals together as they burn down, until a toothpick inserted in several places comes out with no white dough sticking to it, about 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Lift cake from pan using foil. Invert onto a plate and gently peel off foil, replacing any pineapple that sticks to it. *Find with cocktail supplies at well-stocked grocery stores.

PER SERVING 401 Cal., 51% (204 cal.) from fat; 4.4 g protein; 23 g fat (11 g sat.); 47 g carbo (1.7 g fiber); 231 mg sodium; 66 mg chol.

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Hearty whole-grain pancakes MAKES 4 BATCHES (EACH 8 to 10 PANCAKES) | 30 MINUTES Make the mix at home (it keeps 2 weeks) and do the rest in camp. You’ll have homemade pancakes—or cobbler (see page 79)—that are just as fast as instant and a whole lot tastier.

PANCAKE MIX 21/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups whole-wheat flour 1/4 cup each wheat bran, wheat germ, and packed light brown sugar 1 tbsp. each baking powder and kosher salt 11/2 tsp. baking soda 11/2 cups buttermilk powder*

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES (1 BATCH) 2 cups pancake mix (above) 2 large eggs About 4 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided 1 cup blueberries Butter and maple syrup

1. Make pancake mix: Whisk together ingredients in a large bowl and transfer to an airtight container.

2. Make pancakes: Whisk together mix with 11/4 cups water, the eggs, and 2 tbsp. oil in a large bowl until mostly smooth. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and grease with 1/2 tbsp. oil.

Ladle 1/3-cup portions of batter into skillet, working in batches and adding 1 tsp. oil to skillet in between. Cook, turning once, until pancakes are golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Serve with blueberries, butter, and syrup. *Find at well-stocked grocery stores.

PER 2-PANCAKE SERVING 390 Cal., 41% (160 cal.) from fat; 13 g protein; 18 g fat (3.1 g sat.); 42 g carbo (4.5 g fiber); 307 mg sodium; 101 mg chol. ■

Take your kitchen to camp From the at-home prep and packing your cooler to setting it all up when you get there

THINK LIKE A BAG BOY

Pack fragile stuff, like salad mixes and fresh herbs, toward the top.

MAKE A SANDWICH BOX

Slice tomatoes and cucumbers and stack lettuce leaves for grab-and-go lunches.

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PREWASH YOUR GREENS

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Then wrap them in paper towels and seal in a plastic bag or container.

PREP FRUIT PREMIX YOUR SAUCES

Seal make-aheads like the whiskey barbecue sauce for chicken (page 95) in leakproof containers.

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Wash and cut bulky fruit like melons and pineapple so they take up less space.

MAKE ICE BLOCKS

Freeze water in containers like the 64-oz. Nalgene Space Saver ($12; rei.com). Not only will it keep things cold, you’ll get fresh water as it melts. >88

multi-PURPOSE YOUR MEATS Marinate meats and then freeze them; they’ll act as ice blocks until they defrost.

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OM

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By amy machnak | photographs by jeffery cross | styling by miranda jones 86

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Your camp kitchen

Set out this essential gear and you’ll be ready for any meal. coffee pot

Percolate java or heat water for dishes. $40; target.com

camp stove

For making hot drinks before the fire’s ready.

PerfectFlow 2-Burner stove $60; coleman.com

pitcher and cupS

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For everything from hauling water to mixing cocktails. Pitcher $25, cups $3.75 each; gsioutdoors.com

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stainless plates Washable, reusable, and super-durable. $6 each; wisemen trading.com

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nesting bowls

For both mixing and serving. $4.99 for set of 3; similar items at ikea.com

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more essentials ...

COOKWARE

Cast-iron 4-qt. camp dutch oven ($67) and 10-in. skillet ($23; not shown). lodgemfg.com

Grill brush

Helps keep your food from sticking. From $8; lowes.com

tote Bucket

This plastic tote doubles as a washing tub. From $11; similar flex tubs at amazon.com

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chimney starter The easiest, fastest way to light your fire. $15; homedepot.com

cooler

Sleek, insulated steel-belted cooler for maximum durability. $150; coleman.com ■

1. Soft-bristle dish brush to keep cast iron happy 2. Long-handled cooking utensils. $20; gsioutdoors.com 3. Stackable measuring cups 4. Lightweight plastic can opener. $2; ikea.com for stores 5. Silicone oven mitt. From $10; amazon.com 6. Eco-friendly peppermint soap.

From $2.99; drbronner.com 7. Knife block for storing blades safely. $3.99; ikea.com for stores 8. Sturdy, easy-to-clean plastic cutting board 9. Matches or other lighter 10. Rubber spatula