Camping Cucina: Grilled Shrimp with Rosemary, Lemon, and Garlic

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What I’m about to say might shock you. Are you ready? Are you sure? Perhaps you might like to sit down. Here goes:

I am not much of a wilderness woman.

Shocking, right? And yet the truth remains,  I like nothing better than eight (okay 10) hours of sleep per night, my hot running shower, and my gourmet cuisine. I sometimes wish I was one of those women who genuinely loved to climb a mountain. Who was thrilled to ride the bull down white water rapids. Who thought bug spray was simply for the weak and the meager. But alas…I am not.

Not a soul in sight…but many a shooting star to keep us company.

And so rather than spend time beating myself up about it (so last year), I’ve decided to embrace my version of camping. Thinking PBR meets Prosecco. Bratwursts meets Bellinis. Hot Dogs meet Holy Hell Delicious.

A few weekends ago we went camping with our friends CJ and Nadia, their three dogs, and our crew. And it was fun. So much fun. And I’m not even pretending lying. We hung from hammocks over the river, we lounged and we lazed, and we ate. Oh did we eat.

Georgia Mae…one of the funniest dogs I know. She was perfectly content to be floating around in the river..on her raft!

The trick is to be smart about delicious, simple foods that require minimal on site preparation. Couple that with some prep work ahead of time and you can eat like a king in the middle of no where.

To give you some ideas, here’s the menu I put together…

Friday Dinner: Grilled Shrimp Packets with Rosemary and Garlic, served with Grilled Baguettes and Rhubarb Cocktails.

Saturday Morning: Bagels with Lox, Cream Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Onions, Capers, and Lemon Wedges

Saturday Lunch: Mozzarella, Basil, Tomato Paninis

Saturday Dinner: Chicken Fajitas with Pinto Beans, Fresh Sliced Avocado, Pico de Gallo, and Peach Gin Fizz Cocktails.

Sunday Morning; Breakfast sausage, bacon, fireside biscuits, and hard-boiled eggs.

The shrimp was honestly one of the easiest items on the menu, and one of the most popular.

What’s your favorite food to make when camping?

Grilled Shrimp Packets with Rosemary, Lemon, and Garlic

Grilled Shrimp Packets with Rosemary, Lemon, and Garlic…magnifique!

1/2 lb jumbo, raw shrimp, de-shelled and tail on (Costco sells them very reasonably)

1 lemon, sliced in advance

1 large stalk of rosemary, chopped into 3″ sections in advance

4 cloves garlic, smashed on site

Olive Oil

In tin foil lay the shrimp, lemon, rosemary, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and tightly seal up. If cooking on a cook stove or hibachi, grill directly, until shrimp is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Thanks to the foil these can also be cooked directly in the fire.

Serve with Rhubarb Cocktails, grilled baguettes, and one giant open sky.

There’s Something I’ve Been Wanting to Tell You

There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.

No, no…it’s nothing like *that*…, but something exciting did happen that’s kept me busy for a few weeks and I’m excited to share.

The Tuna Poke at BOKA Bar + Restaurant. Photo Credit: Annie Laurie Malarkey

One of the coolest parts about being a food writer is the invitations to spectacular events. There are chef’s dinners, wine tastings, cook book reviews, and more. At each event I feel as though I fall in love with a roomful of soul mates; of people who don’t think there’s anything funny about taking a picture of your dinner before you eat it, and couldn’t imagine not all sharing bites of each others’ meals to make sure you try everything on the menu.

It was at a recent Olive Oil tasting, hosted by the dynamite Talk of Tomatoes, that I met the editor of Seattlite, a fantastic publication that has it’s virtual thumb on the pulse of the latest in dining, travel, fashion, entertainment, events, and more in our fair city of Seattle. One thing lead to another, as they tend to do, and now I’m the newest columnist for Seattlite’s very popular Happenin’ Happy Hour column!

My first story, featuring BOKA Restaurant + Bar came out today…so I wanted to send you over to check it out. There really are few things better than getting to eat, drink, and write about all the best spots in Seattle, so I’m very excited to see where this chapter will take me.

Generous Pour Event at The Capital Grille. Photo credit: Annie Laurie Malarkey

And don’t worry…there’s been lots cooking in my kitchen as well, so stay tuned for Gourmet Camping Cuisine ideas, clever ideas to use up your sage, and lots more in the coming days and weeks here.

Happy almost Weekend!

xo.