Gourmet camp oven cuisine

Be prepared for delicious and interesting innovation in camp oven cuisine.

The gourmet heights of camp oven cooking will be explored when cooks prepare their dishes at the annual Cast Iron Chef cooking competition at Beulah Park Hall on Saturday, August 5.

Camp oven cooks of any skill level in open and junior categories are invited to enter the challenge, free.

Everyone is invited to go along and eat at the family event.

“We are calling now for camp oven cooks to step up and put their cooking skills and imagination to the test,” said one of the cook off organisers, Ian Orman.

“We have four entries now, we had 14 last year, so we expect a big rush of cooks to sign up – but we would like to hear from them now.”

The Saturday camp oven cook off is a forerunner to the following day’s Eulah Creek Vintage Machinery Day, Sunday.

The Cast Iron Chef event will produce some great food.

“One of our most interesting camp oven cooking entrants produced a slow cooked watermelon last year,” said Mr Orman.

“We are looking for cooks to keep going down that innovative path.”

And everyone will get a chance to sample the camp oven cooks’ creativity after the cook off.

“All the great food will be there to be eaten,” Mr Orman said.

“We invite camp oven cooks to get in contact and book a spot.”

The products of the camp oven cooks will be available for everyone to enjoy for dinner on Saturday night when the winners of cash prizes and trophies will be announced by the panel of three celebrity judges.

Expect some interesting food, Mr Orman said.

“We will have much more than great, traditional camp oven lamb and beef casseroles and curries,” said Mr Orman.

“We have camp oven breads and other interesting food, including a dessert section – in the past we have had self saucing butterscotch puddings, custard and syrup monkey bread.”

Smokers – that is slow cooking smoke cooks – are welcome.

“They don’t need to have a big array of foods,” said Mr Orman.

“The judges, and the diners, will be looking for delicious innovation and taste.”

There will be apple crumble available to complement the cook off entrants’ creations.

Entry by the cook off contests is free but diners will pay $ 15 per person or $50 for a family of four on the Saturday night.

It’s a BYO night and visitors are invited to bring a chair.

“Come out and join us on the night for dinner under the stars,” Mr Orman said.

“We have installed big, new fire pits so everyone will be able to eat, be warm and enjoy Eulah Creek hospitality.”

An added highlight will be the billy boiling competition – this is an entertaining event, Mr Orman said.

The Cast Iron Chef cook off is a curtain raiser, but a separate event, to the 25th Eulah Creek Machinery Day the next day.

“The committee has separated the two – the Cast Iron Cook Off and the Machinery day into two events,” said Mr Orman.

“Both are hugely popular.”

The Machinery Day draws machinery enthusiasts, collectors, vintage vehicles and the working farm engines of decades ago from a wide area of NSW and interstate.

Meanwhile, the Eulah Creek recreation grounds and the hall are immaculate.

“The committee has been steadily working away to prepare the grounds – everything is in place and looking good.

“This is a great community event – everyone is welcome.”

Meanwhile, phone Ian Orman to book if you would like to take your camp oven along with your special dish to prepare, perhaps win prizes, but enjoy a great night as well and look forward to the following day’s machinery displays, market stalls and barbecues.

The Cast Iron Chef and Vintage Machinery Day are fund raisers for the maintenance and improvement of the Beulah Park Hall and the Eulah Creek recreation area.