Melissa Mullins of NYC Claims Title of “Northeast’s Best Campfire Chef”
Last weekend on the bank
of the Potomac River, the Northeast fired up the search for America’s Best
Campfire Chef when Redwood Creek Wines’ Campfire Classic heated up the debut Food
& Wine Festival at National Harbor.
The Classic, which will tour five cities during the next month, seeks
the country’s best “campicureans” who will cook off for a $10,000 grand prize
and $5,000 donation to the national park of their choice.
After all the embers burned out, it was Melissa Mullins of New York, NY whose skillet skills proved toughest. Melissa was awarded the $1,000 finalist prize and a trip to New York City to compete in the Campfire Classic Grand Finals on Thursday, June 26th. A panel of experts that includes Food Network’s Chef Bob Blumer, and Redwood Creek winemaker, Sean Hails, will judge the final round.
Melissa's Blackberry Hand Pies with Jar-whipped Lavender Cream paired with Redwood Creek’s Pinot Noir was her creative way of bringing a unique dessert out of the dining room and into the great outdoors. She encourages each camper to take risks with their cookouts and to not be afraid to diverge from their regular campfire fare and experiment with different flavors.
“I had the unique honor of tasting four fantastic dishes that represented the flavors and cooking of our region very well,” says local judge Brian Mulligan of Portland, ME, the Northeast finalist in the 2007 Campfire Classic Finals. “Melissa’s Blackberry Hand Pies with Jar-whipped Lavender Cream was a beautiful, flavor-packed way to enjoy gourmet campfire cooking, especially with a cool glass of Redwood Creek wine.”
During a recent trip to Sardinia, Melissa was impressed with the Italian way of cooking and their use of fresh seasonal produce, meat and cheese from the area. To make sure that all her ingredients stay fresh while cooking outdoors, she always packs baggies that stay sealed and makes sure to prep and measure out everything before going on camping excursions.
Starting Thursday, June 10th through Monday, June 23rd, folks can support their hometown cast-iron chef by voting for Melissa’s recipe online at RedwoodCreek.com and help her earn the $1,000 People’s Choice Award. If she wins the Campfire Classic Grand Prize, Melissa will designate her $5,000 donation to the Tillamook State Forest in Oregon, home to one of her most favorite camping destinations in America, the North Santiam River.
Blackberry Hand Pies with Jar-Whipped Lavender Cream
INGREDIENTS
2
pints blackberries
Cinnamon
and Nutmeg
1/4
to 1/3 cup “Sugar in the Raw” or other organic sugar
1/4
cup unbleached flour
Basic
Pie Crust
1
3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/4
cup jungle shortening
1/4
cup ice cold water
Whipping
cream
1
TBS lavendar
1
heaping TBS of honey
Non-stick
spray
PREPARATION
1. In August, blackberries are out with a vengeance, especially on the West coast. Many campsites boast clusters of the ripe berries, but if yours does not, local farmers markets are sure to have them.
2. Mix two pints of fresh blackberries with a generous
pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, 1/4 cup of unbleached flour, 1/4 cup of raw sugar
(for camping purposes, 1/4 may be roughly measured using your palm. 1/4 cup=1
palm full of a medium sized hand).
3. Either prepare a basic pie crust before leaving
home or purchase ready-made pie crust at your local grocery store -- both keep
well if packed properly in a camp cooler.
4. Break dough into six balls (if using homemade dough.
5. On a piece of sprayed tinfoil, flatten and roll out
each dough ball (using the empty bottle of your last Redwood Creek wine) into a
circle about 5 inches in diameter.
6. Spoon in filling, equal amounts into each flattened
piece of dough. Fold over dough to create a half-moon shape. Pinch or roll
edges firmly together.
7. Prepare a tin foil shell for each handpie,
generously spraying the foil with non-stick spray. Leave as much space as
possible between the top foil and the top of the pie. This allows the pie to
cook properly.
8. Place packets carefully onto campfire grill. Make
use of grill areas where the flames have died down to create hot embers. Cook
for about 35-45 minutes.
9. While waiting for the pies to cook, place whipping
cream, a generous pinch of finger-ground lavender, and a tablespoon of warm
honey in a jar. Tighten the lid and shake! After several minutes, the liquid
will start to form into a soft whipped cream. Do not over shake, or you''ll
have lavender honey butter.
10. Take pies off fire.
Allow them to sit for several minutes. Unwrap and serve with a dollop of
lavender cream.
11. Pour a glass of
Redwood Creek Pinot Noir and enjoy!
Estimated
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Wine
Pairing Varietal: Redwood Creek Pinot Noir
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