Monthly Archives: June 2014

BSA One Pot Stew

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If you want to get started on trail cooking, turn to page 318 of The Boy Scout Handbook (14th edition, page 336 in the 13th edition). Choose one ingredient from each column, scale the amounts, and you are on your way.

Since the 11th edition Scout handbook in 1998, the cooking chapter has included a great “choose your own stew” recipe. It might have been in the 10th edition, but I don’t have one of those handy.

The 11th and 12th edition have slightly different lists, so I’ve combined both to make one table. I’ve also split vegetables out into their own column, since they are not really the same thing as cheese or nuts.

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The Scout’s Backpacking Cookbook

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I was excited when I heard about this cookbook. We need a Scout-friendly backpacking cookbook and I like the idea of contributed and trail-tested recipes. Unfortunately, I have some reservations recommending this book to Scouts. Good information is buried in boring text and only some of the recipes are Scout-ready.

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Don’t Know Trees? Try Leafsnap

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Leafsnap is an iPhone tree identification app. It works for trees when you have internet service, but you might want to carry some paper backup. Luckily, it’s free.

The Leafsnap iPhone app recognizes tree leaves from phone photos. It does a good job, but there are some limitations. You need to shoot a leaf against a white background, and it has to be a tree leaf. I tried it on some shrubs (Western Azalea and Fuchsia-Flowered Gooseberry), but they were not recognized. Yes, we have both of those in our back yard. Lovely plants.

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