Bannock | the easiest camp bread

Bannock has warmed the hearts of cold, tired and wet campers for centuries.  Hot off the fire there is almost nothing better.  There are a lot of ways to cook it and a lot of different recipes out there; this one has been passed on through a few generations and originated with a Cree fellow from northern Saskatchewan.  His name has unfortunately been lost through the hand downs, but whoever he was, we thank him every time we cook up this fabulous camp bread.

2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt 
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder

1 cup water 
vegetable oil

optional: raisins, berries, cheese 

At home, pre-mix your dry ingredients and put into a labeled Ziplock bag.  At camp, mix your dry ingredients with the water until you get a goopy, sticky dough.  Add your optional ingredients if using. The dough will be a bit nasty to work with, but the final result is worth it.  (It helps a lot to immediately soak or wash the pot you mixed it in - this stuff turns to concrete if you leave it for later.)

Non-stick pans work well but you have to take care not to scratch the surface.  If using a regular frying pan, being generous with the oil really helps with cooking.  Pour a thin layer into your pan and make sure it is quite hot before putting the dough in.  (If it's not hot enough, the dough sucks the oil up like crazy and you get a very calorie-rich bannock.  Not always a bad thing...)

Spread your dough out in the pan a bit - it should be around 2-3 cm thick.  Fry it until it is golden brown, then flip and fry the other side.  You may need to add more oil.  

You are considered a bannock-cooking pro when you can flip your bannock with no cooking implements.  Practice this AFTER everyone has been fed.  The sight of a beautiful, hot, golden-brown bannock hitting the dirt has been known to make grown men cry.

Finally, serve and enjoy!  Bannock is fabulous with good old PB and jam, or dunked into your stew.

Mmmm.  Food of the bush gods.