the Old Chuck Wagon meals on wheels

green papaya · Jul 13, 2015

here's an interesting old photo dating from sometime around the late 1880's - 1900's era, a cook prepares pies out on the range

back when everything was still made the old fashioned way, no instant or artificial or frozen ingredients, everything was fresh or made from scratch.

Renault · Jul 13, 2015

My grandmother starting selling pies in about 1926. They lived in a tent town of road and bridge building crews out close to the Devils River. Grand dad brought her a small wood cook stove and set it up for her outside the tent. She would sell pies to road hands. She was still selling pies to small mom and pop type cafes in south San Antonio into the early 1990's. Before her arthritis got to her.

Mr. Godfrey · Jul 13, 2015

Pity we like our food instant these days, I had a haggis toaster yesterday from a similar van but I doubt the haggis or bread was home made, although I do like the van and I guess it's the modern day chuck wagon.

Renault · Jul 14, 2015

I suppose this is the one Osa and Martin Johnson used in Africa. Well that Osa standing there anyway!

Mr. Godfrey · Jul 14, 2015

Awesome, that's cooking with style.

green papaya · Jul 14, 2015

an early horse drawn "Goody Wagon"

Renault · Jul 15, 2015

green papaya said:
an early horse drawn "Goody Wagon"

LOL! I can just see W. C. Fields serving up some "green apple" specials to the little kiddies between drinks!

Oldsarge · Jul 15, 2015

My mother, sisters, wife, son, and grandmother could/can all make dynamite pie crusts. Alas, the talent passed me by and I must rely on the best frozen kind I can find. Fortunately Sprouts Markets has come to my rescue with whole grain frozen pie crusts so whipping out a fresh fruit or vegetable and cheese galette is no trouble. But I do wish i could make a good crust on my own.[huh]

Renault · Jul 16, 2015

Oldsarge said:
My mother, sisters, wife, son, and grandmother could/can all make dynamite pie crusts. Alas, the talent passed me by and I must rely on the best frozen kind I can find. Fortunately Sprouts Markets has come to my rescue with whole grain frozen pie crusts so whipping out a fresh fruit or vegetable and cheese galette is no trouble. But I do wish i could make a good crust on my own.[huh]

Sarge,
The secret to good pie crust is use real lard!!!

Oldsarge · Jul 16, 2015

I may have to give it a try. The rest of my family does very well with vegetable shortening but I just can't get them to hold together. Maybe when I buy a bigger food processor . . . The wife insisted on my having a smaller one because the big ones take up so much space. But if I ditch a few things like the drip coffee maker that hasn't been used in years?

Bamaboots · Jul 16, 2015

Sarge, are you chilling you're shortening first?

Oldsarge · Jul 17, 2015

I've always kept it in the refrigerator but have never tried putting it in the freezer for a while before cutting it in. That's a thought. Measure the shortening and put it in the freezer for . . . what? 20 minutes? I always use ice water when I assemble the crust but chilled shortening . . . hmmm . . .

Bamaboots · Jul 17, 2015

Sarge, that's usually what I do. Firm but not hard and try not to over mix.

greatestescaper · Sep 28, 2015

Great photos here. It'll be some time before I'm able to have a proper chuck wagon of my own, however, here is a rig I've cobbled together for cooking at the local Farmer's Market. Mostly it's biscuits and gravy, or peach cobbler, or both. And those all fixed with a sourdough starter I keep and feed every day. That with a cup of Cowboy Coffee. The folks seem to enjoy it, which makes it all worth while to me.

Renault · Sep 28, 2015

Great set up , Escaper!!!! Love me some bisquits!!!!!!

Oldsarge · Sep 28, 2015

Man, if I were in Texas you'd sure have my attention! Those biscuits look top flight.

Haversack · Dec 4, 2015

Camp biscuits. Either the gods' own food or like to kill you. Late in the 19th C. the camp cook for the survey party involved in mapping a part of the state of Oregon made a particularly bad batch of biscuits. The surveyors commemorated them by naming two recently surveyed features Deathball Mountain and Deathball Rock.

Renault · Dec 27, 2015

Speaking of pies!!! Daughter in law showed up with this big apple pie she put together for our Christmas Day feast!!! She built it in a big cast iron crying pan like my grandmaw made her cobblers in!!! It was delicious!!!!!!!

greatestescaper · Dec 28, 2015

Renault, that is some good looking pie! Oldsarge, if you ever find yourself near Alpine, Tx, let me know. i'm usually found cooking at t he Farmer's Market there on Saturdays.

Oldsarge · Jul 20, 2018

Alpine? That's Hill Country, isn't it? I've been known to take a deer trip down that way now and again and might return. Thanks for the invite.

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