My In My Kitchen post this month is a little different. I’m off camping for 2 weeks, surrounded by the village of people I grew up with (you know, it takes a village and all that), J will be down weekends. So I thought I’d share a little of our experience. The place we are camping, in the Otways, Victoria, holds a very special place in my heart. My family and the 2 other families that make up the village, have been coming camping here for about 15 or so years, every summer for 2 weeks. As we (the children) got older, we’d come down for weekends between work and other commitments. It’s a place that hold as so many wonderful memories from those times, so much so that J and I decided to get married here nearly 2 years ago.
In my kitchen…
… Is our bed room. When you only have a site, that’s kind of how it works. It’s nice that you don’t have to walk very far for food, especially at 30 weeks pregnant, where food is necessity!
In my kitchen…
…is the kitchen. I’ve spent a lot of time his year thinking about what goes into creating the perfect camping kitchen kit. I’ll be sharing a post over the next couple of weeks about what has gone into it and what we have found that we still need to add.
In my kitchen…
…our new esky holds all the food that needs to be cooled. J received a Bunnings gift voucher from work for Christmas and we pooled our Christmas cash to finally purchase a good quality esky. In the past we have done a lot of hiking and there everything we had needed to fit into our packs. Now, things have changed a little, and I imagine we’ll be doing more base camping in the years to come.
In my kitchen…
…the last of our deliciously moist Christmas cake is slowly being eaten. The cakes really were a success! In my kitchen…
…there is a jar of J’s smoked mussels. Mussels that he collected of the Portarlington jetty, and smoked in his homemade smoker. We’re getting the hang of it, and learning the best timings to smoke various things. There will be a post about this, most definitely! 
In my kitchen…
… I have 3 different teas. A girl’s got to have her options. I’m absolutely loving Love Chai’s decafinated chair tea, as caffeine is the one thing that I’ve really been turned of since being pregnant.
Head over to Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, to visit kitchens from all over the world.
I love to go camping and what glorious memories you must have after all those years. It takes a very clever person to get the right mix of things to bring camping so you have what you need without a lot of crap you don’t. I loved seeing into your camp kitchen/bedroom. 🙂
You’re absolutely right Maureen! I found that there’s still a few things that we’d add or take away, I imagine next year a play pen will be added too.
How nice that a tradition that started years ago is still being carried on by the next generation! Your camping site looks very comfortable and cosy, Clare! It looks like you’re very organised, and it sounds like you’re having a wonderful time. Enjoy! xxx
Thanks Celia, it was a lovely couple of weeks. Really relaxed me!
Clare, I’ve been camping before, but never in the throes of pregnancy. Amazing! Your Christmas cake looks as delectable and moist as you described it — wish I could help you finish it. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Kim, I couldn’t imagine not camping at this time of year!
Clare I’m very impressed with you camping at 30 weeks! I don’t think I could get in and out of the tent. Looks like a wonderful way to spend the holidays though and what a great tradition.
It was a fantastic way to spend a couple of weeks, lots of magazine and book reading happened.
G’day! Camping is such fun Claire, true!
The memories made, foods eaten last the whole life through!
Thanks for this month’s camping kitchen view too!
Cheers! Joanne
Thanks for stopping by Joanne. It really was a lovely two weeks.
Clare – your own foraged and smoked mussels? Are you kidding me? You’re so clever and lucky to have J. Mussels are an absolute fave and can only get better if smoked! Your camp site looks a lot like our own. No camping at Christmas/Jan as it’s too hot here but we just booked our first weekend away with friends in early March. Looking forward to it. Take care – not long now. How many more IMKs before you are joined by the littlest locavore? I look forward to reading more IMK adventures in 2014 (if you have time!)
Fiona, what a lovely comment! Yep, J ‘caught’ and smoked the mussles, there’ll be a post up soon. The campsite was great, but we found there was a few things we wanted to add. Just a few more IMK posts before we are joined by our newest family member.
You are amazing! And thanks so much for sharing your memories!
Thanks Heidi!
I’m just impressed you are camping at 30 weeks! Happy New Year 😀
It was actually the perfect was to destress and work my way into the last 10 weeks of pregnancy.
A camping adventure, how fun! Happy camp cooking!
It was really a lovely two weeks!
Looks like a great kitchen to me. Funny thing is I knew I was pregnant because tea suddenly tasted terrible and I never drank it again for my whole pregnancy.
It was a very functional kitchen. Definitely did the job for me. I haven’t been able to drink caffeinated teas, but am absolutely loving herbal.