Have you ever been camping?
Most definitely! Brought up in the Vernon, BC I was lucky to be living within the rich fertile region of the Okanagan Valley in south-central British Columbia, Canada. The region is diverse in lakes, rolling hills to mountain peaks throughout the 180 km of farm land boasting 86 percent of the provinces wine country. With all that it has to offer, the scenic camping opportunities are immense. Camping sites cleverly tucked within the 135 km ( 84 mile) stretch of the wandering Okanagan Lake, starting in Vernon and ending up in Penticton. Let’s not forget the mountain camping region featuring speckled lakes stocked full of rainbow trout , and not far away, Shuswap river , also teaming with a variety of trout and even featuring sockeye salmon during their migration period. Nestled amongst the Shuswap river are the best kept secrets of camping oasis , such as Mable Lake.
Needless to say, camping is part of the Okanagan Lifestyle. So much so, you must plan ahead, reserving the camping hotspots throughout the Okanagan and Shuswap area. Without a doubt, camping was a big part of my life growing up in the Okanagan Valley. During Junior high school ( Fulton Jr) I met a friend who also had a keen interest in camping ; Darrel not only loved camping and fishing, he also introduced me into hunting. His Norwegian family originally comes from Prince George, BC where hunting is indeed a big part of the rugged northern region boasting huge moose, grizzly bears and teams of white-tail deer. With Darrel’s experience in hunting, he showed me where and how to hunt in a safe manner, including the technique of camping in mountainous terrain and taking the BC Provincial Hunting Course, CORE ( Conservation Outdoor Recreation Education). We spent every weekend and summer holidays camping and fishing. In October and November we hunted deer and moose from the Okanagan to Williams Lake and Prince George.
After years of hunting and my career as a certified cook to chef, I incorporated the two by writing my cookbook, Canadian Recipes of the Great White North. Now a seasonal outdoors person, I decided to share my outdoor and camping recipes for the whole family. You too can enjoy the experience of camping along with trying out my recipes, while camping or at home, also featuring ‘Home Sweet Home’ recipes. Please take a moment as I introduce my new edition of Canadian Recipes of the Great White North— CLICK HERE
Cheers !
chefbari 