Camping in Tofino

This title is so insufficient and yet there are so many options,

– First annual inter-racial marriage support group retreat

– Foodie Camping

– Good friends are hard to find

there are no words really….

Friends. Good friends. Do you know the ones I am talking about? The ones who share life experiences, values and your love for good food. They are once in a lifetime friends, rarities, true blessings.

Post-edit: a bit more background. We found these friends while we lived in a small town in Alberta. We called them our inter-racial marriage support group because we all happened to be in inter-racial marriages but the reality is that we all shared, among other things, a love for food and cooking.

And while families may move far away, and the playing out of relationships may look a little different based on life circumstances, good friends remain friends forever. And although there may not be regular dinner parties, park dates, or birthday parties there are camping trips – two concentrated days full of rich memories, quality time and great food. Did I mention the food?

This past week we spent two nights at the Bella Pacifica campground in Tofino with some of our best friends and our eight children. Located on MacKenzie Beach, our campsites boasted views of paradise and culinary excellence.

We split up the meals and we were on supper the first night. In good Ewert fashion, Rice and Black Beans were on the menu, accompanied by cornbread muffins and salad. I cooked the beans and muffins the day before so that I could just warm them up on the fire and then make a pot of rice. I don’t know what it is, but if you ask me, for some reason, they tasted way better, sitting around a fire with the ocean breeze on my face and friends by my side.

For dessert, of course, smores.

And of course no foodie camping trip would be complete without some freshly ground coffee from a local coffee roaster, namely, Black and White. The coffee grinder, consequently, became the favourite activity of the night. #trainingfuturefoodies

In the morning, we devoured breakfast wraps, bacon, pan fried potatoes and a stiff cup of coffee (thanks to the Johnstons) before heading off to our paddleboarding lesson with Tofino Paddle Surf. My friend, Kiko, found a great Island deals coupon for a two hour lesson, right on MacKenzie beach. Totally worth it, and our instructor Zak was fantastic. This is the stuff I was made for!

We worked up quite a bit of an appetite and headed to TacoFino for lunch. Tacofino won Vancouver Magazine’s best food cart award this year and we could see why. The flavours were innovative and comforting. You do get what you pay for in that their low-priced tacos are quite small while the burritos, at about $12 a pop, are huge.

There is one sureway that I know about how to relax and that is being in the sand and surf. I ~~think~~ hope that my children develop my love for the ocean and the restoration that it brings to my soul….then again, maybe they already have.

Our friends, Peter and Mel were on dinner and did Indian food, camp style. I think they are on to something. Indian Kabobs cooked over the fire, Pea and Potato Curry and Kachumber, which is an easy, cool salad made with cucumber, tomato, onion and cilantro.

But do you want to know the true culinary victory of this trip?

Mel says, “We should make bread pudding with my leftover cinnamon raisin bread”

Krista says, “Hell ya!” Okay, I didn’t really say that, but I was more than on board with the idea. And because it was so awesome and ought to be shared, this is the one and only recipe I will share with you from this trip.

Campfire Bread Pudding

1-1/2 loaves of day old cinnamon raison bread

6 eggs

4 cups of milk (or we did 2 of cream and 2 of milk)

About 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar

2 Tbsp of butter

Grab yourself a few medium sized rocks (ranging between just a little bigger than a golf ball to tennis ball size). Stick them in the fire to warm them up.

In a cast iron dutch oven (we used the Lodge combo cooker) melt butter over the fire, coating well all sides. We had a grill that we placed over the fire pit. If you don’t have this get a few rocks, brickets or coals and make a bed under your dutch oven.

Tear bread into the skillet/dutchoven. You’ll want pieces that are…bite sized? Use your best judgement.

Whisk together eggs, milk and sugar and pour over bread.

Put the lid on and cover with about 5-7 rocks depending on size. Cook over a steady, coal(ish) fire for about 25-30 minutes. Check that a knife comes out clean.

Serve, drizzled with maple syrup and a spot of cream. Seriously delicious!

Yeah, okay, go grab a tissue and wipe the drool from your mouth.

Of course, no trip to the ocean would be complete with one last dip into the frigidly cold Pacific ocean.

I can’t tell you how blessed I feel to have such good friends. The kind where you can pick up where you left off, and you feel like you are with family. Thank you, friends, for fabulous memories!