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august 2008

Welcome to Camp

by Susan Stone

“Give to your community, and the community will find a way to give back to you.” These were some of the first words spoken by Chef Brian Karadimos after welcoming me to peaceful Camp Beckwith, located on the coast in Fairhope, Ala. As director of food service for the camp, Karadimos sees thousands of children throughout the year, many of whom return annually to Camp Beckwith, either during summer camp or during the school year for educational programs. One such program is Coastal Wonders, where students spend a week discovering the delicate balance of the coast and its ecosystems. Karadimos, unwilling to remain hidden in the kitchen, sees Coastal Wonders as a chance to show students that food is an important part of our environment.

Kids find themselves in breakfast paradise at Camp Beckwith. Each morning starts with a stunningly colorful buffet filled with fresh and dried fruits, homemade granola, and whole grain cereals. Pay no mind to the early morning hours: The campers are wide awake and eager to share their discoveries of all the local wildlife the marsh has to offer. After breakfast, the campers travel to Karadimos’ crab traps that line the pier. While reeling in the traps, Karadimos explains why crabmeat is labor intensive to prepare and sells at a premium in the market. “This is so cool,” one of the youngsters says with a smile.

Karadimos’ love for all things food-related crosses over to the children in a unique way. While campers learn about the coastal environment, they also take away lessons of food conservation and the benefits of eating whole foods. So far during his brief stint at Camp Beckwith, Karadimos has inspired a handful of youngsters to take an interest in becoming chefs, and his new helpers proudly assist the kitchen staff. At the end of the session, Karadimos likes to present the budding chefs-in-training with aprons from his collection. The visitors and staff of Camp Beckwith look on while Karadimos ties the apron around a young camper, and they can see a man giving back to his community.

Watermelon Ice Cubes

Mark Boughton

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Serve with water or lemonade. To make watermelon granita, pour mixture in a 9-inch square pan. Stir in chopped mint and freeze. Scrape with a fork to form ice crystals.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups watermelon, seeded and diced
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
24 small mint leaves

Instructions

1. Combine watermelon, water, honey, lemon juice and sugar in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. 2. Place mint leaves in ice trays. Pour watermelon mixture into ice trays. Freeze. Makes 24 ice cubes.

Recipe courtesy of Camp Beckwith, Fairhope, Ala., Relish Cooking with Kids, "Coastal Wonders," August 2008.

Nutritional Information

Per (3 ice cube) serving: 20 calories, 0g fat, 0mg chol., 0g prot., 6g carbs., 0g fiber, 0mg sodium.

Camp Beckwith Granola

Photography: Mark Boughton; Food Styling: Teresa Blackburn

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This is a breakfast staple at Camp Beckwith in Fairhope, Ala., each morning.

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked oats (old-fashioned, not quick)
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup sunflower seed kernels
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup roughly chopped dried fruit

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine oats, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, sesame seeds and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in maple syrup. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
3. Pour sugar mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine. Spread evenly on a greased baking pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, stirring 3 times during baking. Cool. Stir in dried fruit. Serves 14.

Recipe courtesy of Camp Beckwith, Fairhope, Ala., Cooking with Kids," Welcome to Camp," Aug. 2008.

Nutritional Information

Per (1/2-cup) serving: 270 calories, 14g fat, 15mg chol., 5g prot., 32g carbs., 4g fiber, 65mg sodium.

Banana and Nutella Smoothie with Chopped Almonds

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This smoothie is rich from Nutella — a spread made from chocolate and hazelnuts — and healthy from bananas, soy and yogurt.

Ingredients

1 cup Nutella spread (found in the peanut butter aisle)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups soy milk
4 medium frozen bananas
Chopped almonds (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine Nutella, peanut butter, yogurt, soy milk and banana in a blender. Process until smooth. For a thinner texture, add 1/4 cup more soy milk and 3 or 4 ice cubes and process until ice is crushed. Pour into glasses. Garnish with chopped almonds, if desired. Serves 6.

Recipe courtesy of Camp Beckwith, Fairhope, Ala., Cooking with Kids, "Welcome to Camp," Aug. 2008.

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 380 calories, 16g fat, 5mg chol., 11g prot., 51g carbs., 5g fiber, 140mg sodium.

Story and photos by Susan Stone, a food writer in Birmingham, Ala. Recipes courtesy of Camp Beckwith, Fairhope, Ala.

august 2008

Welcome to Camp

Watermelon Ice Cubes

Camp Beckwith Granola

Banana and Nutella Smoothie with Chopped Almonds

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