Campfire Jamboree at Camp Wandawega
At the end of August, we hosted our first Campfire Jamboree at Camp Wandawega. Born from a collaboration with Stock friend and customer John Manion, chef and owner of La Sirena Clandestina and El Che Bar, the idea was pretty simple: get a bunch of industry friends out of the city and into the woods for a few days to relax, play, and eat like royalty.
Manion assembled an all-star lineup of chefs to tackle the meals, all cooked in true camp style over open-fire. This included Christine Cikowski of Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Diana Dávila of Mi Tocaya, and Andrew Brochu, an Alinea Group alum currently working on a new culinary concept.
We also had amazing sponsors including Fat Tire, who helped coordinate the event and provided all the beer, which ended up being more than anticipated. After we drank the entire supply the first day, Steve from New Belgium had to run out to the local grocery store and buy out their inventory as well.
Each morning and evening, our buddy Harrison from Metric Coffee provided our caffeine fix with fresh-brewed coffee and cold brew, not to mention late-night campfire banjo tunes!
Liquor was provided by Maker’s Mark in the form of cocktails (batched by our friends Jeff and Wade of Leisure Activities), custom flasks filled with whiskey, and bottles strategically hidden around camp for anyone lucky enough to happen upon them.
Guests arrived at camp Monday evening and were greeted with a welcome cocktail from Sportsman’s Club and a swag bag before being shown to their bunks. Each custom-made bag was equipped with an array of Stock-made goods:
-leather beer koozie
-special bamboo utensil kit (sustainable!)
-corduroy camp hat
-a bag of Stock x Metric Coffee Fulton Friend Blend
-Camp Wandawega welcome kit (complete with soap, matches, postcards, and authentic car sticker)
Once settled in, guests were corralled into the meal tent for John Manion’s Wisco-themed dinner consisting of a Wisconsin cheese plate, napa cabbage slaw, chimichurri potato salad, charcuterie, smoked wings, and beer brats.
Tuesday morning, campers made their way back to the tent where Christine Cikowski and the Honey Butter Fried Chicken crew were preparing fried chicken breakfast burritos with sweet corn salsa, pimento cheese, and potatoes stuffed inside, grilled peach and goat cheese salad, blueberry corn muffins, and chocolate banana baked donuts for a sugar fix.
The group reconvened a couple hours later at the Camp Chapel where Rushing Waters Fisheries, local farmers of high-quality rainbow trout, demonstrated how to properly clean a fish.
The trout filets made their way over to the prep station where Diana Dávila turned them into “trucha frita tacos” with hand-pressed fresh tortillas, homemade salsa, embarrada de frijol (beans), and vegetales.
Campers burned off lunch with a variety of camp activities, including fishing, swimming, tennis, bocce, horseshoes, archery, and croquet.
With the crew dispersed across the campground, Andrew Brochu and team started prepping an absolutely epic dinner inspired by the meals eaten in the classic John Hughes camp film The Great Outdoors.
This included: smoked fish dip, caramelized apple and onion dip, grilled lobster tails served over rolls with smoked chili butter, “Old 96er” grilled ribeye with parsley salsa verde, BBQ butter popcorn, beef and barley soup, umami-spiced roasted potatoes, and a bucket ‘o salad.
With stomachs stuffed, campers strolled over to the fire pit for a massive bonfire and acoustic tunes.
Wednesday morning, campers headed back to reality with a pastry and coffee sendoff.
Photos provided by:
@FatTire
@NewBelgium_Chicago
@hiraethdiaries
@johntereick
@jakenokovic