Vegan Bonfire food????

[Harmony08]

Okay I need a little advice here.  I am having a hayride and bonfire birthday party for my son.  So we will be out in the open with picnic tables and a fire.  My family will be the only vegan people there.  We want to keep it all vegan because we feel strongly about it.  The party is in the evening so we really do need to provide a meal.  There will be almost 40 people (really just family and some good friends) What the heck should I do? We can't just order pizza.  Catering is so expensive and hard to find a vegan caterer.  If I cook up a storm how would I keep things hot?  Anyone have any ideas??????

Thanks!

[nstewart]

You could do a vegan chili and keep it hot in a slowcooker with one of those power-interters for your car or if you have or can borrow a big cast iron dutch oven, just keep it really close to, but not on, the bonfire to keep it hot.  You could accompany it with cornbread cooked over the fire (again, a dutch oven would be good) or bannock cooked over the fire (which would be fun because the kids could roast their own on a stick).

Here is a bannock recipe.  Just sub the butter for some other fat or butter substitute.  Instead of cooking it in a greased skillet, you can pat or roll it flat, cut it into strips, and then wrap the strips around a thick stick.  You could even make the batter ahead and then just cut and distribute it at the time. 

Corn on the cob is great right on the coals, as are baked potatoes.  We have friends that do a wonderful Tagine with couscous in a dutch oven over the fire.

Good luck!

[mumkimum]

I'd try to think of foods that would still be good if not piping hot and consider stuff that you could keep wrapped in foil near the fire. Plus other cold foods.

Ideas: veg 'meatballs' and marinara, plus garlic or garlic- tomato breads.
Rice and beans, plus taco-ey toppings.
Focaccia plus antipasto.
Vegetable tarts and salad.


Bare cast iron will keep hot by a fire. You can also easily pick up warming fuel and holders for foil pans, if you need to keep anything reliably hot.

[kellybeth]

i love grilled peaches, which you can also do on a skewer and last nicely in tin foil.

and also potatoes in a bag (sliced potatoes, earth balance salt & pepper wrapped in tin foil over campfire). i have to have potatoes in a bag every time i go camping. kids love them, too.