The working cowboys (and the occasional women) who rode the range, drove cattle to branding roundups, and worked on the huge western ranches of the late 1800's and early 1900's were accustomed to plain, simple cookin'. Icehouses were few, distances were long, and supply trains infrequent. The result was food based on long-lived supplies. Nothin' fancy, but sustaining.

Food for cowboys on the trail was produced in a chuckwagon, the realm of the camp cook. He was responsible preparing the wagon for its springtime duties, then outfitting it with non- perishable foods, enough to feed the cattle crew of sixteen to twenty for several weeks. A heavy stove on one side of the wagon was counter-balanced by a water barrel mounted on the other side.

As well, the camp cook worked as a teamster, a harness repairer, and often as a medic, button-sewer and even referee. Most camp cooks earned reputations as tough, cranky and talented men who learned to be resourceful. "Tetchy as a cook," is as applicable now as it was at the turn of the century!

Meals from the chuckwagon were plain, revolving around beef, beans, root vegetables and sourdough-risen bread or quick biscuits. Dessert took the form of steamed puddings, doughnuts, pies, biscuits and corn syrup, or rice pudding with chokecherry syrup. Milk came from a tin, not a wild, range-bred cow, and "cowboy coffee" has become a Western legend. Canned tomatoes were a preferred staple, serving as juice for dusty cowboy throats and as liquid in stews.

Mealtime etiquette was staunchly observed-- wait until the cook yells, help yourself but don't take more'n you can eat, no talkin' during meals. Uninvited guests were unquestioningly fed without prying. The unwritten rule for all: be polite to the cook. Breaching that code resulted in weak coffee, hard beans, and grumbling cowpokes.

The following recipes are adapted from culinary historian Bunny Barss' books, Come'n Get It, Cowboys and Chuckwagons and Come'n Get It At the Ranch House (Rocky Mountain Books).

Skillet Cornbread
Cornmeal and corn were regular players on the card for camp cooks. This quick bread could be baked in a Dutch oven in fairly short order, and could double as dessert when doused in corn syrup.

Serves 6-8

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cornmeal
2 1/2 cups (625 ml) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (180 ml) white sugar
salt to taste
3 Tbsp. (45 ml) baking powder
1 tsp. (5 ml) ground allspice
2 eggs
2 cups (500 ml) milk or buttermilk
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil

Set the oven to 400°F/200°C. Lightly butter and flour a 9" (22-cm) round cake pan.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir together the liquid ingredients in a small bowl, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix just to blend, then gently pour into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top and bake about 35 minutes, or until set and golden. Serve warm with butter.

Apple and Rhubarb Pie
Dried apples were more available than fresh for chuckwagon cooks, and fresh rhubarb was a welcome spring tonic. Oranges were a rare treat, and any dessert that included orange was a sure hit. Together, the flavours make a classic pie. Browning the apple slices in butter and sugar produces a pie with a fabulous caramel flavour.

Serves 6

pastry for 1 2-crust pie
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) butter
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) brown sugar
6-10 baking apples (Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious), peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) nutmeg the zest of 1 orange
1 cup (250 ml) sliced fresh rhubarb
1/3 cup (80 ml) white sugar
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) orange juice
1 egg white, whisked until foamy
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) white sugar for the crust

Divide the pastry into 2 slightly unequal pieces. Roll out the larger piece into a circle about 1/4" (.6 cm). Gently lay the pastry into a pie plate without stretching it. Roll out the second piece of pastry and cut it into strips for a lattice top.

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven.

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a large sauté‚ pan. Add the apple slices and cook over high heat until the apples release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on the nutmeg and orange zest. Remove from the heat and let cool as long as possible. In a bowl, toss together the rhubarb, 1/3 cup (80 ml) white sugar, flour and orange juice. Stir into the browned apples and mix gently but thoroughly.

Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared piecrust. Lay pastry strips over top without stretching the pastry. Tuck the edges under and flute the circumference of the pie. Brush the pastry with the egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet with a lip. Loosely cover the top of the pie with foil and bake 20 minutes. remove the foil and bake another 20-35 minutes, until the crust is golden and the juices bubble. Cool the pie on a wire rack before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Country Stew with Whisky
Hearty, simple, slow-cooking and unpretentious, stew was a welcome source of fuel after a long day working unruly cattle. It would simmer over the coals in a heavy Dutch oven while the cowboys were busy branding or breaking horses. Add a splash of whisky if you like for a bit of a kick, and root vegetables and potatoes when the beef is approaching tender. The safest place to cook stew to prevent burning or sticking is in the oven.

Serves 4 hungry teenagers or 6 adults

1 lb. (450 g) stewing beef
1/4 cup (60 ml) all purpose flour
freshly ground pepper
2-4 Tbsp. (30-60 ml) vegetable oil
2 onions, cut in large dice
10 cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
1/4 cup (60 ml) whisky (optional)
1 tsp. (5 ml) dried thyme
1 tsp. (5 ml) dried basil
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) diced canned tomatoes
6 potatoes, cubed
6 carrots, peeled and diced
6 parsnips, peeled and diced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the beef, flour and pepper in a bag and shake well to coat the meat. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté‚ pan and add the meat in two batches, browning each batch well before tipping it into an oven-proof Dutch oven or casserole. Brown the onions and garlic with the rosemary in the sauté‚ pan, add the browned vegetables to the meat and carefully add the whisky to the browned bits in the sauté‚ pan. Scrape all the liquid into the pot with the meat and mix well. Stir in the thyme, basil, water and tomatoes. Cover and bake in a moderate oven (350°F/175°C) for 2 hours. Add the potatoes, carrots and parsnips, re-cover and bake another 1 1/2 hours until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, with biscuits or cornbread.

Stampede Beans
With a few dried beans in his pocket, a man could work for days. Or so the rumour went. In truth, beans were cheap and easily stored. Today, like back then, they are a great source of fibre and minerals. The camp cook might have added a pork hock or piece of salt pork; today's cook can add a sausage or two. Choose any variety of beans-- black turtle, Great Northern, navy, lima—or a mixture. Cook beans in plenty of water until tender to ensure maximum digestibility. For a quicker potful, choose lentils and add a smoked pork hock.

Serves a crowd

1 Tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 link Italian sausage, diced
1 onion, minced
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) chili powder
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) ground cumin
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) paprika
1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) dried basil
1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) dried oregano
1/2 cup (125 ml) molasses
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 14 oz. (398-ml) can Roma tomatoes
6 cups (1.5 l) cooked beans
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2-3 tsp. (10-15 ml) vinegar

Heat the oil to sizzling, add the sausage and cook it until brown. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and spices, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, tomaotes and beans. Mix well, adding a little water if needed. Simmer 15-30 minutes until the flavours are friendly and the juices have thickened. Stir in salt, pepper and a dash of vinegar. Serve hot, freeze leftovers, and say YAHOO!