Things to Pack to Monmouth (Part 1)

Heimerich and I will be going to the Battle of Monmouth. 

Usually I put packing things into categories... kind of like this: 

- Reenacting Clothes/Things

- Modern Clothes

-My make up, etc

While the Reenacting clothes part will be a completely dedicated post, this one I'll just briefly mention what I bring to for a reenactment weekend. Some number 1 items are drier sheets and baking soda... Drier sheets are to keep insects and mosquitos away, and the baking soda is meant to deter ants away from our tent. Instead of being smart and bringing items like bug spray relief, because Heimerich and i are in our 20s, a pack of beer or 2 will be a lot more useful in the long run. 

As for modern clothes, I'll bring 2 outfits. Depending on my mood when we visit the camp on the set up day, Friday, I will show up in normal clothes-- this is a lot better to wear when driving. A bathing suit is an awesome thing to bring because there is a shower!  I bring at least 3 bras because no one wants to sit around in disgusting summer worn clothes.

If planning on drinking massive quantities of beer, I will bring some snacks specifically for Heimerich and I to steer the "drunkshies" away. There will also be massive quantities of water.

As for my side of things, being very face conscience and girly, I like to hug the modern feminine side of things throughout the weekend. Simple things like not being able to live without some sort of chapstick. I will bring all of my over night face things, like Queen Juliep's Mint mask, something to put on my face to keep oil away until morning. Bobby pins are a plenty... my favorite hair brush... and a very good toner. My face will break out if I do not take care of it at an event. An easy way to avoid this is to use a toner, at least for me.

Food

If it is anything that the Feldjagers can and will always do 100% right, its making some banging' food! At larger events, we love to get together and eat. Isn't that what part of being a family is all about? One of the members who joined about the same time I did, Joe, is in charge of this year's cooking at our weekend at the Battle of Monmouth in NJ.

This is Joe, he is one of the nicest people I know!

Joe decided to make a beef and mixed vegetable stew/slow cook. The second dish is diced chicken with peppers. Why diced? Because of the number of people attending, dicing chicken will feed more than several not-diced chicken breast.

The third dish will be a vegetable heavy stew/soup, probably with a thinner broth. Joe says that the first dish and the third dish are "very period" (period meaning historically accurate/during the time frame).

Simple meat cuts and root veggies were both common and inexpensive food options of the time. Joe explained to me that the actual cooking process will be unique. He will be using 3 cooking pots, which are all essentially slow cookers. With camp fire cooking, there are 2 basic formats. Either using a fire or coals (wood burned to the point where it is coal). The biggest problem with using fire is that it tends to be very uneven. 

Coal is usually the best option, but in order to make natural coals, the fire needs to burn hot and fast, to build up the coals. The fire also needs to be started about 2 hours beforehand. Joe will probably use semi-period charcoal at the event.