Food fit for a king, from a can

When you’re out on the open road, it’s inevitable that you’ll reach camp late at night or that you have to get going bright and early to reach your destination. That’s when canned food is your saviour.

When I cross the border into Namibia, my soul rejoices. Even delays at the border post don’t get me down, because there on the other side of the Orange River lays God’s country. My car is packed with basic camp equipment. I hit the road to Aussenkehr and from there I swing right into the moonscape desert where I’ll be looking for a place to camp. With my tent pitched under a shade tree, I light the fire. I’m hungry for comfort food. There isn’t time for frills because tomorrow the journey continues and tonight I’d rather listen to the sound of silence in the desert instead of worrying about a gourmet meal. That’s where cowboy food comes in. See, canned food does sometimes serve a purpose. Canned food dishes are perfect for tired, lazy evenings around the campfire. And that doesn’t mean baked beans on toast. There are a lot of very tasty dishes that can be whipped up with food in a tin. And with my trusty potjie that I always travel with, canned food dishes are just the right thing for the open road.