The Backcountry Epicure

For many, camp cooking is a messy, disheartening, ultimately bland affair. But it doesn't have to be. Take, for instance, the following gastronomical field trip, led by three of the nation's finest chefs, maestros of the kitchen who--surprise!--are also no strangers to the demands of wielding a skillet in the outback. So get out the travel toque and tell your campmates to step aside: An artist is at work.

The Basics: You're Only as Good as Your Preparation
A soon-to-be master chef's guide to the techniques, tools, and tricks of upscale outdoor cookery.
By Paul Kvinta

Day One: Innovation Within Reason
Monique Barbeau, the unassuming diva of the Northwestern Cuisine craze, expands the limits of our campground repertoire.

Day Two: Sleight of Spatula
Patrick Clark, the man in charge of the country's busiest kitchen, conjures up hearty American fare that's even better than it looks.

Day Three: World Beat on a WhisperLite
The Coyote Café's Mark Miller, purveyor of delicacies from Navajo to North Korean, dispenses some quick-and-easy recipes with international flair.

Plus:
Aesthetics: Spare Not the Grace Notes
Spirituality: The 86-Proof Campfire
Self-Reliance: Shopping on Location
Sloth: Then Again, There's Always Pop-Tarts