Uh oh! A camp stove cookoff!

“lol... but here is what is happening, FYI, at REI in the Twin Cities. This e-mail was sent to someone on a hiking club list I belong to.........

Here is the information about the contest we are having here at the Twin Cities' REI stores. I expect that among all of those hikers and backpackers in your organization there must be some excellent trailside chefs around.
REI is putting together a backcountry cooking contest that awards $1,000 & $500 grants to the winners' outdoor non-profits of choice. The contest is open to all REI members/customers, but we would like to create some excitement in the outdoor non-profit community to raise awareness of the contest and the numerous outdoor/environmental non-profits doing great work in region. Let me know if you have any questions and feel free to forward the bottom of this memo to your members. For more information, people can visit www.rei.com/cooking.
REI Camp Stove Cook-Off
Contestants can submit recipes for the contest between May 1 and May 31. They should be submitted via e-mail to CookTwinCities@rei.com or given to the Customer Service desks at the Bloomington or Roseville REI's. Recipes can be personal renditions of found recipes or original creations.
* Five recipes will be selected as finalists.
* These five recipe submitters will be invited to participate in the Camp Stove Cook-Off at the Bloomington REI on June 14th, 1pm to 2pm, as part of the annual Bite of REI.
* A panel of local celebrity and chef judges will rate the cooking of each participant in the Cook-off based on the following:
# Preparation time must be kept under 30 minutes
# Dishes must be prepareable on a packable camp stove
Ratings:
Creativity of presentation (30%)
Simplicity of execution (30%)
Overall taste (40%)
* The first place winner will receive a GSI Camp Gourmet Kitchen and a $1,000 donation to the outdoor or environmental non-profit of their choice.
* The second place winner will be awarded a $500 donation to the outdoor or environmental non-profit of their choice.
* All five finalists will receive a MSR WindPro Stove, a MSR BlackLite Gourmet Cookset, and a Backpacker "More Backcountry Cooking Cookbook".
Please feel free to contact me with questions. Thanks.

Don Begalle
Special Events Specialist
Twin Cities REI
952/884-4315 x 203
dbegall@rei.com”

“Overall taste counts 40%? How about taste 60% and ease of cooking 40%. The only other things that matter in the backcountry are weight and ease of cleanup.”

“I don't guess I can complain too much. My entry at TC2 was served in mini-tin foil hats turned upside down. They looked like mini ice cream cones.”