The Wylder West

  First and Best Camp of the Trip  Frederic Remington Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the tent wall during and wild west cowboy campfire? I know I sure would! Or maybe a bird in a tree, listening to the tales of the trail as told by the ones who traveled the long, dusty miles.  I imagine what they talked about but imagination only goes so far. And the truth is, that while I conjure up all kinds of interesting stories, a lot of my research shows that much of what they shot the fat over were mundane topics. Lame horses. Shots taken and missed. The ever-popular weather. Sometimes, women —the ones they left behind as well as saloon girls they hoped to meet.  I read one account that was mostly a complaint about the food on the trail. Apparently campfire grub sometimes left something to be desired! There are no campfire scenes in A Wylder Christmas but that's only because of the season. Violet Bloom, Wylder's schoolteacher, faces enough trials in the story that I couldn...

  Ever wonder what cowboys drank out on the range as the sun peeked over the horizon? Most likely, it was some strong coffee. Like, real strong.  Brewed by the gallon for wagon trains or parties of men riding the range, many days it was the wake-up call that summoned men from bedrolls to saddles.  One of the essentials for lone riders, the battered tin pot, boiled up coffee on an open flame in no time.  Whether riding solo or with a posse, one thing that remained constant was that good ol' cowboy coffee!  No fancy add-ins, either. Sometimes crushed egg shells or a bit of salt made the pot but nothing more than that. And there were no lattes or frothy creamers. Strong and black — that's the way the wild west downed it!  If you want to boil up a pot of your own cowboy coffee, Cowboy Coffee Co. offers a few tips.  And if you're looking to nail down authenticity, why not grab yourself a package of Arbuckles' ? Some say it's how the west was won but I don'...

"The Hunters' Supper" by Frederic Remington When families, friends, and food gather there's sure to be laughter, conversation, and fun —whatever the time or place. Back in the days when settlers made their way out west there may have been a train robbery, cattle rustling, or dustup at the local saloon, but folks did settle around camp fires and kitchen tables to share the day-to-day news as well as spicier tidbits. A WylderChristmas , set in the Wyoming territory in December 1878, features a holiday celebration. Every family in town contributes to the festive food tables—the way many of us do potluck dinners now. Gertie, one of Wylder’s most helpful citizens, bakes one of her family’s treasured treats. Her pumpkin bread is praise-worthy and loved by all. I bake pumpkin bread a few times each year so I’m sharing my recipe with you. It may not be as great as Gertie’s, but I hope it adds some goodness to your table!   Pumpkin Bread   ½ cup vegetable oil 2 eggs ...