Dutch oven cooking lesson delights participants at Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center

Charlie Wilson had to adapt quickly when a crowd of people showed up for Sunday's Discover Nature Families Dutch oven cooking lesson at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center.

"We had to turn a lot away," said Ken Jones, a nature center volunteer. "Two adults came with eight kids."

Instead of assigning various recipes to teams of parents and their children, he deputized a few of the youngsters and, with nature center volunteer Jo Ann Anderson stepping in as an assistant, he turned out a handful of hot dishes — from breads to a hearty egg-and-sausage breakfast and a one-pot meal — in less than three hours.

"But I think everyone's having a good time learning stuff," he said, watching as people tasted a spicy Mexican bread as the class wound down. "That's what it's all about."

Wilson, 65, is a retired dentist. Over nearly 30 years, he's also become an adept camper and loves to cook, he said. Since he started volunteering for the nature center in 2005, his 2,000-plus donated hours have included regular lessons in the use of the thick iron pots called Dutch ovens, made to be set in coals and covered with them. When used correctly, they can boil, bake, roast or fry food. Wilson said he has as many as nine different sizes of Dutch ovens at home.

Melissa and Scott Rose of Jackson attended the class because the Roses inherited three Dutch ovens from Melissa's grandmother.

"We thought we might learn something new," Melissa Rose said and started to laugh. "I learned we need a new Dutch oven. A bigger one."

Sherry Seyer of Oak Ridge brought her son, Brent Seyer, 8, because "we do a lot of camping. I got a Dutch oven for Christmas and need to learn how to use it," she said.

The Seyers, like many at Sunday's class, are frequent visitors to the nature center, located on a hill next to hiking trails in Cape County Park North.

Rachel Birk, 13, came with parents and brothers from Charleston, Mo., for the class and said she loved the food.

"It tastes like camping," she said of the sausage dish. Her friend, Tori Vetter, 12, a cooking enthusiast who lives outside of Benton, Mo., with her family, said there was a good chance she would try to reproduce the recipes handed out at the end of the class.

Many of the more than 30 people at the class said they were frequent nature center visitors.

Birk's mother, Jennifer Birk, said she has been attending events at the center for two years.

"I don't think many people realize what a wonderful place this is," she said. "The center is so big and the trails are beautiful."

"We'll be back for Froggy Friday," Brent Seyer said. Froggy Friday, 7 to 9 p.m. March 27, is an outdoor hike aimed at children but open to all ages.

On Saturday, the center devotes the day to helping women experience such outdoor skills as hunting, using GPS units, canoeing and fly fishing.

To learn more, visit mdc.mo.gov/areas/cnc/cape or call 290-5218.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

388-3646

Were you there?

Does this affect you?

Have a comment?

Log on to semissourian.com

2289 County Park Drive

Cape Girardeau, MO