California State Police

A squad of California State Fair Police bicycle officers monitor fair goers on the midway on a hot Friday evening.

California State Fair

Last Friday morning my daughter called and said the was driving up from the Bay Area with her children. She and her husband (he was in Sacramento already for training) were going to the state fair. I though it would be nice to spend an evening strolling among the exhibits and midway. Except for the 100-plus degree weather, we enjoyed a pleasant evening with family.

As a rule, fair food doesn't impress me. I don't relish eating fried Coke (this year's fad food at the fair). Our $35 meal consisted of corn dogs, burritos, fries and soft drinks. This cord dog stand was located in the middle of the midway.

A Night at the Races

My friends and I watched the 410 cubic-inch powered sprint car races at the Placerville Speedway last Saturday. In one of the early qualification heats, Brandon Wimmer guides his car into the turn. Wimmer won the evening's 30-lap main event in a contriversial pass on the last lap when he collided with driver Andrew Gregg.

Bar None

Saturday was auction day at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. According the sign out front, Bar None Action of Diamond Springs was holding its liquidation sale.

I'm always watching for heavy-duty culinary equipment. There wasn't much for the cook this time. A few old kitchen sinks tucked in with larger lots all that I saw.

The company is no stranger to restaurant equipment. They liquidated the Golden Tee Restaurant and Motel in Auburn last September. I'm going to watch the Bar None website for future restaurant actions.

Technorati Tags: Dutch oven, chicken pot pie, pot pie, Outdoor cooking, camp cooking, Bar None, auction

Diamond Springs Labor Day Street Fair

Labor Day is the big event in Diamond Springs, California. The Highway Patrol closes Main Street and redirects Highway 49 to the north. Street vendors occupy every curb, parking lot and vacant field to sell their wares.

The Fleet Reserve Association led the parade at 1 p.m.

I didn't see a large variety of food vendors at the fair. There were only about eight vendors selling food and drink present. And only one local restaurant was open. The Firehouse Cafe sold meals out of the front door.

Two hot dog carts kept a steady supply of frankfurters on the street.

Cool refreshments are always popular in the September heat. Although the mercury didn't reach into the 100s, the shaved ice chef did a brisk business after the parade passed by. This guy had a hand washing set up as well.

The snow cone vendor was no exception.

May Your Campfires Sizzle

I re-wrote the Blogger profile this afternoon as promised -- it's much better.

Just in case you can't get enough of me, here's a few thoughts that explain what 'Round the Chuckbox is all about.

I've always envisioned myself as a nineteenth century camp cook. I would've loved cooking for an El Dorado County ranch as they made their annual cattle drive to summer pasture in the Lake Tahoe basin. Everything about the job appeals to me: family atmosphere, the outdoors and good old country cooking.

I've got one problem: I was born 50 years too late. And I grew up in Fresno and Bakersfield.

Those who know me will tell you that I'm just a city boy who's loved the Sierra Nevada high country ever since my father carried me to Peter Grub Hut in 1954.

The closest I came to camp cooking was feeding Seabee construction warriors during a 20-year stint in the Naval Reserve.

That's me, CSCS Steven C. Karoly, USN, now retired. My assistant, CSC Bob Voigt, stands behind me. The food service officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 17 is to my right. The photo was snapped during Operation Bearing Duel at Fort Hunter Liggett, June 1994.

I haven't ridden a horse in over 30 years, and I've never driven a chuckwagon or fed a beef-centered diet to cowboys on the Western prairie. Nor have I piled flapjacks onto chipped enamel plates meant for hungry Sierra Nevada lumbermen.

That's what happens when I take my family camping in the Eldorado National Forest where I live out a week-long fantasy each summer. You'd think that I was prepared to feed a crowd of hungry hunters and fishermen.

I carry enough cookware to feed a baker's dozen or two. Just give me a white A-framed cook-tent, an assistant or two and outdoorsmen who appreciate good old camp cooking and I'm in my environment.

Steve's Café, located just south of the Visalia, California airport, on Hwy 99.