It's the quintessential bush camping necessity of a bygone era but the versatile cast iron pot is making a comeback for the 'great coronavirus camp oven cook-off''.
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What started as a competition between father and son has now grown into a social media cook-off with more than 1500 members in the Facebook group.
A month ago photographer Peter Lorimer set his son Jack a friendly challenge while in self isolation: who could create the best dish in a camp oven?
While Mr Lorimer's camp oven was cooked on the balcony of his fourth floor apartment in Newcastle, his son's camp oven was in the shed at his home in Gunnedah.
"We were self isolating and couldn't go anywhere so he accepted the challenge and we went from there," Mr Lorimer said.
With the challenge accepted, the rules were set: take a photo of preparation, the camp oven and then the finished dish.
"The first two weeks it was just me and him against each other posting photos on social media with friendly banter back and forward," he said.
"Then by the third week we had 30 people who joined in with their own camp oven creations."
By the fourth weekend, his wife Tracy and daughter Molly set up a Facebook group "the great coronavirus camp oven cook-off'.
It has more than 1500 members where people have posted their camp ovens from the roof tops of Sydney apartments to the arid landscape of the outback.
There was entry Perth and even as far as England.
Last weekend they dedicated the cook-off to a friend of Mr Lorimer who passed away and they raised $2000 that was donated to Beyond Blue.
So far everything from a baked lamb roast to lamb shanks in red wine, chicken cooked in herb crusted bread, kangaroo stew and beef bourguignon with dumplings has been on the camp oven menu.
"Who would have thought the banter between me and my young fellow would start something," Mr Lorimer said.
"People have posted photos from their food preparation to the finished product and there was a bloke who started his fire with a leaf blower.
"It's just a bit of fun at this stage but if we get more entries we will look at trying to secure sponsorship for a prize.
"It's brought people and families together for something fun they can do in these uncertain times."
Journalist based on the Mid North Coast for The Land.
Journalist based on the Mid North Coast for The Land.
