Outdoor enthusiasts into open-fire cooking are well acquainted with the gourmet cuisine that hosts Pamela Alford and Larry Wiseheart turn out each week on Campfire Cafe. Loyal viewers of this popular show are often taught how to cook Asian favorites like “Cowboy Won Ton Soup”, “Oriental London Broil”, “Szechuan Stir Fry”, “Spring Rolls” and Pam’s famous “Asian Beef Soup” so loved by Oprah’s personal chef, Art Smith – a previous guest on the show!
Guest Artist Andy Griggs cooks up Chinatown Ribs on the set of Campfire Cafe
In the latest Campfire Cafe series, guest host Country Music artist Andy Griggswas excited to help make “Chinatown Ribs” on the menu for one of his episodes. “I love ribs – well, who doesn’t?” said Andy. “But to learn to make ribs with that great Asian flavor – over the open fire, no less, is a real treat for me!”
“I love Asian food, and so naturally I choose a lot of Oriental recipes to demonstrate open fire cooking techniques on the show,” says producer/host Pamela Alford. “I’m always on the lookout for classic favorites that we adapt to cooking over the campfire, or on the grill. When you’re out camping and you get a taste for Chinese – there’s no picking up the phone for takeout! You gotta make it yourself – that’s what we show you how to do on our show.”
When not producing episodes of Campfire Cafe, Pamela designs and develops websites. Alan Wong, general manager of Kung Fu Plaza in Las Vegas, recently hired EMG Websites to give his website a new look, and you’re seeing the results now! Wong has invited Pamela, along with co-host Larry and the crew, to come to Las Vegas and learn how to cook Thai recipes to feature on the show. After drooling over KungFu’s extensive menu during the re-design, Pam is begging Alan to FedEx half the menu to Missouri!
“We will definitely take him up on that offer,” says Pamela. “To visit and cook with authentic Thai and Chinese chefs in Alan’s kitchen would not only be educational, but a lot of fun! Now if I can just talk them into reciprocating by cooking with us over the fire – that would make for a great episode,” assures Pamela.
“Our chef would love to share with Pam and Larry our recipes, which could easily be adapted for open fire cooking,” said Wong. “After all, it wasn’t that many years ago that most people in the world cooked everything over an open fire!”
Cajun Spring Rolls from Campfire Cafe
Wong noticed that some of the recipes made on the show combine the influences of two ethnic cuisines, such as Pam’s “Cajun Spring Rolls”. An interesting combination which delivers a surprise in the very first bite.
Alford says she would be particularly interested in learning to make many of the traditional dishes that Wong’s family has gathered from Thailand. “I like to make recipes everyone considers favorites,” says Pam, “but I also like to introduce recipes you may not be so familiar with to showcase the diversity of cuisines from around the world. Our viewers love that we’re not ‘just bacon and beans’ with our campfire cooking!”
“It is surprising how many viewers email to let us know they tried a dish – or visited a location featured – because we cooked a new recipe on the show,” Pam says. “I’d welcome the opportunity to work with Alan to feature some traditional Thai recipes that folks might enjoy the next time they’re craving Oriental food in the great outdoors!”
Campfire Cafe airs three times weekly (Sun, Mon, Tue) on RFD-TV, Dish channel 231; DirecTV channel 345.