Franca's Clam Chowder
When we were honeymooning on Cape Cod at our friend Dana's, her sister Franca made her famous Clam Chowder for us one night. Franca's chowder is the real thing. She starts with local clams in the shell and spends the day in the kitchen. The result is nothing short of spectacular.
We received a large container of the base to bring home with us. The base merely needs cream and a check for seasoning to finish it off. It has been sitting in the freezer awaiting the proper time to come forth. Tonight was that time.
The Eilers clan prefers a thin chowder, and while I adored every drop we ate that night on The Cape, when I make chowder, I tend to thicken it a bit. I understand this is sacrilege, but we're 300 miles away. They can't get us tonight.
And the chowder was perfect. Delicious. Wonderful. Thick or thin, this chowder rocks! It has a rich clam flavor that you just can't get from bottled clam juice or canned clams. It really is stellar.
Just the dish to start off the first night of Hanukkah. (ooops!)
Which reminds me of a story from a few years back...
When I worked at UCSF, one of my jobs was to answer the comments and suggestions from the "Suggestion Box" in the Moffitt Cafe. I posted about 20 questions and my responses in a bulletin board by the Nutrition Services office down the hall from the cafe. For the most part I ignored the %$#@# comments but I always included at least one snarky comment - and gave it a professionally-snarky response. It was always fun to watch the crowds gather around the board and see their reaction to my latest epistles...
So one day I receive a comment from a woman who was incensed that we put salt pork in our New England Clam Chowder. She went on at great length about how we were deceiving our Jewish customers who can't eat pork and that we were pretty much condemning them to hell because of our insensitivity. She was extremely rude to put it mildly.
I was just so sweet in my response. I explained to her that salt pork or bacon was an integral ingredient in clam chowder dating back to the beginning of time. It was used in the original Fannie Farmer cook book of 1896 and was a completely traditional ingredient. Every recipe called for it and while it was true we did not have a huge sign stating it contained pork, we generally did not alert people to ingredients that were supposed to be in a dish.
I thanked her for caring so much for our Jewish customers that she would take us to task for including pork in our clam chowder. I then informed her that in all probability having pork in a clam chowder probably wouldn't be an issue to most Jews as they would most likely not be eating a soup make from shellfish in the first place.
It was the most fun job I have ever had.
Seafood Night on Cape Cod
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod
Patti Page recorded that in 1957. It's changed a bit in the 53 years since she first sang it... The quaint little villages have grown, but the sand dunes and salty air are still there - along with our dear friend, Dana.
Dana and I were roommates in Boston during her senior year or law school and have remained friends for years in spite of having lived together and knowing all about one another.
After practicing law for years and writing a couple of books, Dana returned to the family compound on the Cape.
The Cape. It really is a magical place. Victor and I both had spent a good amount of time there before we met. This was our first visit, together, and the first time staying with Dana.
What fun!
Sand dunes and salty air translate to seafood and there's no better seafood-shopper than Dana's sister, Franca. Local quahogs, scallops, shrimp, and lobster were all procured from the fish monger whose name escapes me right now, but fresh is the word of the day.
We had an all-day cook-a-thon with Franca, Victor, and myself taking turns creating different courses.
Dana's mom, Floy, came down from her house to join us in the food-fest. It had been quite a while since Floy and I had seen one another, so we had a lot of catching up to do!
Franca started out with Clam Chowder.
This isn't your clam chowder made with bottled clam juice and little cans of minced clams. This is the real McCoy. Scrubbing, steaming, and chopping the quahogs, rendering the bacon, dicing onions, carrots, potatoes... While I didn't get her recipe, we did get a huge container of the base (as seen above before the cream is added) to bring home.
Franca makes a traditional chowder that I call a thin chowder. There's probably a proper name for it but... I think more people are familiar with thick chowders, and they're the type I usually make - but her thin chowder rocks!
My contribution was lobster-stuffed portobello mushrooms.
Fresh-cooked lobster, bread crumbs, onion, celery, mayo, grated parmesano stravecchio cheese, fresh parsley... Very simple and basic. The individual ingredients came through and nothing overpowered.
We ate the chowder, the shrimp, and the mushrooms, and then Victor went into the kitchen to make the lemon scallop dish he created from the La Cucina Italiana magazine.
Cape Cod is fun.
Good food is fun.
Great friends are fun.
But a perfect combination is all three at once!
Strozzapreti e Capesante al Limone
We had friends arrive from Rochester last night for a layover on their way to Paris. Weather delayed them by several hours, so we finally arrived at the ol' homestead about 9pm. Just in time for a late dinner.
Victor planned a variation of the Linguine al Limone he made last month because it was something that could be tossed together rather quickly. We know all too well the joy of air travel. We planned for them not being on time. And we were right.
The pasta was just perfect. It has a bright lemon flavor that is not at all overwhelming for being as pronounced as it is. It's one of those recipes that just works.
Victor chose small bay scallops for the dish. They blended in perfectly.
I also baked a loaf of the egg white bread. It totally rocks.
Strozzapreti e Capesante al Limone
- 1 pound strozzapreti or other pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk
- 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Quickly saute scallops in a drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. When barely heated through, drain excess liquid from pan.
Meanwhile, place egg yolks in a large bowl. Grate the zest of 1 lemon into the bowl. Add cheese and pepper; whisk to combine, then whisk in cream, milk, parsley, chives, and generous pinch of salt.
When pasta is al dente, drain and add to scallops. Immediately add egg mixture and toss together to combine well, then divide among serving bowls. Grate fresh lemon zest (from the remaining lemon) and cheese over the top. Serve immediately.
This is one of those recipes that is so simple to prepare and so incredibly wonderful to eat, it's going to be a staple in our home from now until forever.
And as I type this, Ann and Julie are jetting across the pond to Gay Paree.
I hate them.
Mahi Mahi with Smokey Tomatoes
With the gastronomic success of Victor's Pasta Monday I think I'm going to start Seafood Thursday.
I really do want to get more fish into our diet and the only way to do it is to make it part of an actual plan. My normal cooking style is to open the cupboards and see what's in them. I generally just buy ingredients without a clear plan for what I'm going to do with them. It works for me because I usually don't know on Monday what I'm going to want to eat on any other given day of the week and having a well-stocked larder gives me options - or forces me into things because I have produce that needs eating that day!
I think Seafood Thursday will be a fun way to actually plan a recipe every week.
Today's Seafood Thursday Concept came compliments of Cooking Light magazine.
The August issue had a recipe for Mahi Mahi with a Bacon Tomato Butter. It was intriguing, but it called for brining the fish in a sugar and salt solution. That just sounded silly to me, so I omitted that first step. It also called for adding two tablespoons of butter to the finished tomatoes and bacon. I love butter probably more than the next guy, but I didn't see a need to add butter to something that already had bacon fat in it. I know... silly me.
I served it on a bed of fresh spinach sauteed in a drizzle of olive oil, with salt, pepper, and garlic. I really like plating things atop others. Besides being very visually appealing - the whole eat with your eyes concept - It just makes things taste good.
My tomatoes were "brown tomatoes" - not plums - and I didn't seed them. Nor did I add the 2 tablespoons of butter.
There's the Cooking Light recipe. Play with it as you wish. I really do recommend the smoked paprika, though. Go buy some. It's great in a lot of things!
Mahi Mahi with Bacon-Tomato Butter
Look for American mahimahi that were caught using the pole/troll method, as this fishing practice has the least negative impact on the waters where they're caught, and it yields the freshest fish.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 (6-ounce) mahimahi fillets
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt, divided
- 1 slice center-cut bacon, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
- 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
Preparation
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish, stirring until sea salt and sugar dissolve; add fish. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain; pat dry.
2. Prepare charcoal fire in a chimney starter; let coals burn for 15 to 20 minutes or until flames die down. Carefully pour hot coals out of starter, and pile them onto one side of the grill. Coat grill grate with cooking spray; put grate in place over coals.
3. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon table salt evenly over fish. Lightly coat fish with cooking spray. Place fish, skin side down, over direct heat on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes or until well marked. Turn fish over and move to indirect heat; grill 12 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
4. Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add bacon to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until bacon is almost crisp, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add paprika, and cook for 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in butter. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon table salt. Place 1 fillet on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 2 tablespoons tomato mixture.
I wonder what next Thursday will bring.....
Shrimp and Andouille Pot Pie
Okay. It's not exactly pot pie weather outside, but I was feeling slightly brain-dead. Besides... It's not your typical pot pie.
The idea was always shrimp and andouille. I just wasn't sure exactly how they were going to go together. I first thought a kind of jambalaya - really simple - and even toyed with the idea of a fritatta of sorts. But when I got home, I found we were down to one ripe tomato. I didn't want to use canned, so...
Time to change gears.
I remembered a recipe I had seen in Bon Appetit a while back and came up with a variation on a theme.
I had picked up the puff pastry during my weekly shopping trek and there was a tad of heavy cream left from making ice cream and two pasta dishes.
Shrimp and Andouille Pot Pie
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 link andouille sausage, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup cubed red bliss potatoes
- 1/2 pound shrimp
- salt & pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400°. Cut out pastry rounds to fit bowls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes, or until golden.
Whisk cream and flour in small bowl. Heat skillet and add a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté leeks, celery, and bell pepper until tender, about 10 minutes. Add andouille and garlic and sauté until sausage colors.
Add wine and simmer until liquid evaporates. Add chicken stock and and thyme. Bring to simmer. Add potato and cook uncovered until tender.
Add cream mixture to skillet; stir. Simmer until sauce thickens and boils, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat. Add shrimp; simmer about 3 minutes.
Add salt and pepper, to taste
Divide hot filling among oven-proof bowls. Top each with pastry round. Bake until filling bubbles, about 10 minutes.
This was really good. Creamy, slightly spicy, the puff pastry made a crumbly mess all over the place when we started eating... Perfectly fun food!
Doing to pastry topping in the oven first really helps to keep it flaky on top of the pot pie. No doughy-gooey unbaked pastry to deal with.
I can see several more variations on a theme as the weather turns.....
Shrimp Cakes and Sweet Potato Fries
I knew at 5:30 this morning that dinner was going to be shrimp. By 8am I had figured on shrimp patties on rolls. By 10am I had a recipe in my head. Such is the creative process. Pick an ingredient, let it simmer a while, and a recipe, idea, or concept is bound to present itself.
There are just so many things one can do, it's often difficult to narrow things down. I find if I start with an ingredient (in this case, the shrimp), and then find another ingredient (the rolls), it's easier to focus on and/or come up with the final idea. And, of course, everything is subject to change the minute I start cooking.
I thought a fairly basic shrimp cake would be dine if I jazzed up the roll with some of our fried peppers. Lots of sweet heat. It worked.
Shrimp Cakes
(makes about 6 small cakes)
- 8 oz raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined
- 2 tbsp celery
- 2 tbsp red pepper
- 2 tbsp onion
- 2 tbsp panko bread crumbs (plus additional for coating cakes)
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Chop celery, pepper, and onion. Add to food processor. Add shrimp and pulse until fairly well chopped. Add mayonnaise, spices, and 2 tbsp bread crumbs. Mix.
Divide into 6 portions - about 1/4 cup each. Roll and press in panko bread crumbs. Fry in olive oil until browned and cooked through.
I served them on small egg twist rolls with a bit of mayonnaise and fried hot peppers I made on Monday.
And I broke out the deep fryer for the sweet potato fries. I do have to admit that I cheated. I bought frozen sweet potato fries instead of cutting and frying my own.
And they were really good.
I'm off to make blackberry ice cream right now.
It's to make up for slacking on the fries.
The Birthday Boy Gets Fried
Thirty years ago, the statement would have been the same, but the means would have been quite different. My, how things change!
Last night, Victor gave me a brand new deep fryer. All because I had made an offhand comment that if I could have but one commercial piece of kitchen equipment at home, it would bee a deep fryer.
Now... we have a standing rule that we don't buy each other birthday presents and we don't buy single-use kitchen gadgets. He broke two rules. I am quite pleased! I was also quite oblivious. Victor wrapped the present while I was in the office and placed it right in the middle of the living room. I walked right through the living room into the kitchen and didn't even see it.
Clueless.
My first thought after opening it was to fry some chicken. But I quickly changed my mind. Onion rings, zucchini, jalapeños stuffed with cheese, and shrimp ended up being the menu.
We made a really classic batter of cake flour, beer, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley - the same recipe Victor used when he owned his restaurant on South Street. I floured the items before battering them, and used corn flour on the onion rings.
Yum.
Everything was crispy-crunchy. I had actually forgotten just how good - and not greasy - fried foods can be. Hot oil is the trick, and it's hard to manage on a stove.
Everything came out perfect except the jalapeño poppers. I put them in too fast and they stuck together a bit. Patience has never been one of my strong points. Oh well. They tasted fantabulous and that's what matters. Just hollowed out peppers with monterey jack cheese. As basic as one can get.
This has been one of the most fun presents! I'm thinking there's just a bazillion things we can make. I love fritters - corn, apple, peach... Fried calamari... Definitely more jalapeño poppers . I'll probably come up with a different batter for those. There's a lot of fun experimenting in store.
But tonight the final piece is something I am making once and will probably never make again.
A Deep-Fried Snickers Bar.
Because it's my birthday.
7月愉快的四 (Happy Fourth of July)
What Fun!
Tradition flew right out the window, today. While the vast majority of the country was setting up their grills and barbecues, we had the steamer baskets filled with pork buns, dumplings,, and an assortment of Chinese goodies.
We decided that since the Chinese had invented fireworks, we would celebrate China this 4th of July. Did I mention how much fun it was?!?
We did a combination of store-bought frozen items and some things we made ourselves. We had spring rolls, shu mai, and the dumplings above for appetizers, along with a myriad of home made dipping sauces.
We had more steamed buns - pork buns, chicken and vegetable buns, along with fish and scallops wrapped in banana leaves and grilled, sweet and spicy chicken with peppers and pineapple, and rice and potstickers... There were eight of us. We ate a goodly amount.
We all know that I'm not a huge prepared-food-purchaser, but the frozen Chinese stuff is unbelievably good. It's all stuff I definitely couldn't begin to make myself, plus it all has clean ingredients. Win-Win!
In typical Tim-and-Victor-shopping-style, we bought way more than we could have even tried to cook or eat, so we have several more meals in the making!
Family, Friends, and Food. Who can ask for more?!?
It really was a fun spin on the holiday.
Just Like Lobster Rolls
I told Victor I was making Shrimp Rolls for dinner. He thought I was making Chinese Spring Rolls. SURPRISE!
Actually, the surprise was on me. I bought hot dog buns and somehow they didn't make it home with me. I mean... what's a shrimp roll without split-top hot dog buns?!? A Shrimp Bun, that's what!
I used to love lobster rolls when I lived up in Boston. And they were cheap, too! A couple of bucks from any number of old shacks along the water. Last one I had was a few years ago. Eight bucks - and I think they waved the lobster over it. (Okay... I just checked the menu of one of my more favorite places, Woodman's in Essex, MA, and their Lobster Roll is now $18.95. I'm definitely getting old...)
To be honest, we didn't have shrimp or lobster rolls - we had Langostino Rolls. Langostino are neither shrimp nor lobster, but, in the USA, at least, are usually a squat lobster - which is a relative of the crab. And herein ends your crustacean lesson for the day.
I made the basic salad - onion, celery, pickle, mayonnaise, a grating of lemon zest, and a pinch of tarragon. Perfect summer flavors.
Oven roasted teeny potatoes finished it off. They were just like french fries - I even dipped them in ketchup!
Singaporean Salmon
Some of the best, most wonderful, flavorful, fun, and unique food I have ever eaten was in Singapore.
I was a 20 year old military boy when I was in Singapore 38 years ago. Even the vast quantities of alcohol and drugs I consumed while overseas in Uncle Sam's Yacht Club can't dim the memory of one of the best omelettes I have ever eaten - cooked on wood-fired wok on a street corner by an ancient gold-toothed man. Or the spicy rice dishes and seafood dishes I'd never be able to pronounce, let alone replicate today. Almost every meal we ate was from a street vendor. Fast Food - fresh and cooked right in front of us. Fabulous and cheap.
Fast-forward to today. I received my first-in-many-years issue of Cooking Light magazine and they had an article on Singapore and the fabulous foods that blend so many cultures. Malay, Indonesian, Chinese, Indian, Thai... It's the ultimate melting pot. It really did bring back some fond memories.
The magazine had lots of recipes, but nothing that was really calling out to me - until I saw a headline that stated "Cooking food in banana leaves offers diners the joy of opening their own individual packets."
I was planning salmon for dinner, and I had banana leaves in the freezer. (Of course!) The recipe was for a fish quenelle that sounded pretty horrible, but it got the little gray cells working...
Singaporean food is a mixture of cultures and I had a goodly amount of the 26 items listed in their "Ingredient Guide" so I decided to just go for it. I've paid off the Food Police so many times that they don't even bother to show up any more when I play footloose and fancy-free with the cuisines of the world. I now have a lifetime pass...
Singaporean Salmon
- 2 banana leaves
- 2 salmon fillets
- 4 scallions, shredded
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 zucchini, julienned
- 1/4 small bell pepper, julienned
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/4 cup honey
- zest from 1 lime, shredded
- juice from 1 lime
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- splash sesame oil
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
- splash fish sauce
- 1 tsp sambal oelek
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 6 fresh basil leaves, shredded
Place banana leaves on table. Top with salmon. Season salmon with a bit of salt and pepper.
Mix remaining ingredients together. Top each salmon fillet with half of the mixture. Wrap in banana leaves, folding ends under package to seal.
Grill with cover closed over indirect heat for about 15 minutes.
I have cooked en papillote for more years than I care to admit to, but this may be the first time I have ever cooked with banana leaves on my own. I've assisted others, but I don't really recall buying them, before... They are just too much fun! They impart a very subtle flavor that would work with any number of things. The fish was perfectly cooked, the crunch of the almonds played off the steamed zucchini. The honey added the slightest hint of sweet while the sambal oelek did the same for the heat.
The beauty of cooking like this, of course, is there is no added fat. And as I type that I'm thinking coconut would be really good in there, as well. Just a little. Well... a little shredded coconut and a little thick coconut milk, that is. It's also a great way to cook when you're dealing with people who have different dietary restrictions. They can be individually tailored to each person.
We're doing a Chinese 4th of July this year in honor of the Chinese inventing fireworks. I'm thinking banana leaves are going to have to get worked into the menu!
Substantial Scampi
Victor comes through, again.
I pulled a bag of shrimp out of the freezer this morning, thinking I'd do a bit of a pasta and vegetable dish with it. Substantial Scampi. Just a simple this-'n-that dish.
Victor had the same idea - what a surprise, there - and when I got home, said he would take care of dinner.
No need to ever say that to me twice. I love to cook, but when someone else is cooking, I'm eating. I know how to vacate a kitchen. Fast. Before second thoughts can take root.
I was outta there.
Dinner was brilliant in its simplicity... shrimp quickly sauteed in a bit of olive oil and lemon dill butter. He then added an orange bell pepper, garlic, peas, fresh herbs from the garden, sliced heirloom cherry tomatoes, some shredded parmesan cheese, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
He then added the cooked mini cheese ravioli, added a bit more cheese, and dinner was served!
He also baked off the last of the no-knead bread dough in the 'fridge.
Shrimp and pasta with warm homemade bread. Creamy, rich, flavorful, and just what I wanted.
I'm spoiled.
And I love it!
Scallops Wrapped with Zucchini
I've been thinking about this for a while. Scallops wrapped with zucchini. How could it be bad? Especially if they're brushed with homemade lemon dill butter?
Well... they weren't bad, at all. In fact, they were so good, both of us were sopping up our empty plates with homemade whole wheat bread. We haven't done that trick in a while.
My original plan was to grill them outside, but it's a bit chilly and rainy out, so I thought a pan-fry would work just fine. Victor suggested the panini maker. It was an excellent idea! They came out perfectly cooked in just a couple of minutes.
I made the lemon butter last week. Very basic compound butter.
Lemon Dill and Parsley Butter
- 2 cubes butter (edited to explain that a "cube" is a "stick" of butter, or 1/4 pound)
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Mince dill and parsley in food processor. Add the zest of 1 lemon and all the juice. Add the pepper and mince everything very fine.
Add the butter and pulse until completely incorporated.
Use on seafood, bread, pasta, to cook vegetables, etc.
For the scallops, I thinly sliced a zucchini lengthwise using my mandoline. I sliced each slice in half, lengthwise, and wrapped one piece around each scallop, securing it with a toothpick.
I then brushed them with melted Lemon Dill Butter and put them on a very hot panini press. About three minutes later, they were done.
The potatoes were quite easy, as well. I boiled 2 russet potatoes and drained them. In a skillet, I sauteed about 2 ounces of diced pancetta with about a quarter-cup of minced onion and 1 minced clove of garlic. I put the potatoes into the skillet, did a coarse-mash and added about a quarter-cup of sour cream, salt & pepper. Mixed it all together.
This really was a fun dinner! The lemon really came through from the butter and the scallop and zucchini went perfectly together. The potatoes? Total yum.
And that whole wheat bread...
I'm still making the no-knead bread and loving it! I tweaked the basic recipe to make a whole wheat version. Not for any health reasons. I just happen to like the flavor of whole wheat bread better.
No-Knead Bread
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 envelopes dry yeast
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3 cups lukewarm water
Mix everything together to form a fairly wet dough with no dry spots. Let rise, partially covered, about 3 hours at room temperature.
Punch down and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make a loaf of bread:
Preheat oven with baking stone to 450°. Form 1/4 of the dough into a ball. Place on cornmeal dusted peel or on a piece of parchment paper. Let rise about 45 minutes. Make 2 deep slashes in the top of the dough with a sharp knife and slide onto the stone. If you use the parchment paper, you can place the bread on the paper onto the stone.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
For a crunchier crust, place a sheet pan on a rack under the stone when preheating the oven. When you put the dough in the oven, pour a cup of hot water into the sheet pan and quickly close the oven. The resulting steam will create a crunchier crust!
Tummy's full. Victor's in the kitchen planning a dessert for later.
I'm a happy camper.