How to Make a Proper Pudgie Pie

A few days ago I turned my hand at a task and tool that has grown dusty with age - a Pudgie Pie maker acquired in a campground store from my camping days of yore.  That rhymes doesn't it?

In any event the art and science of making a proper pudgie pie is firstly to have a pie device - a hinged clam shell tool with long handles.  

They're not very expensive, readily available and considering I've had mine for somewhere around three decades (give or take) they're pretty durable and very versatile.

Spread butter on a couple of slices of cheap white bread, slap a slice of cheese between the slices, clamp the pie maker around the sandwich (butter-side out), thrust it into your campfire and in short order you will have a fabulous toasted cheese sandwich.

click on images to enlarge

Care for something different?  Mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce.  Or pre-cooked taco meat and cheese.  How about ham and egg?  Raisin bread with cream cheese?  If you're avoiding butter use nonstick cooking spray.  

Short on inspiration?  If you Google 'pudgie pie recipes' you will get 44,400 hits in .52 seconds.

If you are disinclined to camp in the great outdoors use your BBQ kettle or gas grill.  If you have a gas range in your kitchen you can do this on your stove top.

We experimented with dessert pies this week and met with some success with the following combinations:

• Wonder Bread, strawberries and milk chocolate

• Wonder Bread, peanut butter and Nutella.

• Angel food cake and strawberries

• Angel food cake, Nutella and strawberries.

• Wonder Bread, honey crisp apple (cinnamon and sugar) and Brach's caramel.

The possibilities are endless. We're thinking blueberries and cream cheese need to be involved next time.