We started out with the notion that only girly-men used stoves. That "roughing it" mentality lasted maybe 7 years or so. I know I caught hell the first year I brought a stove. That was the year a fly, that stove and the same 3 pristine packages of freeze-dried everyone made fun of for a week, avoided what would have otherwise been a miserable night. They all came out of their soggy little tents after a little prodding only to rave about freeze-dried Mandarin Orange Chicken and the stove.

These days I cook over what works best for the situation and dish. If half the meal is prepared over the fire while the other half is on the stove all at the same time, that works just fine for me. It's more a question of the right tool and mood.

Coffee? Fire makes much better coffee but the stove is easier. If the last pot was made over a fire, I know it'll have one more great tasting brew left in it for the camp stove or even my electric stove at home.