With camping season in full force, it's time to up your outdoor kitchen game. After all, there are only 110 more camping days left in the Keweenaw. (Maybe 125, if you don't mind being lulled to sleep by a November gale.) And with so many spectacular outdoor destinations in the Upper Peninsula, let alone our little Copper Island, you don't have time to waste.

Still, let's be honest: camping is fun when you get there, but it can be a real pain in the butt to prepare for. Especially when it comes to grocery shopping. It's lucky the outdoors gives every meal a special tang, because the limits of a camp kitchen demand convenience take priority over...well, everything. There's no thrill like enjoying that first cup of coffee while watching the sun rise over the lake, but it's hard to recall that thrill when you're trying to choose the least terrible instant coffee to bring along. 

Well, consider us your camp kitchen outfitters. (Is that a thing? It should be a thing.) We’ve curated a collection of goods from our Marketplace that will take your outdoor kitchen from spartan to sublime. Nothing fancy, complicated, or heavy—just a few key pieces that make all the difference to your morning wake-up and your evening R&R. Whether you’re bushwhacking your way to High Rock Bay, or spending a chill weekend car-camping at McLain State Park, these camp coffee and cooking essentials will make you want to never go indoors again.

Camp Coffee Essentials from Keweenaw Coffee Works

• Kalita Stainless Steel Wave Dripper 185

Why put up with percolator grit or bland, bodiless instant coffee, when you can have the delicious flavor and rich body of a properly made pourover? This stainless steel model of the classic Kalita Wave Dripper offers minimal carrying weight and break-proof material, making it a no-brainer to pack with your camp kitchen supplies. All you need is a pot, a cup, and a few filters, and you've got cafe-quality coffee to get you primed for a day of adventures.

Read a full review here. https://www.kalita-usa.com/kalita-wave-review/

• Jacobsen Salt Co. Tins

Fresh air and a big appetite will make you ravenous, but good seasoning is essential to bringing out the wild flavor you crave. Jacobsen Salt Co. not only makes gourmet-quality salts (including flavored versions like black garlic, lemon zest, or rosemary), but offers them in a variety of camp-friendly sizes and shapes for easy packing. Slide a flat tin into your pocket for snacking on the trail summit, keep a jar back at camp to season your fresh-caught lake trout or your Vollwerth's brats, and bring along a packet to the neighboring site to finish off your campfire s'mores.

• Yes! Cocktail Co. Mixers

A full day of outdoor adventuring deserves a hearty "Cheers!" once night falls. While you could throw back a slug of whiskey in celebration of your exploits, a nice craft cocktail pairs so well with a lazy sunset and a crackling bonfire. We're not saying bring the whole home bar along with you. Just pop open one of these all-natural cocktail mixers, then drizzle, swizzle, and sip.

• Superior Fire Spice Blends

Want to take that dinner up a notch? Leave the baggies of herbs and spices at home--a bottle of Superior Fire Spice Blend is all you need. From the makers of Ray's Polish Fire, a local favorite condiment with a cult following around the world, these bottles blend 10 organic spices like turmeric, cumin, fennel and cayenne for a wonderful savory balance that elevates everything from meat to vegetables to popcorn. Choose the Phoenix Blend for a kiss of salt with your spice, or the Sunset Blend for salt-free seasoning.

• Katherine-Anne S'mores Kit

Speaking of crackling bonfires...isn't it about time your favorite campfire treat got an upgrade? Treat yourself to a s'more that will make your eyes roll back in your head, with pure chocolate ganache and pillowy handmade marshmallows from our favorite Chicago confectioner. If you've tasted our Haut Chocolat, you already know what kind of bliss is in store for you.

• KCW Tumblers and Water Bottles

If there's one thing Keweenaw locals know, it's that you can't always count on the weather to cooperate. For camping, this means packing the tent rain fly even when the forecast is clear, and bringing along every type of layer from tank top to down jacket. Fortunately, you'll only need one solution when it comes to your camp beverage: the KCW insulated tumbler. As veteran coffee drinkers, both in and out of doors, we've carefully selected these tumblers for their ergonomic grip and thermal efficiency. Pair it with a KCW water bottle in "can't lose it" neon, and you'll stay hydrated while repping your favorite local coffee company--win-win!