Keith Wrage wrote: <snip> >>>>>Question 1: What would you plan for menus for your trip? two areas to consider: - basic it-keeps-the-fire-burning foods - may not taste like much but lightweight, easy, quick, and involves minimum clean up<<<<< For the basic stuff (which generally describes my breakfasts and lunches), I generally take some kind of indestructible cereal (like granola or muesli), in serving size amounts added to sandwich baggies, add powdered milk (although -- don't gag -- I've been experimenting with dried soy-milk, which is better than you'd think!), and then in camp I just add water either to the baggy itself for an eat-and-go meal, or if it's a lazy morning I'll get out a bowl. A fancy breakfast would only be on a day we don't move camp. My favorite treat would be something like Monkeybread (do a search on the internet for probably several thousand recipes for this), cinnamon rolls (cooked in an GSI aluminum dutch oven) or blueberry pancakes. Lunches are usually no-cook stuff like bagels, pitta bread, homemade trail bars (<-- that by itself is probably a subject we could develop a thread for), hard cheese (like parmesan), jerky, and lots of fluid to wash all this stuff down. Easy dinners would be dehydrated stuff. My favorites are dishes like tamale pie, where you cook it all at home, spread in on dehydrator trays and dry it to maybe a third of its original volume. Preparation is easy (I try to start reconstituting it before dinner, sometimes even while still paddling) and the "yums" to "weight-and-volume-and-hassle" ratio is pretty high. Only slightly more work is some variation on spagetti (where the sauce is also dry-able unless it has too much oil in it, like puttanesca) with garlic bread (the real stuff, if you can swing it), a cabbage salad (cabbage, as all self-respecting paddlers know, is virtually immortal) and a nice glass of pinot noir! We used to prepare desserts like the Jello cheesecakes, but we've all gotten pretty tired of these and don't really need stuff that heavy, so we've moved to ligher faire like biscottis or pudding. As far as the stuff the cardiologists try to steer you away from, a good puttanesca (as mentioned above -- weighing in at probably 1/3 olive oil) would probably fill the bill (except I guess olive oil is now regarded as being not that bad, so maybe not!). An expensive but delicious appetizer is to bring a big old platter of frozen shrimp (has to be eaten first night) with dipping sauce. But in general, there's not much that you can prepare at home that can't be synthesized in camp (where that "outdoor taste" advantage balances out the lack of a true oven, etc.). I don't have too much to add to the "favorite cooking system" part of the question, except I really like using a dutch oven -- at least when you're not in a hurry. Also, if you're in an area where the fishing is good, a nice way to prepare it is "indian style", where you fillet the fish, press it between a lattice-work of sticks, wire it shut (I bring a little roll of copper wire for this purpose), and plant it maybe a foot or two away from a fire (varies a lot on how hot the fire is). I've given up on those backpacker espresso machines as being too much hassle and mess. But -- where do you get the inflatable french pastry chefs? Do they come in both female and male versions? Evan Woodinville, Washington *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 1/16/2003 8:45:29 AM Central Standard Time, keith.wrage_at_charter.net writes: As in the wizard in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Answer me these questions three!" > Question 1: > What would you plan for menus for your trip? > two areas to consider: > - basic it-keeps-the-fire-burning foods - may not taste like much > but lightweight, easy, quick, and involves minimum clean up > - indulgent foods - the stuff they talk about years later. The > stuff the cardiologists try to steer you away from. > I saw a sign once that read "I didn't claw my way to the top of > the food chain to eat vegetables". > Might not be good for you, but it sure is good. > Lunch: salami and parmesan cheese, dried fruit, bagels, etc. Salami and Parmesan lasts a long time without refrigeration, especially with care in their packing. If a trip location has multiple pullout areas, I'll then bring a *boiled water goes in bag* lunch or supplement the Salami and Parmesan with freeze dried potatos or Ramen. Dinner is a *boiled water goes in bag* meal and a natural licorice bar and tea for dessert. > Question 2: > What specialty kitchen items would you bring things like a favorite baking > 'system', a cool tool or utensil, the best cooking pot ever made, espresso > machine, pasta press, inflatable french pastry chef...) > A 1 quart titanium pot with lid and built in grippers and a spoon each per person. Mine is made by Evernew and was purchased at REI for 30 bucks. If I really want to wow the crowds I bring along a lexan bowl (4 bucks from REI) per person, otherwise we eat out of the bag from whence it came, plus the pot. > Question 3: > What special preps do you do ahead of time - e.g., freezing some items for > the first few meals? > I like the Chris Duff system for organizing meals: Green bag ( a Hydroseal by OR) for breakfast items; A Blue bag for Lunch items with all galley items packed alongside it to prepare it, if prep is necessary; a Red bag for all dinner items; a collapsible bottle for booze or wine, (available at REI for 4 bucks.) I plan the menu down to the last energy bar and teabag, packing all items for each meal in each bag. In the morning I eat from the green bag and pack it in the yak. I pack the lunch bag and galley items where they are instantly accessible in the hatches. On water or quick, along shore meals are typically packed in the day hatch, with snacks in the pfd pocket. I do a round up of all packaging of food items and food whereabouts 3 times daily to assure of no litter or accessibility to animals. Unattended food must always be travelling in the yak or hung, or stored in bear canisters. > I anxious to learn of the culinary creativeness of the folks on the list, > Creative, no; effective, yes. Cheers, Rob G *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> As in the wizard in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Answer me these > questions three!" Well, these aren't the answers to the questions three, nor am I among the Knights who say "Neee", or guards a bridge rather than flee. Nonetheless, I'll offer them to thee, with the warning that the sparrow and the killer rabbit are not to be used, in your recipe. One thing that I and a lot of other folks do is to do as much prep at home as possible. If dry goods will need to be measured, measure it at home, put it in a small zip lock. If the recipe calls for heating multiple things at the same time (like multiple spices along with rice) it all goes in the same baggie. All the little baggies needed for a meal go into a larger baggie, along with an index card containig the recipe, and clearly labled as to which day, which meal, etc. So, for dinner on day 2, I'll pull out the sealed bag labeled "DINNER - Day 2". The recipe card will say things like, "Bring 2 cups water to a boil", then "Add Baggie #1 and return to a boil". Next, it may say, "Add baggie #2 and simmer for 10 minutes". In other words - KEEP IT SIMPLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW. However, the meals that are prepared this way don't have to be "simple" - they can be quite tasty and worthy of cooking for friends and family at home. Any trash generated, like from cans of chicken meat and so forth, are put in one of the empty baggies, which are placed in the larger zip-lock. Both bags have all the air squeezed out, and they in turn go into the next days bag, so on and so forth. Also, I always (as though I've been doing this for more than a year or so) have simple back-ups, like a package of Ramen Noodles, in case a dinner gets ruined, left at home, lost on the way, destroyed, dropped, isn't enough to satisfy the hunger or simply tastes like c___p. Which never, ever happens :-) I've only used these methods on 4 trips beginning with last February, but so far, it's all worked for me. Oh, all these meals were the type that could be cooked in a single pot on a one burner compact stove (I use the Primus Yellowstone Lite, but that was another thread). Rick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Keith Wrage asked: >> Question 1: What would you plan for menus for your trip? - basic it-keeps-the-fire-burning foods - may not taste like much but lightweight, easy, quick, and involves minimum clean up - indulgent foods - the stuff they talk about years later. The stuff the cardiologists try to steer you away from. Question 2: What specialty kitchen items would you bring things like a favorite baking 'system', a cool tool or utensil, the best cooking pot ever made, espresso machine, pasta press, inflatable french pastry chef...) Question 3: What special preps do you do ahead of time - e.g., freezing some items for the first few meals? >> Q1: We do a few quick breakfasts, but indulge ourselves at every dinner, being of the paddle early and eat late shcool. Quick breakfasts: oatmeal, couscous, nine-grain, all heavily fortified with nuts, honey/brown sugar, dried cranberries, with real butter, damn it! Slow breakfasts: french toast (eggs keep well -store in a boot or in the original container), Jiffy corn-muffin mix-based pancakes. Bacon is too messy and bear-attractive to use, but little smokies are nice the first breakfast. Dinners: protein source: local fish (best), chicken in a can (can get this whole for a terrific soup/stew), frozen meat (first couple days only) with a carbo: instant spuds, real spuds, pasta (keeps forever), and fresh vegies (carrots, cabbage, celery, cauliflower all keep well), often as a stir fry. Carry a non-stick 12-inch wok from K-mart (drill out the rivets and replace with bolts and wing nuts) for all chores. Instant cheesecake is popular for dessert, as is Nutella on Marie-Lu biscuits topped with dried apricots. Chase with a taste of Kahlua or apricot brandy. Peanut soup is terrific, and we have done some quick breads over a large fry pan on a fire with vegies, chese, etc on top -- kind alike calzone. Q2: the wok. Also, Backpacker oven for quick breads -- the boil in a bag kind. Yummy after many days on the water. Non-stick spatula, LL Bean peanut butter knife. Also, use a mech bag to hold the dinnerware/pots/pand off the ground and out of the clutches of critters as they dry overnight. Q3: Frozen meats first couple nites -- help to keep other things cold in collapsible coolers. Prep quick breakfasts so all dry ingreds are ready to go. Toss into boiling water and then each adds milk (from dried) and sweetener to suit. We do not pre-process much of anything for dinner -- makes for a nice, slow, social time at night. Couple elegant things to do: skewered prawns on a grill, marinated in soy, oil, basalmic vinegar; sliced spuds on foil, well-oiled and buttered, seasoned and then close up -- on grill over fire for 25 minutes The list is endless. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
AIR DROPS........ yes, air drops with fresh meat, packaged salad, dressing, baked potatoes and sour cream, and creme brule for dessert. A vintage red wine would be nice too. The sun sets, your man servant asks what more would please you sir? Reality......So would you like another spoonful of Mac and Cheese????? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Breakfast: Oat bran premixed with dried milk and brown sugar. Nothing like a good hot meal to start the day. :) Lunch: Wild Oats (a "natural" grocery store) has a great Cajun mix snack food that they sell in bulk. Sort of like gorp but different crunchies with spice and no raisins (I detest raisins (grapes with their life and soul sucked out of them)). That plus an energy bar. Dinner: The "dinner in a bag" meals requiring only hot water, with a side dish of dried potatoes (yes, there will be side dishes with this meal). But I don't take the bag. I repackage the meals into ziplock bags. Why? Space. I can fit food for two people for 7-10 days in two bear cannisters. Since the majority of my extended backcountry camping trips are in a canoe in the BWCAW the space requirements aren't as critical. Although a bear cannister would fit into the rear hatch of my old (and sold) plastic Looksha IV. But it won't fit into my new Romany Explorer. I'm thinking before I go on another long kayak trip I'm going to look into a CD Extreme, it looks like you could fit a cannister in the front and back of that boat. Mel *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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