[Wiz]

When on a long backpack and weight is a consideration, I find that once the apples and sandwich for the initial day are gone, wild berry Power Bars and Mountain House beef stroganoff dehydrated dinners are the most acceptable camping food. Clif Bars all seem to suck, as do most of the other flavors of power bars, and the dehydrated food is so expensive that I usually don't experiment with the more exotic flavors. After a long long hike, sitting down to a pot full of disgusting cardboard mush that was supposed to be something tasty is really a letdown. Anyone have any favorites they could recommend in this area? The stroganoff is good, but I'd like to try something else if I had a recommendation.

FYI, if you've never used the dehydrated food, take note: the package that says "serves two" only serves one. Take my word on this or learn it to your dismay in camp.

Also, I and most people I know usually bring a small bottle of camping fluid for when we sit around the fire telling outrageous stories. Anyone have any favorites in this area? My current choice is Sauza Commemerativo tequila w/lemon slices.

I just had to type this all in again because my cat was helping me and stepped on the clear key just as I was about to post it.

[joe bartels]

check out

http://hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtopic.php?t=72

[Wiz]

Hmmm... I see this has already been thoroughly explored. Thanks for the pointer.

I can't believe everyone hates power bars so much! Granted, they're not all that great, but several times I've found myself miles out in the wilderness and completely exhausted, but after eating one of those puppies I had the energy to go several more miles.
And Clif bars - ecch! To me those are like dog poop and sawdust pressed into bars! I try to limit my dog poop intake!

[joe bartels]

Hoolie has a broad palette

[evenstarx3]

Hoolie has a broad palette

Note to self: Send Teva some special ""senji created Clif Bars"

[Randy]

Hey Wiz: In the anti-freeze department I like Bacardi 151 (more bounce per ounce) with Wylers lemonade mix and cold spring water. In cold weather 100proof peppermint schnapps with hot chocolate mix is a refreshing pick me up, and of course modest amounts of Jack black and B&B for medicinal purposes are appropriate.

The chocolate mint, chocolate orange, and Java new style cliff bars are much better than the older style-and caffeinated to boot, and less likely to destroy your bridgework (the old style were promoted by dentists, as you usually need about a grand worth of repair after eating one (and, come to think of it, they do taste a lot like Basenji poop).

I'm not much for cooking on the trail anymore, especially in bear country. I'd rather hike than clean dishes... My typical day is lots and lots and lots of caffeine (the staff of life) in the morning, two packets of instant maple/brown sugar oatmeal to cushion the stomach lining from more caffeine, nibbles of cliff bar with more caffeine, gorp, and salted nuts throughout the day and a evening serving of freeze dried Mountain House. The stroganoff is my favorite too, along with some of the chicken things. The lasagna never seems to rehydrate in the field and is too crunchy. The other nice thing about this approach is that all you have to do is wash the spoon with the leftover hot water from the freeze dried meal. The plastic bag can be inverted over someone else's tent poles in bear country and this gives you the anticipation of some late night entertainment.

When I was young and poor, I used to carry SPAM. This required a skillet to prepare, but after the nausea set in we could fling the uneaten chunks around the campsite to scare away the wild animals. Plants will never grow again where SPAM has touched the ground, however, so there are some negative environmental consequences.

I do like smoked oystera a lot, but the oil gets everywhere, which is unwise in bear country. -R

[evenstarx3]

(and, come to think of it, they do taste a lot like Basenji poop).

Don't ask....don't tell :yuk:

[Wiz]

Randy, you are MY KINDA GUY!

The 100-proof schnapps you're referring to is Rumplemintz, I assume. That's my alternate choice. I'll take your bacardi suggestion under advisement - sounds good. 100 proof S.C. is another good one for cold weather.
I also cook the stroganoff in the bag, so I don't have to do any dishes. Ditto the massive amounts of caffeine, etc. Coffee is one of the 4 food groups. Clif bars, on the other hand, don't have a shelf life, they have a half-life. Bleah! But I'll give those flavors a try.

Excellent tent pole suggestion!

[aclarkaz]

MountainHouse Chicken Polynesian

It takes me time to find one that has no milk products in it and still tastes good, and this one is it. I like a hot meal when I am out on a hike, and one of these two person meals is just enough for me. If it was not so expensive, I think I would even eat it at home ( not to slam mein frau's cooking).

I also like power bars on the way in and out of somewhere, but I am always conscious of the water cost I will incure when eating those things. Homemade GORP with M&Ms are always in the packalso.

[MaryPhyl]

There has been a big discussion about hyponatremia on the Grand Canyon Yahoo group this week since a woman came very close to death while hiking with a field institute group. Anyway, power bars do not have the salt you need. You are better off with peanuts and pretzels and such.

[evenstarx3]

Beef jerky provides high level of salt with very little weight to go with Clif Bars.

[Randy]

Mary Phyl raises an interesting point and this week's "30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary" word, Hyponatremia. This is a condition caused by a shortage of Beer Nuts, and accompanying fluid intake.

Seriously, this is a shortage of sodium, which can be worsened by dramatic increases in water consumption, which further dilutes the sodium left in the system. Consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, naproxyn or ibuprofen; diuretics, such as my hourly can of Starbuck's Expresso Double Shot (why don't they make those in 24 oz. size??) or tylenol can increase the potential severity of this condition by messing with renal function efficiency. Not surprising that a Canyon discussion group would explore this topic.

Salt tablets are no longer popular. However doing long term exercise in hot weather, such as climbing up the South Kaibab, will deplete sodium and increase the intake of fluid, further diluting the remaining sodium in the system, resulting in a condition similar to when Mike gave me Last Rites in Sycamore Canyon a couple years ago. ( Who woulda thought he carried those purple vestments in his daypack? I survived, and he had to give back the stuff he pilfered out of my pack ) Gatorade just doesn't do it, you need more sodium than that.

There's a good discussion at http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/salt.html and at http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/hyponatremia.html regarding this condition. -R

[Randy]

Teva- that's not Escudilla on my avatar....it's Ballantine. No cereus stickupalottuson Escudilla, unless global warming is worse than we thought -R

[mike t]

Hey Wiz,
If you're not opposed to adding some pack weight, consider adding some small cans of meat such as chicken or tuna. I have been experimenting for my Thunder River trip with Zenphx and GTG. Also, a brand called Heresford makes a canned roast beef that was quite good. (I was skeptical when I bought it) Starkist is making tuna in a pouch now which cuts down on weight, but I have'nt really figured out what to do with it yet other than on crackers or tortilla for a cold trail meal. Anyway, these meats can be combined with dry boxed pasta or rice items to produce some pretty tasty stuff. I've had good luck with items that specify butter or margarine be added despite just skipping the butter. Powdered milk is easy to carry for mixes requiring milk. My current favorite is a variation on a home recipe. Zatarains "Red Beans and Rice" mix (this stuff is so good you can eat it alone) and does'nt require any oil/butter/milk. At home we add cut up cooked smoked sausage to it. For the trail I tried a couple small cans of house brand vienna sausages and it came out pretty danged good.
For lubrication I'm down with that Schnapps thing too! Be careful with that rum buddy. The 3 times I "can't remember a thing" all involved 151 and I have since sworn it off. Zenphx promises a bit of Yukon Jack for the Thunder River trip so I will have to report back afterward. S.C. is very nice. Consider Frangelica with coffee or by itself for dessert.
Best thing about the boxed stuff I mentioned is you can get at Fry's and it all (relatively) cheap.

[nealz]

Zatarains "Red Beans and Rice" mix (this stuff is so good you can eat it alone) and does'nt require any oil/butter/milk. At home we add cut up cooked smoked sausage to it. For the trail I tried a couple small cans of house brand vienna sausages and it came out pretty danged good.

Man, that does sound good. I have a soft spot for anything Cajun anyways. 'Tony Cachere's' seasoning makes anything better too. My neighbor has offered me more elk meat which I'll dry into elk jerky. Then there's always some good single-malt to wash it all down as well.

-Nealz

[Lizard]

I used to carry canned meats to add to a pasta or rice base but the weight always bugged me. That and carrying around the useless empty can afterwards. I've found that it is possible to dehydrate certain meats and then throw them into the pot once on the trail. This works with cubed chicken and ham as well as crumbled ground beef. Make sure you get the leanest meat you can find or it won't last too long. Dehydrate some chopped veggies too and you've got the makings for a bunch of great meals.

BTW here is one of my favorite trail recipes:
Trail Burritos
Four tortillas
1 box Fantastic Foods Freeze-Dried Refried Beans (in the supermarket)
3/4 cup Home-Dehydrated salsa
4 cheese sticks (cheddar if you can find it, mozarella's good too)
1 1/2 cup Home-Dehydrated Ground Beef (optional)

Throw the salsa and beef into the pot and add 1 quart water when you reach camp. Set up camp while this rehydrates. Bring the water to a boil, take it off the stove and dump the refried beans in there. Let it sit for a few minutes, then scoop the glop into the tortillas and add cheese. Serves two.

[CindyC]

Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice are excellent. Inexpensive, makes alot and taste good. I often carry Tasy Bite products. They are in boil in bags. Have different ethnic flavors and are much better than dehydrated foods. My favorite is the Simla potatoes. I often will wrap these in habenero tortillas from Trader Joe's. Very spicy. Cliff bar has come out with a MOJO bar. Crushed organic pretzels, peanuts, almonds, cashews, and a variety of flavors. I'm not a fan of any bars except Cliff apricot before they added soy but these are quite tasty. And I always take tequila and limes.

[mike t]

Lizard, I agree on the weight/trash thing. Definately a problem on lengthy or thru hikes. But I'm usually willing to haul the weight in and trash out for shorter stuff in order to live it up a little. How do you handle those meats? Basic food dehydrater?

[CindyC]

Lizard, I have a dehydrator and I use it for many things but how do you dehydrate slasa?

[Lizard]

Mike- I just use a cheap off-brand dehydrator I bought from Wal-Mart for around $20. It handles meats and anything else just fine.

Cindy-there are two ways to dehydrate salsa and other sauces. You can call up whoever manufactured your dehydrator and ask them if they carry "sauce trays." These are like the normal dehydrator trays but are solid. You scoop the sauce onto the tray and once its done peel it off. Or, you can use Lizard's Cheapskate Sauce Trays (patent pending). Just put some saran wrap on the normal dehydrator trays and scoop the sauce onto that. Spread it pretty thin. The bonus to the cheapskate method is once your done you can take the saran wrap right off the tray and make salsa roll-ups

Lizard