Let's eat!

[balzaccom]

I't's been pretty quiet in here, so here's a recent post from our blog:

These days you can get some pretty exotic menus right off the freeze dried shelf, from Salmon Diavolo to Katmandu Curry and everything in between. We're not convinced this stuff is great, but it is edible, has some flavor, and seems to contain enough calories to keep us alive. We add a bowl of Miso soup to start, and fill out the menu with some dried fruit, an energy bar or two, and maybe some dark chocolate M&Ms for dessert. That's dinner!

And we tend to select these for their calories as much as for their flavor--although we were very happily surprised by a recent Biscuits and Gravy meal that had well over 400 calories per serving and tasted...pretty darn good.

But a few months ago we bought a food dehydrator. We didn't really know how it would work, or how well, but we'd thought we'd give it a try. And the first thing we dehydrated was a burrito from our favorite local taqueria. We sliced it thin, laid it out on the trays, and left it overnight. Unfortunately, we didn't take the trouble to weight the thing beforehand, so when it was dry, we didn't have a good idea of how much water to add later.

But that didn't stop us. We took it along on our last trip and were just a little hestitant about how well it was going to work. When we found a lake with fish, we decided to try the burrito--that way, if it didn't work, we had a backup plan. We boiled the water, tossed in the shredded burrito, and let it sit. Fifteen minutes later, we opened up the pot and started eating.

Ay chihuahua! This was the best meal we ever had backpacking! Wow ! Rich, flavorful, and yummy! The tortilla had turned into a kind of pasta, but the rest of the thing was pretty much as it had been made by Tania's Taqueria. It was delicious.

So now we're hooked. We're trying all sorts of things, and not all of them work. But we've started to look forward to dinner on our trips in a whole new way. And that's a good thing!

[kathy]

But a few months ago we bought a food dehydrator...the first thing we dehydrated was a burrito...This was the best meal we ever had backpacking! Wow ! Rich, flavorful, and yummy!

I've heard a lot about dehydrators lately, but never heard of dehydrating a burrito. Great to hear it worked out. I just might add that to my Christmas list

[jeremy1701]

We bring dehydrated fruit and fruit leather. Also make home-made turkey jerky and veggie soups. I'll have to try the burrito. Sounds yum!

[orion]

as it turns out, you can eat normal food in the mountains.

buy a good cut of meat, slice it thin and cook it in your oven for a few hours at a low temp, and you have steak on hand. you won't get tired of this meal like a bar of something that looks the same going in and coming out.

i ate a few of those freeze-dried meals back in the day, never bought one, never will.

used to live off bars for a while in the daytime, even used to look at the calorie count on the package. i few sarcastic comments from fellow hikers cured me of that habit back in 2000.

it's not like you are going to be spending out the wallet up there. on a poor man's wage you can buy the best salami and cheese, nuts and dates, onions and garlic, carrots and celery, italian parsley, ginger, cous cous, bulgar wheat, solidified coconut and curry paste, key limes, tomato paste, olives, thin pasta, wakame seaweed, apples, tinned smoked herring, oysters and clams, olive oil, smoked sesame oil, pitas, crackers, whatever, the list goes on. nothing quite like going to the pantry and deciding what the meal will be based on the ingredients at hand.

the best is the perfect citrus, say, a tangerine, on day three, or for the hike out on day six.

don't be a wuss, add five pounds to your pack and eat like a king, otherwise you'll never feel like you were invited in the first place.

[balzaccom]

hmmmm. INteresting post. I often take heavier foods on shorter trips, simply because my pack is going to lighter overall...but on longer trips, I take the lightest stuff available. Then again, at my age I can use all the help I can get. And I am also carrying some of the weight for my wife.

But shorter trips? Even bottles of wine!

[oakroscoe]

I was just looking at old posts here since I can't sleep, and I had to comment on this thread. Come backpacking season, a dehydrator is your best friend. I'm ashamed to say that I didnt get one until the start of last season, and I grew up on banana chips out of the dehydrator.

I have never tried a burrito in the dehydrator, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I've had a lot of good luck with fruits, but I've had poor luck with making jerky. Guess I need more practice.

I found this site to be a pretty decent resource:
http://www.trailcooking.com/dehydrating101

EDIT:
I meant to link up to this:
http://www.trailcooking.com/dehydrating ... -guacamole
Guacamole dehydrated, now that sounds awesome. I gotta try that before this season to see if its any good.