[at-l] Re: Food packing quesrtions

[foshione@dteenergy.com (Elizabeth A. Foshion)]

The problem with estimating how long something will last before it spoils is that it depends on the temperature and humidity. Cool and dry stretches everything. Hot and wet
makes everything rot (including my temper).

Also, we tend to wrap everything in plastic, not always a good idea as it traps the moisture microorganisms and molds love.

A few favorites:

Aged cheddar - wrapped in layers of paper it doesn't really spoil, it may get soft and oily, but this only works for real cheese, not kraft type imitations.  lasts weeks

Kosher salami - again, wrapped in layers of paper, waxed paper on the outside. Like the cheese, it needs to breathe and stay relatively dry. lasts weeks if not too hot

Rusks - basically dried cake, like a biscotti, excellent to dip in tea for breakfast. Keeps forever if kept dry. My local Indian food store carries a tasty selection of rusks.

Oranges - nothing beats a sweet juicy orange on a hot sweaty day. Some fresh fruit can last a long time if (1) kept bruise free and (2) kept where the ripening gases can
dissipate.

Hard boiled eggs - raw eggs actually keep better, after cooked they're only good for about a day depending on temperature.

Oatcakes, oatmeal scones - oatmeal contains an enzyme which slows staleness in baked products - will last several days and only needs a brief toasting to bring them back to
life after that. Again, avoid tight wrapping because it leads to mold.

Butter - salted butter will last at least a week in reasonable temperatures. Eating it after it turns rancid won't hurt you - the Mongols swore by rancid yak butter and other
worse thing - it just tastes nasty IMO. Also, you can take clarified butter and it lasts forever.

Strawberry jam - or indeed any regular sugared jam or jelly. Sugar used to be the only preservative - watch out for mold and seal tightly

Cream - will last a couple of days (whipping cream) The higher the fat, the longer it lasts. You can now get individual size creamers that are room temperature storage.

Favorite trail breakfast - hot toasted cranberry oat scones, dripping with butter, covered with strawberry or apricot preserves and many cups of hot black tea laced with sugar
and cream. Ahhh.

Squirrelgirl