[at-l] Dinner on a hot night

[nealb at midlandstech.edu (William Neal)]

Most good instant mashed potatoes can be mixed with non-hot water -- just as
long as it is not COLD water.  

And you can heat water by using a cheap plastic jug/container and painting
it black.  People have burned their lips/mouths by trying to drink staright
from a hose in the Summer.  Because, water heats up in the hose while its is
laying outside and can get very hot: That is assuming you turn off the
nozzle and then the faucet (many do that).  Also water in the pipes can get
hot.  And this "leftover" water can get VERY HOT.  So, like a sauna shower
bag, put water in a black bottle and it heats up.  

Then when you get to where you want to eat, stir in the hot water.  Now it
probably will not be hot enough for those "instant meals" in a bag.  But it
should be hot enough for mashed potatoes and maybe some other products.  And
if you experiment at home, you may find the right touch to using cool water.
Next, stir in some mustard, some mayo, and some sweet relish and you will
have country style potato salad.  And of course you could add summer sausage
cut up.  Bacon or streak-o-lean probably would keep if you first fried it
real well and drained and sealed in a baggie as well as you can.  Pour the
fat into a container and use when you get home. And you could boil eggs to
take with you; they go great by themselves and sliced into mashed potatoes.
Then there are various seasonings. And other things.

Worried about not getting enough calories?  Just stir in some oil.

Also powdered milk is a good healthy carry along.  Just add more powder than
normal.  Also some flavorings -- chocolate milk mix, puddings, ordinary
flavorings.  Shake well and drink.  Also I would add sugar.  Carry powdered.
It mixes quicker than regular and mixes in cold water: One chain eatery I
use to go to had powdered sugar bags and the regular sugar bags.  The
regular sugar bags never wanted to dissolve in ice tea -- they had a 50/50
clientale of Southerners and Yankees.  But taste the difference before you
leave home.  1 tsp. of powdered sugar is SWEETER than 1 tsp of regular
sugar.  The reason I suggest this instead of artificial is that sugar has
calories.

Since you are going to be gone for just three days consider fresh veggies or
fruit you can carry.  They should not spoil in that short a time.  Rippen a
bit more, yes.  Nothing like a banana and p'nut butter sandwich with raisen,
nuts, sugar, and thin sliced apples.

William, The Who Me? Cook? Turtle

-----Original Message-----
From: Bo Smolka [mailto:bsmolka@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2003 3:04 PM
To: at-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [at-l] Dinner on a hot night


Hey all,

If I could do anything differently about my AT hike, I
would have been a more adventurous cook (not that I
couldn't live on Pop-Tarts alone, mind you ...). 

Anyway, it's been five years since that awesome trip,
and two years since we had a baby boy that has kept me
homebound and the backpack gathering dust, but I'm
getting ready to get out again. 

I'm going on a three-day trip in August, probably
temps in the 80s and 90s. Water is short, so we'll
carry a lot. I'm hoping not to take my stove, since I
don't think I'd want a hot meal after a 90-degree day
hiking and can use the space/weight for xtra water.
Any good ideas for cold, balanced meals that I could
make at home ahead and bring, or mix along the trail?
Granted, they'd need to stay good for 1-2 days in hot
weather. Love to hear about any tips or ideas.

Victory Gallop
GA-->ME  '98

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