Food glorious food

[Mark R]

I consider myself to be a reasonably experienced sea paddler, and I do love the camping aspect of the sport.

However...my camp cooking is nothing short of an atrocity to good taste. I almost always cop out and disappear into a pub, credit card in hand. My thinking is that after a good day's paddling, the last thing my body needs is something cooked by...well, me.

Just wondering...what do you cook on? What do you eat?




-----------Mark Rainsley

[adrian j pullin]

The basic solution to this is to go paddling where there aren't any pubs! Try the outer reaches of Scotland for example.

Since most expeditions are relatively short (i.e. a week or less) you are less concerned about overall balanced diet than about certain specific things. Energy intake and roughage! Absolutly essential is a large mug of tea.

Energy: lots of paddling = lots of energy so keep the intake up. Lots of pasta and rice are good, being high energy and slow release. Cerial bars work if you can stomach them (which I can't) but avoid quick hits like chocolate bars. The dip after they wear off is bad. Pita bread is good, with soem spreads/pastes or hunny.

Roughage: The last thing you want whilst trying to poo (you can tell we've got kids now!) in the open with the wind blowing round the Trossacks (sp?) is to be blocked up, so eat enough fruit& fiber to give you something to go with! Apples work well because they are a bit less fragile.

Cookers: Any camping cooker seems to work ok. You can get some really small light weight things but they tend to be slow and in a sea kayak space/weight is not that much of an issue. I use a simple camping gas stove. If I were starting now, I would buy a Trangia set. Packs up small, has loads of pots etc and seems to work quickly. Having two means you can cook and brew at the same time so share the cooking/carrying between people.

Timing is also important. First thing to do in the morning is put the kettle on. That way, the tea is ready when you are. Pack a stove, pan and water at the top of a hatch so you can get a brew going while pitching the tent.

Plan a menu and stick to it, otherwise you end up on the last day with 25 cerial bars and nothing else! Because I am a complete obsessive, I should have somewhere the menu I used round Rassay. I'll see if I can find it.

Final tip: read Bill Mason, Song of the Paddle. What he dis with expadition cooking is better than most posh restauents manage.

Of course, now that I am a family man, all this has gone out the window and I have a camper van! :lol

[Mike B]

A man after my own heart! Much to be said for the credit card as one of kayakings essentials!

But, returning to reality and boiled seagull alternatives!

Heat source: MSR and/or Trangia.

Food source: I quite like the "culinary" bit so I'll bring as much fresh grub as I can and resort to packets only if I have to.

Chicken, mushrooms, assorted veggie stuff and a "cook-in-sauce" all makes for a decent meal served on a bed of boil-in-bag rice garnished with freshly cut meadow grass.

Pasta and its varients. With or without animal products.

Fish - if I ever manage to catch it! Smoked / grilled Canadian Indian style.

For those moments when I really can't be bothered though, there are some quite decent curries available in Tesco in a foil bag. Rice again.

Puds: Mini steamed puds which get put in the rice water and are still hot when the main course has been eaten. Or cheese & bikkies. Or tinned rice, fruit, etc.

Drink: Copious quantities of beer hidden in the stern, something from Islay if possible and Lapsang and/or proper coffee.

Oh, an a good cigar. Or two.

[Jim]

Utterly non-adventurous for me - it comes down to survival and energy.

Quick cook pasta. Stir in Dolmio tubs, MSR Dragonfly, plenty of petrol. Boil water ASAP, add pasta for 5-7 minutes, drain, stir in sauce and eat. Boil more water and drink tea.

If pasta bag gets exposed to sea, so what you were going to put salt in the water when you cooked it anyway?

Luckily my Dad crams bacon, eggs, mushrooms etc. in for the first few mornings, usually a few tins and jars too. He also carries about 20 litres of water more than me just in case we don't find a stream! Well, I'd risk boiling pasta in sea water, if really short I'm sure I could rig a condenser out of a few pans and make fresh water!

My breakfast is porridge (quick cook) or ready brek. Again boil water, add porridge (and powdered milk if available) reduce to simmer and keep stirring until you eat it (about 5 mins). I also eat Frusli bars - much better than those kellogs things or granola style bars.

I tend to wash up in the sea, saves wasting fresh water but leaves salt stains on non-stick cookware.

JIM

[Jonathan Theobald]

I'll cheerfully spend ages cooking at home, but when canoe-camping I like to be fast.

That means stews in tins which are easily carried in a canoe and quick to heat. I prefer good quality vegetarian stuff which limits the choice, but most supermarkets still have sufficient variety.

Rather than spuds, rice or pasta, I take cous cous which I toast at home in olive oil. It keeps well and when you're camping you only have to add boiling water for it to be almost instant.

Favourite bread is German, dense, dark, slightly sour and will keep perfectly for over a month. It comes sliced in packets; most delicatessens have it, as will some supermarkets (Waitrose, for instance).

[Jonathan Theobald]

The latest issue (29) of the Irish Sea Kayaking Association's excellent newsletter has an article about smokers that's worth reading by those with gourmet tendencies.

It sounds like a way of preparing freshly caught mackerel or pollock that's both quick and appetising.

Good for meaty things, too.

[Jonathan Theobald]

www.irishseakayakingassociation.com/
www.sportsmail.ltd.uk/aca...ndow1.html

[Mike B]

www.wavelengthmagazine.com/meals.php