Travel Food Quest

I have been looking at foods that I can take on my adventure, with certain restrictions:
-lightweight
-no liquid required until needed to cook
-no preservation required for extended periods
-must be palatable

There are certainly many pasta dishes made for backpackers, campers, survivalists and for use as emergency rations. I wanted to find something that was more natural. By "natural", I mean MINIMAL or NO MAJOR GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED PROCESSING. I really believe that not eating natural food products has created many of the problems today with health. Need proof? Look back before the government started mandating processing to "protect us" and see how many diabetics there were, or how much tooth decay, or heart attacks. The answer to this is not "it was not studied then", because it is studied now, and indigenous peoples in remote locations in the world, who eat high fat, heavy meat, nut and fruit diets, are very healthy and disease free. The information is there, although you may have to step away from the TV and read to find it.

So far I have found two items that fit the criteria above; bannock and pemmican. Bannock was used by the Native Peoples of Turtle Island, in various mixtures. Pemmican was used by the People as a lightweight, high energy food, which would take years to go bad.

I decided to make Bannock tonight to see how it tasted. I purchased a couple of items to make it last night at the grocery store. The recipe follows.

-1 cup of whole wheat flour
-1 teaspoon of baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon of salt (could also just use 2 pinches)
-3 tablespoons of butter
-2 tablespoons of milk powder

-Mix all the ingredients well, making sure the butter is evenly distributed. I melted the butter and poured over the dry ingredients after mixing them. Slowly add water while mixing, until a dough ball is formed. I used about 1/2+ cup of water, but just add what you need.

-Cooking it in a pan: I put a skillet on at slightly above medium, and added butter to the pan (I never use margarine). You can either make 2-3" balls and press them flat and fry like pancakes, or do like I did and use two tablespoons and drop them in like drop biscuits and kind of press them flat with a spoon. Mine were different shapes due to me wanting to utilize most of the bottom of the skillet. I was interested in cooking them, not entering them into a beauty contest.

-Oven: Prepare the same, and make 1/2" thick cakes out of them, 3-4" in diameter. Place in the over at 350 degrees, until golden brown. I haven't cooked them like this so I cannot suggest a time. It would depend on the size you make.

-Outdoors (the original way): Make the Bannock dough into a cigar shape and wrap it around a green stick. Try to keep the thickness of the dough about 1/2". Slowly roast the Bannock over a hot fire, rotating occassionally until it turns a golden brown. I have not tried this either, but since I have found a good recipe it will be tried very soon.

I had read a couple of recipes which mentioned using currants, raisins, blueberries, etc., in the mix. I did this the first time, using blueberries. My daughter is a very finicky eater and she loves blueberries. I assumed it would be the best bet to get her to try them. I was wrong. She loves the Bannock, but does not like the blueberries in them. They were fresh berries, so I may have needed to try them dried first; however, I will not be using berries again, of any type. I like it better without.

You can cook them and store in the freezer or refrigerator, and eat in the mornings with coffee, take for a snack, etc. They are very good for you and have no added sugar. Honestly they do not need any sugar. They have a sweetness without them. You can add honey (very good) over them, peanut butter (good), jelly, etc.

If you are going camping, you can premix the dry ingredients and add the water on the trail, or in the campsite. I am very impressed with the texture and taste of this very simple staple.

As for pemmican, I will be trying different recipes and will post my findings when I have a chance to experiment and taste.

Be happy folks.

-GW