The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

[flyfishexpert]

I just wanted to quickly let everybody know about a new blog I created to act as a resource for individuals interested in creating simple gourmet meals when out on the trail.

www.livingoverland.com

I am an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fly fishing, camping, rockhounding, and just relaxing in wild places. I am also a self-proclaimed 'Foodie Camper', and love to cook and eat well when camping. In preparing for trips I began noticing a general lack of information regarding the topic and decided to take the plunge into the Blogosphere. I plan to use this blog to explore the idea of gourmet cooking in the outdoors and collaborate with others to further develop recipes, discuss equipment, techniques, and pre-trip preparation.

I want to make sure the average camper can prepare the recipes I discuss, so I won't be using elaborate equipment or gear. I am currently camping with a 1960's Coleman 2-burner liquid fuel stove, a small 10" non-stick skillet, a medium sized GSI Glacier Stainless Cookset, a stainless percolating coffee pot, and a Rubbermaid cooler.


I hope you enjoy!

You can also find our feeds updated on facebook.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

This weeks recepe was Simple Steak Fajitas! Check it out here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

Can Uncle Ben's Ready Rice be substituted for the real thing on the trail? We reviewed the product on the blog: Review of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice: Basmati

Most of the camping we do is dry or desert camping with no access to running water. Rice is one of those dishes requiring large amounts of water and fuel to prepare. These are the items we typically try to preserve while camping, so we normally leave the rice at home.

On a recent trip to the grocery store I discovered Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. Reviewing the cooking directions on the back of the pouch made me think about possibly using the rice for camping. The ready rice can be cooked in a skillet with minimal water and fuel use. One pouch offers two servings of rice, and multiple pouches can be stored in our dry food box very easily.



Skillet Cooking directions listed on the back of the pouch:

Gently squeeze the sides of the pouch to break apart the rice and pour contents into a skillet.
Add 2 Tbsp. of water and heat.
Stir rice occasionally until heated thoroughly.
Serve immediately.

The Test:

We recently had the opportunity to taste test the rice with our Cashew Beef dish. Following the directions on the back of the pouch, we quickly heated the rice with the recommended 2 Tbsp of water. This definitely simplified our meal cooking process, and allowed us to drastically reduce the amount of fuel and water used compared to cooking traditional rice.



Conclusion:

The heated Basmati Ready Rice had a taste and texture consistent with what I would expect from a pre-cooked, just heat-up rice; it didn't have the bite or distinct flavor of freshly made rice. Sampling the rice, by itself, reminded me of my poor college student days when I only had time to eat minute rice. It left much to be desired and I would not recommend eating this rice on it's own. When served with the Cashew Beef, the rice's lack of character was masked by the flavor of the oyster sauce and soy sauce of the dish. The Uncle Ben's rice's benefits of little water and fuel use outweighs the texture and taste limitations on dry camping trips. For those trips where we are not concerned about water usage, we will continue to use traditional Basmati rice.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

From my latest blog post:

Ingredients
1 lb Petite Sirloin Steak
4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Bunch Green Onions
5 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Cup Fresh Ginger, finely diced (about 2-3 inches of ginger root)
2/3 Cup Roasted/Unsalted Cashews
1/2 Cup Water
4 tsp Corn Starch
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Chinese Chili Sauce

Pre-Trip Preparation
To save space, fill a small plastic container with enough vegetable oil for all of your cooking needs. Toss this into your dry food box. In a second small plastic container, combine Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Oyster Sauce, and Chili Sauce and toss container into the cooler. Finely chop the garlic and ginger and place in a third small plastic container. Put the Corn Starch in a 4th small container.

You can find the entire recipe on our website TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

The beauty of this dish is it can be served warm or cold. We will often prepare everything prior to a trip and toss the dish in a reusable plastic container in the cooler and serve it chilled on the trail. Conversely, you can serve the dish warm by preparing everything, except cooking the couscous, at home and toss it together on the trail.

Israeli couscous, known other places in the world as ptitim, is a large pearl shaped pasta made from wheat and can be found in the ethnic sections of larger grocery stores. Israeli couscous should not be confused with standard couscous, which is much smaller in size. We purchased our Israeli couscous from our local organic foods co-op.

Ingredients

• 2 pt red grape or cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 lb)
• 4 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 1/4 cups Israeli couscous
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

Serves 6


You can find the entire review on our website www.TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[renodesertfox]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

Welcome to the campfire, thanks for joining! We hope that your stay with us will be a long and continues camping and cooking journey. Please feel free to comment on other areas detailing camping. We look forward to hearing about your camping and cooking expertise and hopefully you will learn a few things too! Get Campin!

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

Thank you redodesertfox! I am sure I will learn a lot on this forum. I hope everybody here finds my recipes and techniques helpful during their camping trips.

Everybody is welcome to comment on any of the topics I discuss in my posts!

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

From my latest blog post found here.

Late summer is a great time to explore Idaho. We headed up to the Little Wood River valley to the Muldoon Mine to take in the views and a little bit of Idaho's mining history. The Muldoon Mine was in operation during the end of the 19th century through the beginning of the 20th. Lead was discovered in Idaho's Central Mountains near the town of Ketchum in the mid 1800's and the area quickly blossomed into thriving a mining community bringing with it electricity, in a time when Hailey and Boise were still without.

Although much of the townsite has vanished, remnants of the charcoal kilns, mining tailings, and an old cabin still remain. We spent time exploring the kilns which produced charcoal used in the smelter to produce lead bullion.

Easy French Toast

Ingredients


3 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 slices of white bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Serves 3

You can find the entire recipe on our website www.TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

From my latest blog post:

We set out, in 2008, to simplify our camping setup and find a work surface we could use for preparing meals and dining in the great outdoors. We wanted a lightweight table, able to serve as a cooking surface and eating space. After months of borrowing and testing tables and elaborate systems friends were using, we purchased the Alps Mountaineering Large Dining Table from REI.com. Since our purchase, this table has accompanied us on camping trips throughout Idaho and surrounding states. We chose the large dining table, as apposed to the extra-large, because of space constraints within the cargo area of our Toyota 4Runner. The Extra-Large was nearly 12" longer, both assembled and disassembled, and did not store easily in the back.

Features:
Manufacturer: Alps Mountaineering
Model: Dining Table, size large
Size: 43"x28"x28"
Weight: `13lbs
Construction: Aluminum X-frame

You can find the entire review on our website www.TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

We had a great time exploring Idaho's Central Mountains in search of hidden lakes. We were headed to Big Fall Creek Lake north east of Sun Valley, ID. Although we were stopped by the road conditions, we had had a lot of fun on our drive.

Just beyond where we stopped driving and began hiking, Big Fall Creek crosses the road. Although only about 6" tall, this little water fall was a cool find.

Ingredients

1/2 cup long grain white rice
1-1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2lb ground pork
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1 inch long pieces
2 cups bean sprouts (about one package)
1 egg
1/3 cup soy sauce
Serves 4


Pre-Trip Preparation

Combine the rice and water in a sauce pan over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat, allowing the rice to cool completely. Remove the rice from the saucepan and place in a reusable plastic container for storage in the cooler. If cooler space is at a premium, you can substitute the home made rice for 1 package of ready rice.

Remember, to save space only bring the ingredients you need for the trip by measuring everything out ahead of time and placing items like soy sauce and vegetable oil in small plastic containers. You can also chop your garlic and ginger ahead of time and place them in a small plastic container as well.

You can find the entire recipe on our website www.TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

It can be difficult to decide on the gear we take camping, and tableware is no exception. There are a multitude of materials and styles to choose from. We feel the GSI Outdoors' Cascadian 12 piece tableware set provides a balance of functionality and practicality for the camper on a budget.

Included in the set:

• 4 plates
• 4 bowls
• 4 mugs
• 1 mesh carrying bag

Cascadian Tableware Set by GSI Outdoors
Photo courtesy of GSI Outdoors

Our Thoughts

The Cascadian tableware set offers several features we find essential when camping. The 12 piece set is inexpensive, we picked ours up from a local sporting goods store for around $25. We think the polypropylene is a great choice in materials. With a combined weight of 26.5 ounces, the set is nearly one-third the weight of GSI Outdoors' comparable enamelware set. We didn't feel the reduced weight compromised the rigidity of the set as we piled our plates high with food.

You can find our entire review on our website TheOverlandGourmet.com or clicking this link..

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

Abandoned Arbon Valley Farmhouse

Fall is in full swing and the leaves on the aspen trees have turned. I spent a Saturday exploring the canyons between the Arbon and Rockland valleys here in South East Idaho. My travels took me past abandoned farmhouses, alongside Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) farm fields as I traveled south through Arbon Valley. Turning west, I traveled through steep sagebrush covered canyons and finally climbed through densely timbered slopes on my way to the top of Knox Canyon Road. From the top you can look west into Long Canyon and Rockland Valley.

Looking west down Long Canyon into the Rockland Valley

Quick Penne Pasta with Smoked Salmon
A quality meal on the trail doesn't have to mean slaving away in camp. I stopped along Knox Canyon Road for a quick dinner before setting out for some additional exploring.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Penne Pasta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup sun-dried or dehydrated tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil
• 6 oz smoked salmon

Serves 2

You can find the entire recipe on our website TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

Winter may seem like a strange time to discuss the ice we use for our summer camping trips. However, it is the time of year we visit our local coffee shop on our way to play in the snow. Starbucks Coffee Travelers have become a popular way of transporting Starbucks Coffee to winter activities. We discovered, on ExpeditionPortal.com, a great way to reuse those old Coffee Travelers as water and ice bladders while camping.

We started by disassembling the cardboard surrounding the internal Mylar bladder. Care must be taken when removing the bladder as it is glued to the cardboard. After a quick rinse the bladder is ready for use.

You can find the entire post on our website TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking

There is something about the smell of vanilla and cinnamon on a cold and wet winter day that brightens my spirit. The aroma of this dish will bring folks from far and wide, so you had better make extra!

Ingredients

•1-1/2 cups red wine (Merlot, Pinot Noir)
•2 Tbsp lemon juice
•3/4 cup sugar
•1 stick of cinnamon (or ½ tsp ground cinnamon)
•1/2 vanilla bean
•2 large firm, ripe pears; halved & cored

Serves 2

You can find the entire recipe on our website TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

[flyfishexpert]

Re: The Overland Gourmet - A new blog dedicated to gourmet camp cooking



Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound campanelle pasta
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
• 5 ounces shiitake mushrooms , stems discarded, caps wiped clean and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 5 ounces cremini mushrooms , wiped clean and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves , plus 1 additional teaspoon
• 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Ground black pepper
• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (1/1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Serves 2

Pre-Trip Preparations
To save on preparation time when on the trail, chop the shallots, mince the garlic, slice the mushrooms, and grate the cheese at home and place in individual containers. If the meal will be prepared a couple of days into a trip, the shallots and mushrooms will keep longer in a cooler when uncut. To reach a creamy consistency, finely grate fresh Parmesan cheese to make it easier to melt. Measure out the pasta and liquid ingredients and place in plastic storage containers as well.
You can find the entire recipe on our website www.TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.