Haute Cuisine
Skinning up the last few miles to a remote cabin surrounded by fields of fresh powder leaves you feeling exhilarated, exhausted and hungry as hell. You came for the snow and phenomenal views, but kicking up your menu planning will have you taking just as many photos of the food.
Hors d’oeuvre. You’ve just burned off more calories than you could possibly carry with you in that pack, so go big here. Hard cheeses and dried salami pack and keep well, even on multi-day trips. Smoked salmon comes vacuum sealed at the store these days and works well with sliced cucumbers as non-crumbling crackers. For a vegetarian option, try dipping these in a container of whipped cream cheese you’ve topped with a pesto spread and sun-dried tomatoes. Pitted dates wrapped and cooked in a slice of bacon are a great way to warm up the hut and make some new friends.
Dinner. Marinate meat or potatoes ahead of time by cutting and double-bagging them in Ziplocks to season as you hike. To add a bit of class, choose an unusual meat like bison or venison. Serve over quick-cooking grains like quinoa or parboiled rice that won’t use up too much fuel (or patience). For leaner meats that might stick to a pan, try wrapping the cuts in a slice of bacon, which will add a bit of flavor while greasing the pan. A good, firm side vegetable like broccoli or zucchini will hold up in your pack and can be sliced and steamed or sauteed in, you guessed it, bacon.
Dessert. Ice cream made from snow is hut cuisine at its finest. A small can of condensed milk and some frozen berries or half a vanilla bean stirred up in a big bowl of snow is a crowd pleaser. One 12 ounce can will make about eight servings (or one really satisfying serving just for you). If the pack is starting to get a bit heavy, a dark chocolate bar is light and decadent treat at the end of a meal. It’s generally a good idea to pack at least one extra.
Cocktails. Limes are essential and easy to squeeze into an already stuffed pack since the pressure will only help loosen the juice on your way up. A Nalgene filled with 2 parts tequila and 1 part Cointreau or Grand Marnier will come in handy when you get to the top. Simply squeeze in the juice from a couple of limes and pour over glasses of fresh snow.
Prefer a hot drink? Try “Bubba’s Special”, a recipe from the new Wilderness Ranger Cookbook put out this year by the Society for Wilderness Stewardship in honor of the Wilderness Act’s 50th anniversary. Brew a cup of tea (black or green) and stir in a slug of whiskey along with a few slices of lime.
If you have any bacon left, canned bloody mary mix with a swizzle stick made of bacon is a great way to wake up on a hut trip.
—Heather Ridge
