[Philmont]: philmont meals

While I agree that generally all of the "courses" for the supper meal are
cooked together in the same pot, this need not be the case for the mashed
potatoes. A few years back, Philmont took to adding mashed potatoes to some
of its menus as a simple way to increase the caloric content of the supper
meal. This led to a few somewhat incongruous combinations.
 
On Autumn Adventure 2003, our guide, Dave Kofski, introduced us to the
concept of the "Mashed Potato Appetizer." Enough boiling water is prepared
for both the entree and the mashed potatoes. However, rather than adding the
potato mix to the entree, each member of the crew pours some of the mashed
potato powder on his plate or in his cup and rehydrates it individually with
boiling water scooped from the pot. After all have scooped out whatever
water they need, the entree is prepared in the pot, while the crew enjoys
the potato "appetizer".
 
I have adapted this "appetizer" to my menus for weekend backpacking trips as
well as for longer treks in the summer. Each dinner revolves around a freeze
dried entree from a supplier such as Mountain House (Available quickly and
easily from Campmor or other suppliers). Unlike Philfood, the directions for
these entrees involve scooping boiling water into the bag containing the
food. Some or all of the time, I have found that when one of these entrees
says "feeds two" or "feeds four", you're still hungry after consuming the
same, especially after a long backpack or day of canoeing. I therefore bring
a large Ziplock bag of instant mashed potatoes (I buy Idahoan brand from
Sam's club-Supermarkets have various flavors available as well), so that
each crew member can supplement the entree with as much or as little of the
"mashed potato appetizer" as they wish. I also have a selection of Cup of
Soups (available in quantity by mail order from Lipton), one quart packets
of Gatorade powder (available in quantity at the Gatorade website) and a
cookie or individually wrapped brownie dessert. (I use Tang-in quantity at
Sam's club and repackaged by myself-for breakfast rather than Gatorade
because it actually has vitamin C).
 
That's it for every supper meal. The variety in the entree and in the soup
flavors keeps it from being boring. I also mix some powdered milk into the
potato miz before leaving home as the instructions call for part water and
part milk. I use cup of soup instead of ramen because you prepare it in your
cup, with scooped boiling water. That way, the only thing that gets in the
pots is water, easing cleanup (particularly in the Adirondack Wilderness
where soap of any kind-even CampSuds-is not allowed).
 
Some members of my crews have returned home demanding that their Moms add
instant mashed potatoes to the dinner menu. Who'd a thunk?
 
Give the "mashed potato appetizer" a try.
 
YIS
 
Bill Sheehan, ASM
Troop 55, Pitman, NJ
Philmont '70,'72, Autumn Adventure '01,'03,'05 and hopefully '06

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Received on Tue Mar 21 19:04:55 2006