Because regular measuring cups are not used in the field, the

following gives you some NOLS utensil equivalents:

Additional measurement information appears on the inside back cover.

NOLS Cookery

Claudia Pearson

Editor

Illustrations by Mike Clelland

STACKPOLE

BOOKS

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Planning

Ration Planning

Nutrition and Quantities

Sample Shopping List

Packaging

Ration Resupply

Cooking

Equipment and Stoves

Cooking on Fires

Basic Cooking Terminology

Cooking Hints for Beginners

Environmental Considerations

Recipes

Beverages

Breakfasts

Dinners

Breadstuffs

Desserts and Snacks

Measurements

Preface

Several factors were considered when we decided to revise NOLS Cookery. First, we needed to update some of the ingredients and recipes to reflect the food that is currently used by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Second, specific recipe ingredients had to be edited to include a broader range of choices and to encourage creativity. And finally, due to a number of requests for bulk ration planning information, we decided to include a section explaining that system. For this edition, our ultimate goal was to create a cookbook that accomplished these three objectives. We wanted to create a complete field guide and workbook that was easy to use and encouraged creativity for both NOLS students and any backpacker who strives to cook nutritious and tasty meals in the wilderness.

All NOLS field rations based out of the Rocky Mountain branch in Lander, Wyoming, utilize the bulk ration planning system. This system of rationing uses a wide selection of bulk foods and spices figured on a pounds per person per day basis and distributed into individual groups of two to four people. Each group decides what to cook with the help of the NOLS Cookery, other knowledgeable peers, or instructors. On NOLS courses, students learn how to cook in the field through expe­rience. On NOLS semester courses, students take this one step further and, following certain budgetary constraints and weight considerations, plan their own rations.

In this version of NOLS Cookery, we have provided the tools you need to plan a ration of your own. Successful ration planning takes both effort and experience, and, as many of you already know, it can be challenging and time-consuming. Critical factors to consider when planning for an expedition are the availability, versatility, cost, and palatability of foods desired. Happy campers must be well fed and hydrated. Plan on as much variety as possible, ask your trip members for their input, and prepare most of the food ahead of time to ensure ease of preparation once in the field. Our goal has always been to please each student and instructor just once on any expedition. That leaves quite a safety margin!

At NOLS, we strongly encourage experimenting, so feel free to make substitutions for specific ingredients. Don't over­look a recipe if you don't have the exact grain, nut, or flour that it calls for. Many of the revisions have eliminated the rigid structures of the recipes. For example, we no longer rely on specific types of fruit, such as apples, for cobbler. Instead, the cobbler recipe calls for dried fruit. Less structured recipes foster creativity. Many of our best meals have been discovered through trial and error. Our motto is that your imagination is your only limitation, so experiment and share what you have created!

—Claudia Pearson,

Marlo Garnsworthy,

and Cindy Rhines

Acknowledgments

As with previous editions of NOLS Cookery, countless stu­dents, instructors, and in-town staff contributed ideas and recipes to this edition. Many people brought in recipes claim­ing that when they were cooked in the field, they were some of the best meals they had ever eaten. We chuckled (knowing what hunger, high altitude, and fatigue can do to one's judg­ment), grabbed their recipes, and assembled them in the Gourmet Gulch test kitchen. We shared these creations with branch staff and fall semester graduates who, after ninety-plus days on NOLS rations, were still enthusiastic taste testers. We laughed, cooked, and ate our way through December and, in the end, came up with some great additions to this book. Each new recipe has so many variations that it would be difficult not to please even the pickiest eaters.

I would like to thank the original editors and contributors to previous Cookery editions. Their knowledge and ideas remain a fundamental part of this book.

For this edition, I would like to credit the following people who put their time and energy into making a great cookbook:

To Molly Absolon, who brought us together and formally got us going on this project. Molly, a NOLS instructor and author, helped us immensely with the organization and the mission of this book.

To Tod Schimelpfenig, who took parts of the text and, with his special knack, tightened up the wording (a skill learned from tightening too many budgets).

To Marlo Garnsworthy, our fiery Australian intern who charged from computer to computer during the busy fall semester to edit many chapters with relentless enthusiasm. Marlo, who had been a semester student in the spring of 1996 and had used the book extensively during her course, provided some realistic and candid evaluations of recipes and methods based on her experience.

To Cindy Rhines, my assistant, who single-handedly ran the Gulch while I spent hours at the computer writing and rewriting various chapters. Cindy was an invaluable proof­reader who checked my wording, spelling, and punctuation daily. Cindy was also the head chef when we started to test recipes.

To Donna Orr, a gifted writer, friend, and previous author of NOLS Cookery, who offered suggestions that helped me gain a sense of clarity in my writing. She was also helpful with the shopping list.

To Sam Talucci, instructor and restaurateur, who took a copy of the book home with him after instructing all summer and made suggestions for this new version.

To Mike Clelland, a NOLS instructor and the illustrator of this book, whose humor inspired me and made me realize how useful it can be as a teaching tool.

To Shana Tarter, Peggy Savanick, Mark Herrlinger, Lisa Jaeger, Jon Kempsey, Molly Doran, and the many instructors and student groups who submitted recipes for testing. And finally, to anyone else who wandered into the NOLS test kitchen and said, "Well, I do it this way...," thanks.

--Claudia Pearson

RATION PLANNING

Each year, approximately 2,600 students attend NOLS courses. The majority of these courses last thirty-one days. How does NOLS plan meals for so many people over such a long period? Each course is divided into cook groups of two to four indi­viduals, and each cook group is given a wide selection of bulk foods and spices. There are no set menus. The students decide what meals to prepare with the raw materials they are provided.

We call this method NOLS bulk rationing and have found that this system works well for our multiweek expeditions. Smaller groups going out for shorter lengths of time—five days or less—might want to consider menu planning instead. With menu planning, all meals are determined in advance, and the food is bought accordingly.

If you have always used menu planning, bulk rationing may be a difficult concept to grasp at first, but the rewards can be great once you've mastered the basics. Planning and pack­ing become easier. Complicated lists and menu schedules are eliminated. You'll have greater freedom in the field to prepare meals that suit your mood and the demands of the day. Cooking becomes more creative and flexible when you carry a "backcountry pantry" in your pack.

Factors to consider when ration planning:

·         Group size

·         Duration of trip

·         Purpose of trip

·         Exertion level

·         Weather

·         Altitude

·         Individual appetites

·         Food preferences within the group

·         Nutritional balance

·         Expense and availability

·         Spoilage and ease of packaging

·         Weight

·         Possible dietary limitations of group members

NOLS Rationing System

The first step in planning food for an expedition using the NOLS bulk rationing method is to calculate the total amount of food that will be needed during the trip. To do this, deter­mine how many pounds (of food) per person per day (ppppd) you expect to use. This amount depends on everything from the intensity and duration of the trip to the ages and sizes of the participants. Charts and worksheets are included in this chapter to help you determine this figure.

Once you have figured out the total poundage, break it down into different food groups to get specific amounts. NOLS issues a combination of heavier "grocery store" foods and lighter dehydrated items.

Freeze-dried meals available at backpacking and sporting goods stores are lightweight and quick to cook, but they are often bland and expensive. If you decide to purchase freeze-dried foods, be forewarned that the suggested serving sizes should be doubled for most appetites. And beware, they tend to be high in salt. Freeze-dried food used in conjunction with staples can provide variety and save weight.

You can find many tasty, lightweight, nutritious, and inexpensive options at your local supermarket, natural foods store, or specialty market. Food dryers are a wonderful addi­tion to any kitchen. They are available in most hardware, discount, or kitchen supply stores. A large variety of home-grown or store-bought fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats can be dried, providing tasty, affordable, and nutritious additions to a backpacker's menu. There are many books available on drying and dehydrating foods at the local library. You can even dry foods in your own oven.

Make note of the food preferences and allergies within your group, and avoid letting your personal likes and dislikes influence your choices. Variety is important and will help keep morale up. Balance expensive and less expensive items by using a predetermined budget.

Bulk Ration Planning Steps

Step 1: Determine the amount of food per person per day (ppppd), using the following guidelines:

• 1.5 ppppd is appropriate for hot days and warm nights. This amount works well when base camping (camping in one location for the duration of the trip) and is good for short trips (three to five days) when fresh veggies, canned goods, and/or fresh fish supplement the ration. An excellent amount for trips with children and for •leisure days, 1.5 pounds equates to roughly 2,500 to 3,000 calories per person per day.

• 1.75 to 2 pppd works well when you expect warm or cool days and nights or when hiking with full packs. If you are planning a long trip of more than seven to ten days, you might want to plan on 2 ppppd for later in the ration period, since appetites usually kick in after a few days in the mountains. For moderate to active work­days, 1.75 to 2 pounds is ideal and gives you roughly 3,000 to 3,500 calories per person.

• 2 to 2.25 ppppd is good for hiking or skiing with full packs during the cool days and cold nights of early spring, late fall, or winter. If you are planning a long trip of more than seven to ten days, you might want to plan on 2.25 ppppd for later in the ration period. Two to 2.25 pounds per day is ideal for heavy workdays and cold temperatures. It gives you roughly 3,500 to 4,500 calories per person per day.

• 2.5 ppppd is good for cold days and extremely cold nights, such as in midwinter, when you are skiing with full packs or sleds in mountain environments. Used for extremely strenuous workdays and very cold tempera­tures, 2.5 pounds gives you roughly 4,000 to 5,000 calo­ries per person per day.

Step 2: Figure the total amount of food needed for the trip. The formula is: Number of people X number of days X ppppd. For example, for four people on an eight-day trip at 1.75 ppppd, the total amount of food needed would equal 56 pounds.

Step 3: Break the total poundage into food groups. The follow­ing chart lists the breakdown of the poundage of different foods per person per day. Added together, these numbers should equal the pounds per person per day selected in step 1. These food category breakdowns have proved effective in planning NOLS rations for many years.

Breakdown of Pounds

per Person per Day from: