The amount and type of food carried is highly dependent on what food can be collected or purchased during the journey. However, even when food is readily available it’s a good idea to carry some basics just in case of late arrivals or early starts. The average person requires 2500 (resting) – 5000 (working hard) calories a day. These calories are obtained from carbohydrates (sugars and starches), protein and fats (oil, butter, lard), supplemented with numerous vitamins and minerals. In general fats and carbohydrates are used for fuel, providing energy, proteins to restore body tissues and build muscle (may also be used for energy), with minerals and vitamins being essential to preserve well being and to prevent disease (not an important concern for short journeys). I read somewhere that your energy intake should be based on approximately 25 percent protein, can be higher up to 50 percent (not recommended) but not less than 15 percent.
The majority of camp sites and woodland don’t allow open fires, therefore camping stoves must be used. Two of the main types are ones based on Methylated spirits, or Butane / Propane gas, as shown in figure 6.1. Both stoves should be used in a well ventilated area, as they produce significant amounts of fumes. The meths burner will boil 500 ml of water in approximately 10 - 15 min, gas burners in approximately 5 - 10 min. Although it produces fumes and can be messy (soot and liquid), I prefer a Methylated spirits burner for their simplicity and small size. An alternative to gas or methylated spirit stoves are wood burning stoves as shown in figure 6.1.1. This example is made from four cheap stainless steel trivets, not ideal, but a suitable gauge and cut to a usable size. The edges of the back plate are levered almost square, slightly less than 90 degrees to provide tension when locked into position. The bottom plate requires the most modification. Four tabs are ground out using an angle grinder then filed to a final fit (these lock into the existing holes in the back plate). A recess slot is ground out from the side bends and the front fifth of the plate bent up. Finally two side tabs are ground out and bent down, these locking into the side plates. The pot is suspended from two 3mm rods passed through the side plates, this allows the pot to be easily raised or lowered depending on cooking requirements. Any small twigs, wood shavings can be used as fuel, pine cones burn to a good ember. As the fire is contained and focused, only a small fire is required. When finished the stove can be unlocked and packed flat.
Figure 6.1 : Methylated spirits and Butane / Propane gas stoves
Figure 6.1.1 : Wood burning stoves
The best general purpose cooking pan is a stainless steel billy can, easily suspended from a pot hanger (metal hook and chain, easy to adjust height, or carved from a suitable branch) or directly heated in the coals of a fire. These types of pot usually have a small inner pan that can be used to steam food at the same time as cooking rice or paste. With the addition of a removable pan handle this inner pan can also be used a very small frying pan. A removable pan handle is a must, make lifting lids and pouring hot water from the billy so much easier. The pot in figure 6.2 is a Zebra billy can, very good, but a little expensive. A good alternative can be made from pressed stainless steel containers (no seams) e.g. made for tea, coffee, biscuits etc which can be picked up for a couple of pounds. Drill two small holes just below the lid recess and add a wire handle. Aluminium mess tins, serving a duel purpose, as heating container and plate (a lot better than plates when you have no level eating surface). When buying these be careful of cheap imitations which tend to use a thinner gauge, as shown in figure 6.2. Take care when heating any aluminium pan as they are easily damaged i.e. buckled, burned through (unlike stainless steel which are a lot more robust). Always have some water in the pan when heating food, melting snow (prevent hot spots forming), never allow to boil dry. Don’t bother with additional cups, the standard plastic folding water bottle cup is fine (stainless steel versions available, again serving a dual role, always useful), or mess tins (remember gets hot). Finally eating utensils, a couple of wooden spoons are probably all that are required, however, a cheap metal camping set (locking) are always useful. Washing pans and utensils can be difficult with limited water. A common tip is to coat the outside of a pan with washing up liquid before use, to aid cleaning later, not a practical solution when backpacking i.e. extra weight. To clean, remove solid food waste with a little water and fingers (burn or burry, to avoid attracting unwanted furry friends). It’s not a bad idea to have a small dish cloth (cotton, that can be boiled) to help wash out any grease with a little soap and water, makes your water go further. Rise the cloth clean, wipe dry, boil dry if you have a fire. When finished wash out the cloth, ring and dry before storing. If you have a wood fire, ash can be used. For a scourer pull up a tuft of grass, nock off the soil and wash with a mixture of ash (alkali) and water (another good reason for not using plastic which is easily scratched). Pour the waste water preferably back into the fireplace, or onto the ground well away from drinking water, never back into a river or lake polluting your water source. Rise with clean water and boil dry.
Figure 6.2 : Pans
Dry foods can be easily stored and carried in a rucksack. A common staple of camp fire cooking is the bannock, a simple pan cooked, unleavened bread. A plain bannock recipe:
Recipe 1
Recipe 2
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, gradually add water until the dough is thoroughly dampened, but not sticky. Tip, add water slowly, too much just makes a gluey mess. Flatten the dough to 1/2" thick, divide and fry in a lightly greased pan, medium heat, for 12-15 minutes each side. If a pan is not available, heat a flat stone in the embers, tap / brush clean, flatten the dough onto the stone then prop it up against a log or stone, angling the dough towards the fire, cook until brown. Alternatively, a double billy can method can be used. Using two nesting billy cans place three small stones in larger can to form an air gap allowing hot air to circulate around the second. Then dust the inside of the smaller with flour and flatten the dough into it. Suspend above embers at a height that you can only hold your hand there for a count of four and leave for 30 – 40 minutes. A sweet bannock recipe:
The exact ratio of a bannocks ingredients can be adjusted to suit available supplies or gathered fruit, nuts or berries. When supplies are running low a Paratha bread can be made:
Add water a little at a time, knead for a few minutes, then allow to rest for a few minutes. Divide the dough into eight even portions, roll out flat (thin), fold in half and roll up into a tube and roll out flat again (add air to bread). Cook in a hot oiled pan, a minute on each side.
A reliable source of wild edible plants is highly dependent on the season and locations, best times are normally spring and autumn. However, in general its very difficult to find sufficient plants to meet a persons calorie requirements. Don’t have a great knowledge of edible plants but here are some common ones that I have tried or have been suggested (due to possible copyright conflicts these are only accessible from the local machine) :
Figure 6.3 : Burdock
Burdock : best known for its round hooked seed heads or burrs, this plant is normally found in hedges or open waste ground. Has a two year cycle, in the first year the plant remains close to the ground, the second year flowers and seed head form, growing to approximately 1.5m high, with large rhubarb like leaves (very big, slight furry cover). This plant has a large edible taproot, best harvested before the flower stalk appears (apparently becomes tough and woody). Cook like potato, can be boiled, roasted in a fire’s embers or cut thin and fried. Immature flower stalks are also edible in late spring, before the flowers appear (still flexible) and young leaf stalks. Peel and pre-boil for a minute to reduce bitterness, then cook in fresh water for another 5 - 10 minutes.
Figure 6.4 : Dandelion
Dandelion : normally found on open waste ground, growing in rich, moist soil. Leaves are best in early spring, before the flowers appear. Large young plant are best, leafs harvested from spring to fall, are very bitter, can be improved by boiling for a minute in a couple of changes of water (removes some of the vitamins). It is said that the first frosts also reduce bitterness. Can be eaten raw or cooked like spinach. You can also eat dandelion flowers (yellow parts) and taproot (any time, apparently better from late fall to early spring). Root can be cooked as burdock, pre-boiling and changing water, or slow simmering reduces bitterness. Alternately the root can be dried, ground and roasted to make a type of coffee.
Figure 6.5 : Common Elderberry
Common Elderberry : normally found in moist ground in woods, hedgerows and river banks, a member of the honeysuckle family, branches grow straight and hollow with a spongy, white pith. From mid-summer to early fall produces clusters of tiny, spherical, juicy, purple-black to black, seedy berries (large quantities). Flowers can be made into a tea or eaten, added to bannock or batters (best described as an interesting fragrance). Berries clusters easily gathered, takes a bit of time to remove from stem. Only use ripe berries, cooked or dried, raw and green berries can make you feel nauseous (never tested this fact). Tastes better than they smell, but a good source of minerals and vitamins.
Figure 6.6 : Nettles
Nettles : normally found in rich, moist soils, in shady hedgerows, woodland etc. The top young leaves and shoots are best collected in early spring before a plant flowers. Strings are neutralised by cooking. Cooked like spinach, simmered in soups 5-10 minutes, fried, or steamed. Not a strong taste, tasted ok to me, an easy way to add bulk to a stew.
Figure 6.7 : Bulrush
Bulrush : known as a bulrush (British), cattail (American), or reedmace (old British text). Normally grows in dense groups in marshes, mud surrounding river, lake and ponds, easily recognized by the previous years white, furry, cigar-shaped seed heads. In spring and early summer before flowers form young shoots can be eaten, peel and discard the outermost leaves (top down), until inner core is reached, layers that can be pinched through with your thumbnail. Caution, young cattail shoots are very similar to poisonous Iris species. In the summer, male flowers produce considerable quantities of golden pollen that can be used to bulk flour supplies. To collect, bend flower heads into a large bag, seal and shake gently, sifting out chaff later. During autumn and winter the cattails rhizomes can be eaten, dug up from the mud (buds of the following year's shoots, attached to the rhizomes, are also edible). These contain starch, which can be eaten in a number of different ways, wash then:
Figure 6.8 : Acorns
Acorn : oak tree, contain large amounts of bitter tannin Use acorns in the white oak group, those species with blunt-tipped leaves.
The acorns in figure 6.8, boiled 5 times, water still turning a light red / brown colour, tasted ok, bland, bitter aftertaste.
Figure 6.9 : Sweet Chestnuts
Sweet Chestnut : flowers appear in late June to July, and by autumn, the female flowers develop into spiny cupules containing 3-7 brownish nuts that are shed during October. Bark often has an unmistakable net-shaped pattern. The nuts may be eaten raw (peel off inner skin), roasted in a fires embers or ground to make flour. From what I have seen the size of the nut is effected by location e.g. when I lived down south it was easy to find good sized chestnuts, however, up north they tend to be very small, not really worth the effort.
Figure 6.10 : Hawthorn
Hawthorn : young new leaves have a slightly nutty taste, dark red fruits known as haws. Sometimes referred to as “bread and cheese”, fruits have a mealy, creamy taste. Do not eat the seeds as these are poisonous. Can be cooked gently to form a pulp, seeds and skin removed by squeezing through cloth.
Figure 6.11 : Beech
Beech : young new leaves can be eaten in the spring, beech nuts can also be eaten (peel off inner skin). Nuts are very tasty raw or cooked (my third favourite after hazel and chestnut), however, nuts can be quite small and not all pods contain fruits
Figure 6.12 : Thistle
Thistle : roots can be eaten like dandelions, bland taste, collect before the plant flowers (best cooked). Leaves and stems of some species can also be eaten (refer to documents below) Thistle ‘nuts’ can also be eaten, these can be found at the base of the developing seed head.
Figure 6.13 : Dock
Dock : typically found by roadsides, hedgerows, fields, and other disturbed areas. In the spring, the young tender leaves can be eaten in salads, older leaves need to be boiled, changing the water to reduce bitterness. Roots and seeds (grind) can all be eaten.
Figure 6.14 : Hazel
Hazel: my favourite nut, however, its also liked by squirrels, birds and mice, so they can be hard to find. Best spotted from the underside of the branch. Takes a while to get your eye in, but, once you get tuned in it is possible to collect a good bag full. Again not all shells contain an edible nut.
Figure 6.15 : Plantain
Plantain: leaves may be used in stews, boiled like spinach, young leaves can be eaten raw, however, can be very bitter (may need water change when boiling).
Figure 6.16 : Wood sorrel
Wood sorrel: tastes a little like apple peel, can be eaten raw, commonly used chopped to stuff fish for steaming. Easily identified by its red stem, can be mistaken for clover which is also edible.
Figure 6.17 : Rosebay Willowherb
Rosebay Willowherb: roots are edible, collect before plant flowers, scrape the outside of the root and remove central brown thread to reduce bitterness, roast in hot ashes or boil.
Figure 6.18 : Juniper
Juniper: fruits ripen over three summers, green in the first year, turning to waxy blue in the second, ripening in the third to blue black. Only eat the dark blue fruits, green berries are poisonous. Very strong spicy flavour, only need a few to add flavour to a dish.
Figure 6.19 : Rowan
Rowan: berries ripen from august, can be eaten (bitter), however, like hawthorn seeds should be removed.
Figure 6.20 : Whitebeam
Whitebeam: easy to identify by the silver leaf undersides, berries have small seeds and that can be eaten, bland mealy taste, not bad to eat.
Figure 6.21 : Rosehips
Rosehips: well known for their vitamin C, contain small seeds covered in tiny hairs which can irritate your stomach, therefore, must be removed. After cleaning use to make rosehip tea, after being blanched can be eaten (can also be eaten raw).
Figure 6.22 : Blackberry
Blackberry: When fully ripened, one of few wild fruits that is truly sweet. Good eaten raw or cooked, one of my favourite methods is to simply simmer down a good couple of handfuls to form a “jam” that can be spread on bread or bannocks.
Mushrooms are very common and easy to collect, only one small problem, get it wrong and your dead. Therefore, the golden rule is “IF IN DOUBT – LEAVE IT OUT”. The second rule I would add to this is only trust recognised reference books when identifying fungi, don’t trust the judgement of others. Do not collect baby or old fungi as they are difficult to positively identify. I only feel confident identifying the hedgehog fungus shown in figure 6.22. The hedgehog fungus has spines under the cap that can be easily brushed off. In the UK none of this family are poisonous although some are better than others.
Figure 6.23 : hedgehog fungus
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