Spices and other stuff

[cottonwoodroot]

Hello All,
I am sure this has already been discussed however I did a quick search and didn't find anything. I am trying to get my pack under 15 pounds but still have everything I need not just to survive, but to enjoy my time in the bush. My wife is often with me and she doesn't appreciate "roughing it" as much as I do. I am trying to blend the two worldviews. I am currently struggling with what spices to carry in my mini spice kit for food preparation. We catch a lot of fish here, so I have included a lemon and herb spice. I also enjoy steaming stinging nettle so I have included a small salt shaker and some butter power.
Water is plentiful here, so soups of some form are commonplace. I suppose some beef broth cubes might be worthwhile. Several edible mushroom varieties are also on the menu frequently.

Any suggestions for top four of five spices to carry permanently in a pack in order to be able to produce a gourmet meal on a moments notice?

 

[santaman2000]

Step One:

Get a container of Zataran's Cajun seasoning

Step Two: Get rid of everything else.



Do this at home as well as in your travel pack.

 

[cottonwoodroot]

Consider it done. I will pick some up and try it over the next couple of days.

Thanks for the tip. I've never tried this spice. I do really enjoy other Zatarans products such as the black bean and rice mixture.

 

[santaman2000]

I'm being a bit optimistic TBH. It's not the do all, be all, end all of spices. BUT! If you have a liking for Cajun or Creole foods it's the best general purpose blend I've found.

 

[Jack Bounder]

I like to eat chilli with everything, so I'd take dried chilli peppers.

 

[Goatboy]

If I'm only taking only one spice then it's got to be th one that built huge finacial empires and the odd skirmish was fought over. Pepper. Not the pre-milled dust which is the work of the devil, but a small grinder so that I can have that wonderfull berry freshly ground. It's the spice that I use most at home or outside. Also when it's in it's green soft form it's wonderful cooked with fish or meat.
My work collegues used to think it was funny that I used to carry a pepper mill in my bag for lunch every day.
So saying you can suppliment some good flavours with wild herbage like wild water cress, herb robert, mint, sage & the list goes on.
A lot of folk carry little bottles of chilli sauce but I prefer Lee &Perrins or a little tube of umami paste.

Sent via smokesignal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Brynglas]

I'm a +1 for the pepper, but I'm also a big fan of Dunns River All Purpose Seasoning. It works well with chicken, fish or vegetables as a dry rub marinade, or a condiment.

 

[Toddy]

Marigold stock powder and black pepper and cumin seeds if you want curry type food too.

M

 

[British Red]

I take the right ingredients for the dishes I want to cook. I cannot imagine wanting all dishes to taste the same.

 

[Toddy]

….they don't, the ingredients change, but simple seasoning is a basic thing; like a good stock can be used for veggies, or pasta, or curry, or even meat if one is so inclined. Lugging along the herb drawer isn't happening when travelling light, but a few staples are no bad thing, and if one travels hopefully, then it's amazing what good things turn up on the journey

M

 

[Robson Valley]

Let's assume (great danger here) that I will eat what I can shoot in legal season. Grouse and rabbits are convenient and plentiful.
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Coarse-ground black pepper
All Purpose flour
Baking Powder
Italian Mixed Herbs
3 chicken, 3 beef bouillon cubes
Curry powder
Olive oil
I don't think this weighs as much as the ultimate penalty = 3 tins of baked beans.

 

[cottonwoodroot]

I am going to have to try the suggestions mentioned here. Maybe I will film the process so you all can see how it turns out. First up will be chinook salmon with a stinging nettle side dish. I can't think of what might work for a starch/ potato rice substitute.

 

[Robson Valley]

CWR: 8-10 hrs inland from you. Kitimat many decades ago. I can't recall a carbo in PacNW cultures.
Maybe they made up for it with Oolican fat/oil? Chinook rules (but sea-run cutts are a close second!)
How's your Cesium 134 count these days? BAD NEWS on the doorstep.

Lemon pepper if you can get it. Don't know a lemon local herb, sorry.

 

[Dave]

Simple dried tomato powder is a good start for a number of dishes. [Especially if using dehydrated ground beef]

Someone gave me some posh hot chocolate the other day. Which is the only hot chocolate Ive ever tried that tastes delicious with just hot water.

 

[santaman2000]

CWR: 8-10 hrs inland from you. Kitimat many decades ago. I can't recall a carbo in PacNW cultures.
Maybe they made up for it with Oolican fat/oil?........

I'm pretty sure corn (maize) made it that far at least. It pretty much covered two continents. Then there are the pine nuts (protein and carb) that were harvested as a staple over much of the west.

 

[Robson Valley]

Sorry, santaman, not enough degree days. I will start corn/maize indoors this week in pots, just to see in 6 weeks what I can do outdoors in our short season.
I can't plant them out until June 05 or so.

TO YOU ALL = My abject apologies. The closest thing you will ever find for an ethnobotanical text is this:

Plants Of Northern British Columbia. MacKinnon, Pojar & Coupe'. ISBN 1-55105-015-3. This is the very best ethnobotanical work that you will find in modern writing.
Many, many medicine women were interviewed for this. As such, for us all who are living at 50N or more, this circumpolar work is of value to you.

To be specific:
- Carex sp. roots and stems pith.
- Lysichiton americanum could give chili peppers a bad name.
- Typha latifolia has many edible/starchy parts.

 

[cottonwoodroot]

CWR: 8-10 hrs inland from you. Kitimat many decades ago. I can't recall a carbo in PacNW cultures.
Maybe they made up for it with Oolican fat/oil? Chinook rules (but sea-run cutts are a close second!)
How's your Cesium 134 count these days? BAD NEWS on the doorstep.

Lemon pepper if you can get it. Don't know a lemon local herb, sorry.

Yes Robson. I read about the C134 in the news. I see you recommended the Pojar book. I agree it's an excellent source of info. I also pick up anything by Nancy Turner when it comes to indigenous use of plants.
I was told that sour grass makes a passable lemon substitute but I have never tried it. I am still leery after my dandelion root "coffee" didn't measure up to expectations.

 

[santaman2000]

Sorry, santaman, not enough degree days. I will start corn/maize indoors this week in pots, just to see in 6 weeks what I can do outdoors in our short season.
I can't plant them out until June 05 or so.

TO YOU ALL = My abject apologies. The closest thing you will ever find for an ethnobotanical text is this:

Plants Of Northern British Columbia. MacKinnon, Pojar & Coupe'. ISBN 1-55105-015-3. This is the very best ethnobotanical work that you will find in modern writing.
Many, many medicine women were interviewed for this. As such, for us all who are living at 50N or more, this circumpolar work is of value to you.

To be specific:
- Carex sp. roots and stems pith.
- Lysichiton americanum could give chili peppers a bad name.
- Typha latifolia has many edible/starchy parts.

I suppose so. I'm not sure what the growing season dates are for Oregon and Washington though (also part of the PNW)

 

[Robson Valley]

Good thing that I don't depend on my garden. Peas, green beans, some carrots, 2 varieties of golf-balls (aka poor apples).
Corn/maize and beets this summer. One 15' row of each.
Anybody living S of 50 has far more opportunity that here.
Microclimate differences with the mountain ranges (Coast & Rockies), even the difference between valley floor killing frosts where my house is and 300' up on a bench.
Normal fire cycle here is 70-100 years except for one patch of a few square miles which has not burned in 4,000 yrs.