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INTRODUCTION

I got the idea for this book while on a weekend hiking trip with friends in Garibaldi Park in British Columbia. One morning they announced they were going to make pancakes for breakfast. This struck me as rather ambitious; I had always thought that camping food was special for all the wrong reasons: usually dry, not particularly appetizing but high in carbohydrates. But the pancakes they made were great, as good as if they were made at home. And then it occurred to me that there was no reason why camping food had to be bad food; that with a little know-how and creativity, you could eat well while enjoying the great outdoors.

I’ve always been an outdoors enthusiast. There was no way around it. I grew up on a farm outside Smithers, a small town in northern British Columbia. I spent my childhood surrounded by the beauty of nature, and my parents instilled in me a great love, respect, and appreciation for the environment. In high school, I joined an outdoor education class so that I could hang out with my friends. At the end of the year, we went on a six-day trip to the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island. During these six days spent being drenched by rain, I went from complete novice to complete wet noodle and vowed to never leave the comforts of home again. However, once we did go home, I could talk of nothing else but the adventures I had. I was hooked. As I got older, I got the bug to spend part of my vacations experiencing different natural surroundings. I’ve gone hiking and biking around Ireland, Scotland, and Australia, not to mention many great trips in Canada and the U.S. Backcountry skiing, hiking, canoeing, and climbing are such great ways to see the world.

When I was younger, and not the food snob I am today, my outdoor eating experiences left a lot to be desired: Mac and cheese, granola, peanut butter, dried food, and more dried food. Meals became a chore; they were so boring and no longer appetizing. But, I thought, was I overreacting—weren’t camping meals supposed to be dull and uninspired? That’s part of the camping experience, after all. But now, as every other aspect of camping gear has evolved, it is time for the food to evolve as well. And it can be done with little difficulty.

I’ve loved cooking ever since I was a kid; I often experimented with food ingredients, creating recipes on my own. After more than a few boring camping meals, and the pancake incident described earlier, I started putting together some of my favorite meals to take on camping trips. They were a huge success; at last, I began to look forward to meals after a long physical day. And boy, were my hiking friends were impressed. Yes, it can be finally said—camping food has changed, for the better!

When it came to compiling recipes for this book, the biggest challenge was coming up with dishes that could be easily made on one stove element, and usually in one pot, light enough to carry but still comprise a full meal. The most important aspect is that the meals should be enjoyable. Hiking all day makes the act of eating all that much more important; the last thing you want after a hard day on the trail is a meal that doesn’t taste very good. This means using the freshest ingredients possible, especially since you won’t be eating right away (remembering, of course, the dangers of spoilage). It will make your mealtime experiences in the outdoors that much more pleasurable.

In writing this book I have kept in mind that hiking and camping trips can mean a hike, a day-long trek, or a weekend journey. (Again, if your trip is longer, keep in mind that spoilage can be an issue.) And nutrition also plays a role; it’s important that the meals you make will provide the kind of fuel you will need while hiking up that mountain or through those trails. Ultimately, it’s about good food that doesn’t take long to make, is filling, and nutritional.

It was also important for me to keep the recipes as simple as possible and composed of relatively few ingredients that most people already keep on hand in their pantries. I also encourage you to experiment; if you don’t like a certain ingredient, take it out (within reason!), or replace it with something you think might work better for you. But beware of replacing any ingredients in the recipes for baked goods; most of these ingredients are essential and the recipes won’t work without them.

I believe that food feeds not only the body but the mind as well. The experience of being outdoors and witnessing nature in its absolute beauty feeds us too. The combination of being well-fed, in the company of family and friends, enjoying the sights and sounds of the wilderness, is something that I hold very dear. I hope that Chef in Your Backpack adds to your experiences in the great outdoors, and makes your trips more enjoyable and memorable.