Whisperlite Cook Off

 It has been a tradition around these parts for a long time. During their staff training before going out in the world with youth to guide them through the wilderness, a group of trip leaders around here host a Whisperlite Cook Off. 5 teams of 2, using only their Whisperlite stoves and other on-trail tools, were challenged to create a culinary backcountry masterpiece. Lucky me...I was asked to judge. Here's a look at the process:

 So, final submissions included:

 Pasta with peppers, onion, salmon, mint and other spices...and cheese. This dish probably had the most interesting and complex flavors. It had a good balance of protein, carbs, veggies...and cheese. :)

 A build-your-own burrito. The group had a black bean/corn mix, seasoned tofu, lots of fresh vegetables, salsa, sour cream...and cheese. This dish probably won for most versatile in that it was very friendly to picky eaters, whether they be kids, vegetarians, lactose intolerant folk, etc. There are reasons that build-your-own works well.

 Clam paella with avocado and peppers. While I don't normally eat any meat, let alone clams, I liked the smoky flavor of this dish. The paella was a dish that made the most of only a few ingredients. One judge likes that he had the option of easily picking out the peppers. It also scored points for presentation.

Salmon Cakes with a Curried Rice. These cakes were made of salmon, hashbrowns and onion and cooked in butter. The curried rice was subtle and added balanced flavor. This was a highly creative and TASTY dish. The hashbrowns mellowed out the flavor of the fish and we felt it could be pretty versatile on trail, subbing salmon for tuna or even chicken.

I should mention our 5th team. They had a really great idea for stove top calzones. Unfortunately, the flour they used came salted and without realizing that, they added more salt. They were so salty that we were instructed not to even try them...a bust. What was great about this group  is that they quickly threw together some tortilla pizzas. They had to roll with the punches, just like we often have to do on trail. The tortilla pizzas were quite tasty...they just weren't ready to judge in time. Honorable mention to this team.

So, after considering the following:
* how realistic it was to bring ingredients on trail (fresh veggies and diary products are great BUT they don't travel well beyond a day or two. There's also the issue of having to pack in all of these ingredients so fewer is better)
* how easy it was to purchase ingredients
* versatility
* taste
* creativity
* can it be made quickly (if you're getting into camp late, no one wants to hang out for 2 hours, waiting on dinner)

We determined that the Salmon Cakes were the overall winner. You can find those vacuum sealed packets of tuna, salmon and chicken that are perfect for a dish like this. The hashbrowns worked really well. The rice was flavor-packed and balanced the dish. you could even add some dried fruit to the rice (really) and it would have been even better.

Runner up was the Paella but overall, it was the clams that turned some judges off. While you could, of course, use other items here, I think it was hard for some to get beyond the clams.

Third place went to the build-your-own burritos although I maintain that they would have looked very different without all of the dairy and fresh veggies. I did appreciate the tofu they added here...as I'm normally vegetarian. It's important to remember that when dealing with us veggie-folk, we need a PROTEIN source in our meals. Vegetarians cannot survive on roughage alone! This is especially true on trail (exception would be at high altitude, when no one needs much protein because your body can't digest it at heights).

 All in all, I was VERY impressed with the creations these teams came up with. They definitely challenged me to think outside the box when it comes to campsite cooking. I would encourage those of you heading outside to try a stove cook off with your fellow adventurers. It's a great way to kick you out of your dining routine and it's always a good idea to get reacquainted with your gear before you head out. Let me know what you create!