Gearhead or Gourmet Cooking Gear

December 1999 - January 2000

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Deborah Leach

More than three years has flown by since I started coordinating Paddle Meals columns, taking over from Brenda Gaertner.

I've enjoyed eating, drinking and chatting with the cooks, often paddling together and cajoling them into sharing recipes. This past year, however, I've done more pedaling than paddling as I've explored places ranging from California's Napa Valley to villages in Provence and Tuscany and the waters of the Zambezi. From 'the road', I've relied on guest columnists such as Barb from Oregon, Americans Autumn and Sam in Greece and Warren from South Africa. So this time I'd like to reveal some of my own tips.

Veteran paddlers have figured out how planning, packing and cooking on a kayaking trip differs from hiking. A sea kayak can hold as much grub and gear as 2 or 3 backpacks, so dried foods are only essential for longer trips. Alan Wilson calls kayaks 'commodious', meaning you don't need to skimp on beverages, either. Tetra packed juice and long-life milk, wine in foil bags and canned beer are eminently drinkable, especially when you'd have to filter water from streams and lakes. I like to take advantage of seasonal and locally available foods and juggle menus to accommodate fresh fish or seafood and produce.

Deb's Favourite Gear

Sue Handel preparing a beach meal on a trip this summer

*** Plastic containers. I confess to having a supply of refillable plastic tubes for peanut butter, tahini, honey, jam and curry paste. Instead of other fancy 'hiking' containers, I choose empty plastic peanut butter jars for ground coffee, sugar or powdered milk. The large Kraft jar makes a great shaker for sauce mixes and puddings.

*** Zillions of zip-locks, preferably freezer quality. When repackaging boxed food remember to include the package instructions when you recycle the box. On the Mid-Coast, Kris introduced me to the 'extra large' size for covering charts and keeping clothes and lunches dry. She cleans bags between trips in a mesh bag along with the laundry. I've given up on the 'snack' size bags which split too easily. Another caution. Pat once poured her marinade over salmon fillets in a Ziplock. Lifting the bag, she was greeted by a fine spray from the perforated holes in the 'vegetable saver' version.

*** Condiment Kit. My little black bag can 'doctor up' any meal. It holds a tube of curry paste, garlic bulbs, fresh ginger, spices and herbs in zip-locks, soy sauce, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in plastic squeeze bottles.

*** Flexible thin plastic cutting board. This also doubles as a campfire-flapper if you've don't have a Frisbee along.

*** Flip top plastic box for cutlery about 10x5X5 inches in size. After camping with Gabriola Cycle and Kayak I had to have one, but I may have become carried away trying to fill it. Current contents include:

*** Plastic cutlery, egg lifter, pasta server and large serving spoon

*** Plastic grater from a dollar store. The gourmet shops wouldn't believe that stainless steel rusts. They don't know salt water. Handy for cheese as well as 'hard' salad veggies carrots, cabbage, beets and jicama (Mexican easy-peel potato').

*** Mini plate scraper (2 inch square with no handle). A parting gift from Barb Shaw in Eugene.

*** Wiltshire paring knife. Stays sharp and packs safely away.

*** Plastic avocado scoop. If you can't find one in a kitchen store, you may have to make do with an empty clam or mussel shell.

*** Mini can opener blade on metal strip. I attach mine to a plastic luggage tag loop for easier finding. Cans are more for backup anyway, so why drag a big opener along?

*** Gooseneck pliers with plasticized handles. For boat repairs, lifting pots and bonking for fish. I've attached a cord for connecting to the boat when fishing.

*** Nabob 12-cup gold mesh filter cone. This fits in the mouth of my Eddie Bauer one-litre thermos for Melitta style coffee without the bulky filter holder or disposable filters.

*** Oven mitts. Nice for handling pots over an open fire.

*** Disposable Lighters. Two fit into a 'neck-safe' which is a take-apart plastic tube with an-ring and a string.

*** Pump container of waterless soap. Great to encourage frequent hand washing when fresh water is at a premium. Nobody wants to get sick on their holidays.

*** Cook's Notebook. One with waterproof pages is handy for jotting recipes and ways to 'kick up' packaged foods. For me and anyone who offers to sous-chef.

*** And Sue Handel swears by an Ortleib washbasin excellent for serving salads or bagels as well as washing-up.

 

Deborah Leach, her kayak and computer live in Victoria