Mystery Basket of a different type

[snowangel]

We head north next weekend to our cabin ( near Canadian border; just south of International Falls). We will ski across the lake from the tiny resort to our cabin, carrying only what we can via packs and sleds.

What food to take? The cabin is well stocked with "staples" (frozen, but they will unfreeze as the cabin does) such as flour, buttermilk powder, dried bean, spices, pasta, maple syrup, etc. There are no canned goods up there.

We will drill a hole through the 3' of ice (using our trusty Mora ice auger -- no motor) for water.

We do have a gas stove, but grill/smoker are probably buried under too much to get to. Refrigeration should not be a problem, but bear in mind that we do have to ski 4 miles. We can probably rely on Diana (12) and Peter (7, but a really tiny kid) to haul a little bit of stuff. Resort owner has said he will ski Heidi (special needs child) across the lake).

Remember, we'll need to save some of our weight for booze (whiskey seems appropriate). We won't need to take a lot of clothing since I anticipated this trip and stocked cabin accordingly when we left last October. We may or may not get fish; depends on how they are biting and just how cold it is. It is not hunting season.

Ideas? (And, yes, we are crazy; we have a different notion of "winter vacation").

[jackal10]

How long are you there for?

This sound like a case for leg of lamb six ways for five people:

Adapted for a stove-top only.

1. Mongol fire-pot (or another way with the lamb sliced from the end)

2. Boiled leg of lamb, caper sauce

3. Sheperd's pie (use instant mashed potato powder for the topping) or lasgne. You'll need a blowtorch to brown the top

4. Curry

5. Rissoles or hash (remains, hashed and fried)

6 Soup with the beans and stock

Takes me back to student days...

Edited February 28, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[Jinmyo]

Uh...

[Suzanne F]

I was thinking the frozen pre-sliced meats you can get in Chinese stores for hot pots. No extra weight of bone and trim.

And, OF COURSE, don't forget a nice slab of bacon.

[snowangel]

And, OF COURSE, don't forget a nice slab of bacon.  

I've left town and forgotten a child (still at day care; realized it 1-1/2 hours later ), but would NEVER forget bacon.

Boneless leg of lamb seems like a good idea. Little waste; can do many different things with leftovers, and I have easy access to superb lamb.

We'll be up there for four days -- leave on a Friday, very early in the am so we can get the cabin warmed up (wood fire; remember, even the core of the mattress is the same temp as outside) and return on a Monday.

Not only do we not want to haul too much heavy stuff, but we also have to haul out the trash. When we did these trips before kids, I learned to pre-trim vegetables, etc. to reduce trash.

And, like I said, the cabin is very well stocked with staples that can withstand being frozen.

We should have a wonderful time. It will be very quiet (fridge is lp gas, so it doesn't make any noise). We will play lots of games, read lots of books, listen to the radio, go snowshoeing, look for evidence of wildlife. No TV, no phone (no cell phone coverage up there). The worst part is the icy cold seat in the out house.

[torakris]

Snowangel,

I am so jealous! This is my type of dream vacation, no fancy hotels for me!

Once my youngest ( currently 2) gets older I can't wait to have more exciting vacations, my true love is white water rafting, though my husband inssits I will never get him in the boat!

We go camping a couple times a year, usaually 3 to 4 days at a time and take evrything we will need with us, I refuse to go shopping while camping.

It usually takes me a good week to figure out the menu, but hey that is the fun part!

Obviously you are limited with just the use of a stove but I think stew/ hotpots would be the best bet as these are a good use for the hardy winter vegetables (that will hold up best in back packs!).

I carefully plan everything down to the amount of salt and pepper needed, spices for stew/curries are always premeasured and put into baggies, or else I season the meats before leaving the house, when possible I trim the vegetables to make more space.

I usually try to plan meals that can actually become two (dinner and then a lunch), or else I prepare part of the next days meal the day before. For example after cooking rice for dinner, I make some of it into onigiri (rice balls) for the next morning's breakfast, or if grilling vegetables I set some aside for the next day's sandwich. One of my favorite sanwiches is to take a alarge round loaf of bread, pull out all the insides, then layer it with grilled vegetables, ham, tomato slices, basil or arugula, spread with a black olive- garlic paste put the top back on, wrap in foil and leave over night. This makes a wonderful for when at a beach or a park.

My parent's once left for a family trip leaving my 2 year old sister still playing in the basement, we had only gotten a block or 2 when my mom counted heads and realized one was missing!

Never happened again.

[helenas]

Holiday On Ice