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Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 12:24 pm
by oldhikerQ
I haven't had Spam in ages. Not sure why, since it was a staple of family camping trips in the 60's. Never took it backpacking because of cans (bulky). May have to try one of the foil packages just for nostalgia's sake. I'm indifferent to Cliff bars. They appear on my menu once in a while, but never seem to make it into my bear can.

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 12:25 pm
by oldhikerQ
Mav,
I'd be interested in seeing what you come up with for your new back country menu.

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 1:25 pm
by maverick
Mav,
I'd be interested in seeing what you come up with for your new back country menu.
Me too! :)
Probably mostly Indian based.

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 1:51 pm
by longri
I've gone vegetarian on trips many times, mainly because my wife is a vegetarian. We do take some cheese but I don't think we'd miss it that much. Vegetarian meals can be delicious and there's way more variety than with meat dishes. It's even more true in the backcountry since there are all sorts of vegetarian foods that are dry or can be dried whereas dried or canned meat is generally a big disappointment.

In many ways I think it's easier than planning meat based meals.

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 4:17 pm
by mrphil
longri wrote:I've gone vegetarian on trips many times, mainly because my wife is a vegetarian. We do take some cheese but I don't think we'd miss it that much. Vegetarian meals can be delicious and there's way more variety than with meat dishes. It's even more true in the backcountry since there are all sorts of vegetarian foods that are dry or can be dried whereas dried or canned meat is generally a big disappointment.

In many ways I think it's easier than planning meat based meals.
No doubt about that at all. Just walk into any decent grocery store with a good dried food section and the bigger variety in choices of vegetable vs meat becomes obvious. Even freeze dried manufacturers offer more vegetable side dishes, and really, no stand-alone meat packages that I've ever seen. If you're looking for freeze dried meat, fish, poultry, you usually find the best selections at Asian/Korean markets, or you just figure out how to prepare and use jerked meats that you dehydrate at home in your recipes.

If you want the protein as a vegetarian, also being a pescatarian really helps; from tuna packets, to smoked and pickled fish, all the way to whatever you can catch. We tweak what we eat for the better with some sort of fish and a few spices all the time. The worst and most unfulfilling MH Pasta Primavera or Chicken a la King becomes an entirely new experience with a little tuna, trout, or even some smoked baby oysters if you don't mind hauling the tin.

You might want a big steak when you get back, but I never understand it when people resign themselves to lugging around and choking down crappy food either because they think they have to or for want of a little creativity.

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:55 pm
by giantbrookie
apeman45 wrote:I've always joked that they look like they've already passed through someone's digestive track.
This reminds me of a story that will amuse readers who dislike Clif Bars. One night I was camping at a Bay Area campground. Having had a good evening at my favorite pub in Hayward I headed into my tent and quickly fell asleep forgetting that I had all my daytime snack food in my cooler outside of my tent (along with a couple of bottles of wine for having with BBQ later during the trip). In the middle of the night I hear my cooler get knocked over. I was pretty sure this was a raccoon but I had forgotten I had left anything edible in there (only remembered the wine) so I didn't think anything of it until I awoke the next morning and surveyed the carnage. The raccoon or group of them had indeed knocked over my cooler and had broken into every Clif Bar I had plus each bag of nuts (almonds, macadamias). Whereas some nuts were left I wasn't about to eat them now that they'd been slobbered over by the raccoon(s). Mournfully I started cleaning up the mess following and picking up a trail of Clif Bar wrappers. Well, about the 30 feet from the cooler things started to really get bad....Apparently Clif Bars don't agree with raccoons. From that point down the campground road was a trail of Clif Bar puke. So I can honestly say I have seen what Clif Bars look like when they've gone partly down an animal's digestive tract (and rebounded back).

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:14 pm
by SNOOOOW
I will take SPAM over a clif bar personally

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:24 pm
by Jimr
I'll eat anything. If I like it, I'll lick the plate. If I love it, I'll eat the plate.

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:58 pm
by longri
SNOOOOW wrote:I will take SPAM over a clif bar personally
Me too, but I just can't type in those words that suggest consuming Spam. I'll let the zombies eat me.

And it's not that I'm a snob. I've been known to lick the greasy, salty lid of the pot after popping popcorn. And when going stoveless I often take mayonnaise packets and consume them like Clif shots. They are so good as chasers for 151 proof Demerara rum.

Re: Spam or Cliff bars?

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:39 am
by robow8
longri wrote:
And it's not that I'm a snob. I've been known to lick the greasy, salty lid of the pot after popping popcorn.
I never thought of that. [as i'm digging out the whirlypop]