High Sierra Topix

What are your favorite spices or other flavor enhancers for backpacking?

This last summer I tried anchovy paste. A squirt on pasta dishes is great
Allspice or Chinese Five Spice is also a favorite on cereal or sprinkled in cocoa
Garlic- the real stuff- weighs little
Tajan - I love the hint of lime
Everything bagel topping- good on fish too
McCormick brown sugar bourbon rub - great on fish

The Yellowbird salsas are really good on a variety of things. I even use them at home.

@Wandering Daisy I think you meant to refer to Tajin, not Tajan?

You are correct- I cannot spell. After years of not finding them, our WINCO now sells the tiny Tajin bottles- perfect size. I use these little bottles for all my other spices too; fill them with all kinds of spices using a funnel.

I was introduced to the "spice kit" idea when I worked for NOLS and became hooked on taking a variety of spices on every trip. It really helps to keep typical backpack food from tasting all the same if you are out for a long time.

I also grow basil in my garden and put in a few leaves to use for the first night's meal.

Last summer I took a lot of nori and put it in several meals, along with anchovy paste. Unless you hate the taste of nori, it is a super lightweight way to get some vegetables in backpack meals.

Started putting Tajin on our tables a while back, very popular. As a chef by trade, I am constantly experimenting with new spices. Masala, Curry, Sumac, Harissa, Ras El Hanout, Mole, and Zahtar will take your taste buds on a wild ride. There are so many Masalas and Curries from many regions, even within the same country with there own unique twists.

One of my favorites is smoked black pepper.

Dunno what it is, but plain old soy sauce tastes like the greatest thing on earth. I tend to go overboard with the dry sriricha seasoning in everything (no regrets). Starting to use Truelime in a lot of things too.

Good topic!

Food is a Big Deal for me, even more so while backpacking. I consider most freeze dried and dried packaged meals as a starting point. They can actually taste pretty good if you dial them in with a spice kit and additional ingredients.
My spice kit is contingent on the meal plan.

• Of course there's salt, pepper.
• I love nori; eat it as a snack back home. I use on trail in miso soup.
• Miso paste also works with several food items, surprisingly it make those meh tasting beef stroganoff and certain casserole meals more palatable. Goes good with trout, and in egg skillets, too.
• +1 on fresh garlic cloves.
• I make my own curries, starting with a store item and customizing it, depending on the curry category I am working with. If I am bringing doing a Middle East curry, I also bring raisins, they sweeten up the curry real nicely.
• Cumin, coriander and oregano for Mexican style dishes.
• Basil, bay leaf, oregano and tubes of tomato paste or pesto paste for the skillets and Italian dishes.
• Cardamom for certain Middle Eastern recipes.
• Beef and poultry gravy packets enhance the sauces of different meals.

Not spices but:

• Oils and butter. They add a rich flavor, and are a high density calorie source to add to backpacking meals, most of which do not provide sufficient calories for extended trips.
• Fresh serrano chilies.
• Frequently I'll bring dried onions and other dried veggies, and freeze dried meat or chicken to add to packaged meals.
• Sun dried tomatoes and good cheeses - use you imagination, they improve many meals.
• More about egg skillets: the bacon that needs no refrigeration really improves this dish. In fact I just get egg crystals and concoct my own egg skillets.
• Nido. The best powdered milk IMO.
• An odd practice: I like to bring one fresh orange or lime per peak I intend summiting. It is a decadent treat for the middle of nowhere.

Soy sauce tastes good in the BC, because you crave the salt.

Ed