Provisions

provisions (n.) food drink, or equipment, especially for a journey.

SPICY HOT CHOCOLATE

Even though temperatures are slowly rising, it can still be chilly outside. A chocolate beverage is always welcome for hydration and energy, and one with warming spices gives you the comfort you need to enjoy your time in the great outdoors.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup almond milk (For dairy free, use 2 cups total of nut milk of choice) 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup or honey 1/2 teaspoon chaga mushroom powder 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon cloves 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Heat the milk until steaming, but not boiling. Whisk in the cocoa powder then stir in the rest of the herbs and spices. Pour into your thermos or flask and off you go on your adventure. Feel free to adjust the amounts of cocoa powder and maple syrup or honey to suit personal taste preferences. (Suzanne Tabert)

HOMEMADE DEHYDRATED MEALS

Dehydrating your own backpacking meals can be fun and cost-effective compared to purchasing ready-made freeze-dried meals. It can also be a great wintertime activity while planning your trips for next season. There are plenty of recipes online, but I have been experimenting with green chile stew, squash stew, and chili.

There are some things to keep in mind when preparing and storing your dehydrated meals. Cut your veggies into small chunks so they dry evenly and won’t take long to rehydrate. Do not use oils when cooking. If you are adding meat, cook it separately and rinse it well to remove all the fat. You can add broth or soy sauce when cooking your veggies, which adds flavor but nothing that might spoil. Use the fruit leather sheets in your food dehydrator to hold any moist foods. Check online for drying times for your model of dehydrator, then after the food is completely dry, divide into servings and add about ¼ cup of instant rice or whatever quick-cooking noodles you want to use.

When packing the meals, I also add a scoop of dehydrated or keto butter, adding back fats and flavor. You have lots of storage options: Ziplock bags, mason jars, or mylar bags similar to freeze dried meals. Mylar bags allow you to add boiling water directly. These meals will be shelf stable for a few months or over a year in the freezer and can deployed for a quick meal any night. (Adam Gebauer)

VOODOO RANGER IMPERIAL IPA

According to the New Belgium Brewing website, the Voodoo Ranger family is brewed with trendsetting hop and malt varieties—and served with a side of sarcasm. The Imperial IPA receives rave reviews, and it’s one of their top sellers. This is the brewery’s heavy weight champion for IPA flavor and strong 9% ABV.

Imperial IPAs (also referred to as Double IPAs) are a stronger, very hoppy variant of IPAs that typically have alcohol content above 7.5% by volume. New Belgium blends delta, bravo, centennial, cascade, calypso, and mosaic hops and brews a dark, smoky beer. It’s smooth, and tasty, and really inexpensive compared to any other Imperial IPAs. When poured into a glass, one can easily pick up the hop aroma, with pine and floral notes, and a hint of citrus peel.

If the Imperial IPA is a little too strong, give some of the other sarcastic Voodoo Rangers a try. Considering New Belgium recently added a Hazy Imperial IPA to the list of award-winning beers, NBB is taking its brewing innovations to the next level. (Jon Jonckers)

NEW LOCAL CRAFT BREWERY BOX

Most people know Spokane-based local food hub LINC Foods for its LINC Boxes. When you sign up for a LINC Box service, depending on the season, you receive weekly or bi-weekly boxes of seasonal, sustainably grown produce and other artisan foods from farmers and producers from around the Spokane region and Northwest.

Last spring in the midst of the pandemic lockdown, LINC launched a new way to connect people with locally-produced food. The LINC Market is an online grocery shopping service with a focus on a wide range of local, sustainable foods. Shoppers can then pick up their orders at one of several locations around the Spokane area.

New this year, to the cheers of Inland Northwest craft beer lovers, LINC is adding a Brewery Box, a curated local craft beer subscription. While the details were still being worked out as of late February, LINC crop promotions director Michelle Youngblom already had an excellent line-up of participating brewers: Single Hill Brewing, The Grain Shed, YaYa Brewing, Lumberbeard Brewing, Paramour Brewing, Whistle Punk, and potentially Big Barn Brewing and Paradise Creek. “The Brewery Box will be offered solo as a Brewer's Selection Variety, as well as an add-on to the LINC Box,” says Youngblom. LINC is also hoping to add local brews to the offerings available for online purchase through the LINC Market this spring.

LINC is also planning to expand its pickup locations this year and possibly add home delivery options for both the LINC Box and Brewery Box. (Derrick Knowles)

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