Food? What kind of food does one bring?

Alpha · Post by **Alpha** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:20 am

showing ample preparedness, gilmore wrote:I’m hoping Power Gel and a can of Ensure nutrient drink each day will help combat the effects of what the playa inflicts on me and also whatever I wreak upon myself.

In general I think it's a great idea for BM virgins to prepare for the worst. Being from Phoenix, I would expect you in particular to suffer less than most on the playa (either through physical adaptation or just plain common sense about dealing with heat). Like the dust mask issue, a little preparation and a little common sense is all that's required for most people -- don't stress out about it.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:57 am

Well we as Spaghetti Western Camp think it's a GREAT IDEA... especially if you come to our wagon with your own utensils . . . mmmmm SPAGHETTI . . .

marnen · Post by **marnen** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:22 pm

2002 was my first (and so far only) burn. I'll be back this year. In 2002 I wound up flying at the last minute, so I didn't have space for a cooler. To the best of my memory, I brought:

8 2.5-gallon containers of water (I used 7 of these in a week, without bathing)
Jerky
Pretzels filled with peanut butter
Oranges
Rice
Orzo (rice-shaped pasta, no need to drain)
Lentils
Garlic (fresh)
Tomato paste (canned)
Olive oil
Vinegar
Dried mint
Sugar
Salt
Coleman stove with two propane canisters

Some notes:

The initial plan was to live on rice and lentils most of the week. I have a recipe for lentils with garlic and tomato paste (at home I use fresh tomatoes) which is easy to make and tasty, and with rice should make complete proteins. In actual fact, I was too tired and cranky to do much cooking before Wednesday, but {rice|orzo} and lentils served me well.
The mint and sugar were for making sekanjabin (a Persian mint drink, basically sugar syrup with vinegar and mint diluted to taste). I didn't get to do that, but I will this time -- it's *very* refreshing. I used the mint to season the rice instead.
I bought a bag of oranges, thinking I'd go through them really fast. I didn't, and they went bad, so I couldn't even donate them to DPW.
Speaking of DPW, they definitely became beneficiaries of my overbuying (not that I mind that). I only used one canister of propane, and I also had some lentils and orzo left over. The desert conditions definitely kill the appetite.
Be nice to your neighbors, and they will be nice to you. I wound up sharing dinner at least twice with some folx camped next to me. But the highlight was probably when a man came out of the camp across the street and asked if anyone had salad dressing. I offered him my oil and vinegar, and got the pleasant surprise of freshly grilled salmon steaks (and *ice-cold* microbrewed beer and soda) in return!

In short: be smart, resourceful, and nice, and everything will work out fine.

Best,
Marnen Laibow-Koser
[email protected]

III · Post by **III** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:10 pm

>>some lentils and orzo left over

please only plan on donating unopened bags/boxes/containers to the dpw, and only food that has a decent shelf life. no fresh fruit or vegetables, and no half finished boxes of fig newtons. in fact, the only thing you can leave behind that's been opened are boxes of cigarettes - for some reason those don't seem to be a problem.

Last Real Burner · Post by **Last Real Burner** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:23 pm

What Brand? Even though I don't smoke maybe I'll bring a carton to donate.

significantly,
mr smith

III · Post by **III** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:40 pm

i like to bring em virgina slims light 120's. something about seeing a group of dirty macho guys sucking on the extra long girlie sticks just makes me happy inside. plus the box is purple. (dpw people aren't picky. it's the rangers that worry about getting just the right thing for a gift. or was that the gate staff?)

III · Post by **III** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:41 pm

there's an indian smoke shop right off the highway in wadsworth - cheaper than pretty much anywhere else, and you get to support the local economy...

Last Real Burner · Post by **Last Real Burner** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:47 pm

agreeingly,
mr smith

marnen · Post by **marnen** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:50 pm

III wrote:>>some lentils and orzo left over

please only plan on donating unopened bags/boxes/containers to the dpw, and only food that has a decent shelf life.
[...]

That was exactly the situation (sealed bags of dried beans and pasta), but thanks for the additional info. I don't think I'll be doing cigarettes, though -- as much as I like to do nice things for people, I find tobacco objectionable enough that I can't quite stomach supporting the habit in others.

Best,
Marnen

III · Post by **III** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 10:29 am

(sorry, i should have added the usual "for other people considering this" disclaimer. i didn't mean to imply that you'd done anything wrong.)

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 10:55 am

We know what Larry smokes.

SilkenTofu · Post by **SilkenTofu** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 8:52 am

everyone smokes nowadays, what ever happened to chew???

I didn't see too many spittoons on the playa.

Food? What kind of food does one bring?

Re: Power Gel

Is pasta a good idea or a bad idea?

Lost and all Alone...

Nothing to say...