…that’s the stove on.

Expedition Foods have some new flavours in their 800kcal range. It’s pretty much all we’ve used for the past 18 months, flavours, eatability and nutritional values are all good. I was sitting in the house the other day looking at the task of writing a few words about them for something else, and what with my weak will and can’t-be-arsed-cooking-ness I made up one of the new flavour meals (spicy mince and rice) to feed both myself and the thought process.

Sitting on a chair in front of the computer it’s just not the same. There’s no sssrrck…Whoomff! As I light my stove with my firesteel. There’s no eager anticipation as the meal sucks in the hot water oh so slowly, and I’m not worrying about getting sauce on my gloves, or the usual chunk of undissolved hot chocolate powder on my spork that’s shrinking with every mouthful of dinner. It’s not cold or dark, I’m not rubbing my feet together inside my sleeping bag enjoying the warmth spreading down my toes as I pull the zip right up under my arms between mouthfuls. There’s no clouds of reassuring steam rising from my mug and the rapidly diminishing tastiness in the pouch in my left hand. I’m not rolling up the empty bag and shaking my water bottles to see if there’s enough water for breakfast and a midnight cuppa.

In the house it’s a Pot Noodle in a bag. On the hill it’s feast from the golden pot at the rainbows end. It’s refueling earned, not aquired. Even making a brew on the summit on a day trip is tasty beyond it’s published remit of required refreshment. Food outside, there’s just nothing quite like it.