Recipe: Bread on a Branch

Total Servings: 13

As Packaged for the Trail: 1 serving

Weight per Serving: About 3 ounces

Required Equipment on the Trail:

Cooking stick, found along trail

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup barley flour

1/2 cup rye flour

1/2 cup oat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup ground sesame seeds

1/2 cup whole sesame seeds

1/2 cup flaxseed

1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups instant dry nonfat milk

1/2 cup ground rice or wheat germ

1/4 cup water per serving, added on the trail

Preparation at Home:

1.Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.

2.Evenly divide bread mix into 13 pint-size ziplock bags, about 1/2 cup each.

Preparation on the Trail:

1.To prepare a single serving, add 1/4 cup water to 1 bag bread mix.

2.Reseal bag and knead contents to the consistency of pie dough.

3.Form dough into a ribbon and wrap around the peeled end of a smooth branch to form a 6-inch-long “blanket.” Seal the end with a flap of dough.

4.Bake bread over a campfire until golden brown, being careful not to burn the dough.

5.Slide or peel from the branch to eat.

Tips:

• Some shrubs and trees are toxic! Exercise caution when selecting a cooking stick for this recipe.

• Use only branches collected from the ground and, then, only in areas where downed wood is plentiful and gathering is permitted.

Sandy Lee Burns, Prospect, Oregon, Lipsmackin’ Backpackin’