Can anyone recommend to me the handful of little things - spices, flavourings etc - that they feel make a real difference to camping food? I've got limited space in my pack, but if there's something special out there that might perk up my Beanfeasts and things then I'd love to take it with me.

Any ideas v. welcome, thanks!

Garlic, chilli powder and onion. With them you can make anything taste palatable :)

Whatever spices you like.

Plus:

Sun dried tomatoes.
Dried mushrooms.
Dried peppers.
Dried chillis.

For sweets, dried apricots.

A tiny bottle of Piri piri...

Chilli powder, curry powder, paprika, pepper... you name it. Anything that spices things up a bit I find. Works well with Supernoodles and the like too. I mix a few spices up and keep it in a small ziplock bag. Takes up no space at all really

Also, dried vegetables. Onions, mushrooms, garlic etc.

Can I ask, are you vegetarian? If not, you take dried meat or peperami etc.

god, what's that hot stuff in a bottle called. There's also various recipies out there on line for mixing up your own stuff to spice up bland food.

tabasco sauce by any chance?

Cognac,the drink of the gods,enough of that and you dont care what youre food tastes like!Unable to get cognac? Garlic,yum,yum.

Oregano.

Never thought I'd post that here

SALT!!

Seriously tho folks...
Sainsbury's do something called Miracle Seasoning/Salt (in small green tub in specialist food section if you have one, has picture of the chef chappie on the front). It's the mutz nutz! Sort of Cajun stylee seasoning. Great with absolutely everything. Am never without it.

Many thanks for all the great ideas!

Yes, I'm a veggie, Oot n' Aboot, but thanks for the rest of your suggestions :)

CC - the Miracle Seasoning Salt sounds intriguing! I'll look it out, thanks.

I bought tubes of quick garlic and veggie paste today, as well as some dried onions. I'll get some chilli powder and look out for the hot bottled stuff too.

Thanks again, peeps :-))

Chilli sauce, curry powder, garlic powder.
Sorts most things out!

The bloke in the next cell has some white powder he puts on his chips instead of salt. Makes him very cheerful. I'll try and find out where he gets it

On a slightly different - non-savoury tack - my luxury item is honey. Added to porridge in the morning, poured onto pitta bread for lunch, it fairly perks up the day.

Peewiglet, You may well be aware of this, but a lot of the ultra-lightweight backpacking sites have some very good ideas for backpacking food. Try a "google" on ultralight backpacking. I've found some pretty good ideas on some of them. They're mostly American sites, and therefore American food, but I've found that with a bit of experimenting you can easily substitute British equivalents.

Ta, oot n' aboot - I didn't know that. I'll go and have a look :)

Thanks for the honey tip, Colin. It sounds a bit heavy for backpacking, but a yummy addition to my car camping box!

u can get tobasco in tiny little bottles about 1/2 the size of your finger but i wish they did sachets

Forget the bottles, wrap the tabasco in double freezer bags, properly tied up....no leaks, no weight, proper taste.

Fire powder...its mix of chilli flakes, dried pepper flakes, black pepper corns and a few other things, can be picked up from the supermarket or places like julian graves.

Its fantastic added to most savoury dishes.

Id also echo dried mushrooms and onions. and if you weren't veggie ...bacon bits ;o)

Cheers
Andy

PS if you like chilli's i can send you some different ones later in the year for drying or using fresh...i grow loads of varieties you wont find in the shops which will definaltey add to meals!

i always carry a few stock cubes and a few sprigs of thyme as well as garlic,chilli and salt and pepper,and if its a short trip i always have olive oil
also dried mushies and tomatoes.
in the autumn i always keep a eye out for wild mushrooms or any types of fruit