Monday Tip - Spice Up Your Camp Cooking

Cooking action courtesy of Metric Kate from the OM gallery - a few well chosen condiments can convert 'bland' to bling...

It's very easy to slip into a twilight zone of blandness when you're out on the trail. Lightweight dried food like pasta, porridge and dehydrated soup or noodles may be efficient, but after a day on the hill, you want something with a little more interest to it.

That's particularly true at altitude, where food tends to taste bland and flat - one of the reasons airline food gets such a bad press.

Fortunately adding a few choice ingredients to your pack can make things a lot more interesting. Basics we like include dried, crushed chilli flakes, cinnamon maybe, and, if you're a porridge monster, a small plastic container of either honey or golden syrup to add a bit of sweetness to your slow-burning carbohydrates.

In the old days, 35mm film cannisters - are they / aren't they safe? - were a common choice,  but digital photography has rendered them increasingly rare, so we'd go for a purpose-made, set of plastic pots with food grade spec materials.

Last but not least, cafes and motorway service stations are a treasure trove of salt and pepper sachets, and, if you're that way inclined, a wide choice of exotic sauces, mustard and other handy food additions in handy. lightweight, individual portions.