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This Jiffy dutch oven cake made the cut on our last camping trip for a few specific reasons. We wanted a dessert item that wasn’t s’mores (we ate plenty of those) It had to be reasonably easy to make And … Continue reading
Coffee is almost a universal ingredient to a camping trip. Even on hot mornings, I usually have a cup or two. There are several different methods commonly used to make coffee on the trail. I’m going to show you the two methods I primarily use.
My coffee preparation typically depends on two things.
My preferred method is to brew coffee using a French Press. This method requires some boiling water and ground coffee of your choice. Put the ground in the bottom of the french press and pour the water over the top. Place the plunger and lid on top. The plunger should sit on the surface of the water.
Steeping coffee in my GSI Java Press
Let the coffee steep for 3 to 4 minutes or a little longer if you prefer stronger coffee.
Once enough time has passed, slowly press the plunger down to the bottom of the press. This forces the coffee grounds to the bottom of the press, leaving only liquid to pour out. Drink up!
The French Press method produces a really good cup of coffee, the only problem is you need room to pack the press. When I bought mine, I wasn’t thinking about having to store it. I bought the one with the cheapest price per ounce of capacity. Translation: I bought the biggest one, even though I’m usually the only one drinking coffee. Lesson learned.
[About my French Press: Several years ago, I bought a GSI Java Press. It is made from Lexan, so it is virtually indestructible. It has a nonslip rubberized bottom and a sleeve, pictured above to help insulate to retain heat. GSI has recently updated their Java Presses, now offering BPA-free plastic models
The second method I use, mainly when I don’t have room to store my Java Press, is… single serve instant coffee packs.
Single serve instant coffe packets
I know there is a huge difference between the coffee produced in a French Press and instant crystals. I think a lesser cup of coffee in nature tastes almost as good as a great cup of coffee anywhere else.
There are several companies producing single serve coffee products. If you really need a better cup of coffee, try Starbucks Via. I’ve never had it, but I hear it is very good.
I’ve also used coffee bags. They are just like tea bags, only with coffee. They work quite well but can be hard to find.
The benefits to this option are:
A couple of other methods commonly used to brew coffee on the trail are using a percolator and making “Cowboy Coffee.”
Percolating coffee was the primary method in the United States until the 1970’s. I think the main reason it still exists is nostalgia. Some people claim it is possible to make a superior cup of coffee with a percolator, but I disagree.
Boiling water is forced up a tube in the center of the percolator. This water washes over coffee grounds and back down into the boiling water. The process repeats until the coffee is ready to drink. The main problem with a percolator is that the same water is going through the grounds repeatedly. Each time picking up more compounds and usually end up making the coffee bitter.
Cowboy Coffee is probably the simplest method of brewing coffee. You pour coarsely ground coffee into your coffee pot and add boiling water. Stir for a minute or two. Then less the course coffee ground sink to the bottom. Pour the coffee off the top and drink. The main downside to this method is you’re never going to get all the coffee to sink to the bottom so you either have to filter it on the way to your cup or floss after drinking.
Choose whatever method you like, just don’t pass up the opportunity to drink some hot coffee on a cool morning at camp.
How do you prepare coffee while camping? Do you just skip it? Go for the Mountain Dew instead? Share below!
One of the beauties of a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area in Northern Minnesota is that in most of the lakes you can dip your cup directly in the water and take a drink. It’s cold and refreshing, but after a while, it tastes like, well, water. The classic solution has been to bring Tang drink powder. You know, the orange elixir that powered John Glenn on his Mercury mission. There is a new choice — MiO.
MiO Liquid Water Enhancer
Tang isn’t a bad choice. It’s lightweight, dry, travels well, and tastes OK.
MiO is better. There are a bunch of flavors. My favorite are Sweet Tea and Peach Tea
When you’re on a week long canoe trip, you can ingest as many calories as are available without it becoming and issue. Still, you want your energy to come from slow burning carbohydrates rather than fast burning sugars. If you drink too much tang, (aside from turning orange :)) your energy will spike and crash.
The MiO container is small and very lightweight. It’ll easily fit in your pocket. You get to choose how much to use to customize the flavor to your liking. Bring a few different flavors and it still takes up less space than the powdered stuff.
Just think of how convenient it would be to have your beverage of choice at hand on your next camping trip.
How do you solve the boring drink problem?
Here are some videos from our last trip to Willow River State Park in Hudson, WI. I wrote a lengthy overview last year. We visited again and shot some new video and took a bunch of pictures.
We walked the trail to the falls and shot a video showing the terrain and scenery. Here’s what you can expect to encounter. The trail is just under a mile long. It’s mostly flat with a couple of easy hills.
This gallery contains 6 photos.
I have been looking through Pinterest a lot lately to get different ideas on recipes, photo ideas, and stuff to do around the house. I saw the idea to make cookie bowls on there and thought it was such a … Continue reading
