Archive for August 29, 2012

By Cameron McKirdy
My buddy stopped by today with pockets full of raw mushrooms from the forest in our backyard. He shared his amazing, fresh chanterelles, and chicken of the woods mushrooms. You gotta try these flavorful fungi.

First we cleaned the chanterelles, then dried them. After dicing them up, they went into a pan on low heat. We sautéed them in butter, and a little organic sunflower oil. Next we added minced, fresh garlic. The shrooms were amazing like that.

This was my first taste of chantrelle mushrooms. I was surprised by the rich, spicy flavor. It lingered on the tounge. Very yummy. They are orangish, funnel-shaped, with wavy caps. Chanterelles are known for being rich in vitamin C, D, and potassium too.

Chanterelles are hard to find in the Pacific Northwest. My hommie found a pound of them on his elk bow hunting trip. I’m hooked now. I’m going to find some, and dry them for future meals. I could even sell them to local restaurants. These edible mushrooms are truly a delicacy.

After we lightly cooked the chantrelles we mixed them in turkey chili, with black pepper. It was so good. I savored every bite. It was a five star feast. Thankfully I have friends that share. %^].

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Survival Bros is hungry and focused. We promise to bring you quality reviews of the products we actually use. This blog looks at the Jetboil Zip cooking system.

At $74.95 the Jetboil stove is not cheap. It’s nicer than the ones you can get at Big 5, and other smaller sporting goods stores. Survival Bros invested in the Zip because it’s compact, efficient, and light weight. Not including the pot support and fuel stand, it weighs just 12 ounces. The system can be packed up, and self contained. Even a small fuel tank can store inside the cup securely.

It takes just over 2 minutes to boil 16 ounces of water, depending on how cold it is, and how much fuel you have. That means you can prepare freeze dried and dehydrated Mountain House meals at camp in minutes. The 0.8 liter cup is insulated too. These guys thought of it all. The lid strains liquid, and the bottom cup can measure, or be a bowl. Also included is a tripod stand to avoid spilling.

The entire Jetboil Zip cooking system is perfect for weekend backpacking trips into the outdoors. I’ve used it several times to make hot coffee, cook, and boil sketchy water for safety. It’s extremely convenient.

Survival Bros highly recommends this stove for short trips, and light cooking. I’d love to have the bigger size to cook even more hot food. Until then I’m keeping the Zip, and stocking up on Jetboil fuel. I actually bought mine off eBay for about $20 less than retail. It pays to plan ahead, and price around. Have a Jetboil? Tell us what you think of it.

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