the mandoline
July 17th, 2010
The mandoline has to be one of the most indispensable kitchen gadgets, aside from a food dehydrator, when it comes to preparing foods to be dried for the trail.
What is a mandoline? I’m sure the word conjurs up visions of a beautifully crafted musical instrument. A mandoline is an adjustable slicer that allows you to create slices of varying thicknesses or to julienne. It’s especially wonderful for slicing fruit and veggies that you will dehydrate. There are a few reasons that such a slicer works well for this application. First of all, it creates very uniform slices which make for even drying. Secondly, it is speedy and can reduce time in the kitchen.
There are many models of these slicers on the market ranging in price from $20 to $200 dollars. I recommend buying the best you can afford. I prefer a model made of metal as opposed to a less expensive plastic model.
A mandoline is the perfect tool for any cook who is creating their own dehydrated backpacking foods. It’s also great for slicing cucumbers and radishes for summer salads.
I’ll start off with a little treat I discovered recently, Côte d’Or Lemon Ginger, a filled dark chocolate bar that is a yummy addition to the fare in my pack. As many of you know, I adore ginger and chocolate. It is one of my favorite flavor combinations, however, I was unsure how I would feel when lemon had been added to the mix. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really love this combination. The chocolate is not as dark as other dark chocolate bars I’ve enjoyed in the past — I’d put the cocoa content at about 60%. The bits of ginger add a nice bite and the lemon enhances the richness of the chocolate. The filling is a tiny bit mousse-like and of a lighter consistency than the outside.
