Tramping food: Dutch style fruit bread

 

..Krentenbrood...great for breakfast, lunch and dessert!!!

I was looking for something different to take with me on my recent tramp of the Heaphy Track and after a bit of consideration I decided on some of this delicious fruit bread. Rosedale Fruit Loaf is a specialty dense fruit bread made by the Delamine Food Company here in New Zealand. 

Rosedale Dutch style Fruit loaf or Krentenbrood

The bread comes packed in a sturdy plastic bag and due to the ingredients and baking process it is shelf stable and totally usable for up to 10 days. You will find it at most supermarkets and it will either be in the baked goods section or specialty bread section. 

Krentenbrood is packed with dried fruit and peel

This fruit loaf is good for all meal periods but it would be best as a breakfast option as it is sweet. I could see myself eating this with a strip of  Prosciutto or some Salami but then I am freaky and like to mix sweet and savory items together. A loaf of this bread could easily last you for one of the longer South Island sections of the TA. 

Rosedale Fruit loaf with other breakfast options...

The loaf comes unsliced and you can cut it to whatever thickness you desire...in my case that is bloody huge chunks about 2 cm's thick. It is good fresh or toasted and while it can be eaten without anything it is so much better with some kind of spread. I have had this bread with butter and margarine but it is also a great loaf for fruit jams, marmalade, conserved fruit, nut butters or honey

Slices of the Rosedale Fruit Loaf...looks good!!!

Rosedale Fruit Loaf  is a dense fruit bread...

With a slice or two of salami or cheese it is a complete breakfast meal option and I have had nothing but a chunk of the loaf and coffee for breakfast a number of times on a trail. It is also a lovely dessert for the end of the day as the sweetness of the fruit and peel is very appealing after the main meal. I was having it morning and evening for the first three days of the Heaphy Track. 

Ingredient list for Rosedale Fruit Loaf

Krentenbrood is great fresh....

There are a couple of negative points to the bread...it is on the heavy side with a loaf weighing 450 gm's. That is the same weight as 2/3 of a 24 hour ration for me on a typical day!!! This is not a problem if there are four of you to distribute the food weight but it is significant if you are humping everything on your own back. 

It is also uncommon in smaller food shops like a rural Four Square but is readily available in any of the larger supermarkets. 

...or toasted with your favorite toppings

The other factor is it is a bit sticky so you have to wash your hands after handling it or they will get all your gear dirty. Apart from that it is all good as far as I am concerned. A loaf of this bread costs between $5-$6 NZ dollars at this time. It is definitely something you should consider the next time you are planning a menu for a tramp.

 

Nutritional Information for Rosedale Fruit Loaf

Here is a blurb about these fruit loafs from the Delmaine Food company website...

Keep an eye for the next appearance of this fruit loaf on a tramp...I am taking some on the Routeburn with me!