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!

Lightweight food options....self heating Omeal range

Omeals....no cook tramping food...

My partner Karen and I tried something new on our tramp on the Rakuira Track, the new range of self heating meals called Omeals. Omeals are a product new to the New Zealand market and are basically like a US military MRE...you have the pouch of wet food, a water activated heating element and an outer bag to contain the meal.

Using them requires no external heating or even hot water as you simply add about a cup of cold water to the pack, add the food & unwrapped heater pack and wait as it chemically heats the food. This means you can potentially eat in the back-country without carrying the extra weight of cooker, gas canister and cooking pot....usually a saving of 500-700gms. 

No cook tramping...forgo the cooker, gas canister and cook pot!!!

There are a variety of meals available for both breakfast and main meals including gluten free and vegetarian versions. These meals are currently only available from Hunting and Fishing stores ($15 per meal) but I could see more shops carrying them as an option if the demand was high enough. 

Review of the meals I have tried from the Omeal range...

We tried a couple of different varieties of these meals including a breakfast option and two of the main meal options. Here is a list of all of the options currently available from Hunting and Fishing stores:

Hashbrown Potato, Oatmeal, Vegetable Stew with Beef, Chicken Creole, South West Chicken, Spaghetti Bolognese, Red Lentils with Beef, Cheese Tortellini with Tomato Sauce and Pasta Fagioli...

Another option: vegetarian Pasta Fagioli

There are a number of other meals but they are not yet available in this country, have a look at my comments on the meals we have tried below..... 

Southwest Style Chicken

We tried these meals as an experiment on the second night of our Rakuira Track walk...I thought it would be a good option after a tiring seven hour day. Karen chose one meal for herself and I chose one for me. My choice was the Southwest Style Chicken....stewed chicken, rice, beans, corn and other vegetables. 

It was well cooked without being over soft and you could clearly make out all of the flavor profiles of his very popular SW American style dish. The sauce is tomato based but was rich and dark with the slightest touch of chilli flavor to it. It was very nice and I would have no problems eating this one again...

Hashbrown Potatoes

We had the Hashbrown Potatoes for breakfast and unlike other all day breakfast options I have tried (Back Country and Mountain House) this one is bloody good. This hashbrown mix is really good and has distinct flavors of potato, onion, green peppers (capsicum) and bacon. It is absolutely beautiful and I have subsequently used it on two further tramping trips.

It is grated and cooked potato with additions and while intended as a main meal or meal accompaniment but it is at breakfast where it excels. I have always had problems with breakfast meals..I like porridge and muesli but it does get boring after a couple of days. I have so far paired this with salami sticks, spam and cold sausages and it is awesome with all of them. 

While this would not totally supplement the usual morning staples it is certainly another excellent no mess breakfast option when planning meals for your tramps. I will be using this into the future.....

Lentils with Beef

Karen had this for dinner as she enjoys lentils and it has a mixture of beef pieces, lentils, cubed carrots and a tomato based sauce in a thick curry like meal. It has a rich savory flavor and smells really delicious. 

The carrots and lentils were well cooked without being mush and there were plenty of chunky pieces of slow simmered beef which flaked to the fork. The flavor was strongly of tomato but with a deep beef essence, coriander, onion and garlic. It was really nice...probably better than the South West Chicken but not by far..I would buy this one again.

Are there down sides to Omeals?

There is not a lot wrong with these..generally they tick all the right boxes for nutrition, ease of use and general weight savings. They do have a number of down points mainly the waste associated with them, cost and weight of the packs.

There is a lot of waste packaging with these meals but then there is with all food and dehydrated meals in particular. They do weigh 227 gms which is heavy for a single meal but this can be partially addressed by removing the enclosed spoon, napkin and salt and pepper pack. They cost $15 which seems a lot though any dehydrated meal will currently set you back for $12-$19 anyway.

All of the commercial freeze dried meal ranges available in New Zealand

It is all about choice really....you get to choose what you will carry...this is just another option. 

These are another option when meal planning for your outdoor adventures and you should give them a try at least once to see if they fit into your tramping style and dietary requirements. I am really pleased to see these meals as another tool in the outdoor cookery chest.  I will add a review for any other meals I use from this range so make sure you check back in the future to see what other options I have sampled.

Resupply point: St Arthur's Pass General Store, Arthurs Pass Township, South Island

Resupplying in Arthur's Pass, Arthur's Pass National Park, South Island

Another spot you will need to resupply on the Te Araroa Trail is in Arthur's Pass Township. On a recent visit to the area I went into the only two places that sell grocery items and took some photos to show you what you can expect.

Arthur's Pass Store and Cafe, Arthur's Pass Village

Hopefully this information will assist you with your Te Araroa Trail planning. 

The Arthur's Pass township & the Store and Cafe:

Arthurs Pass is a small township perched in the depths of the Southern Alps. The regular population of the township is less than 30 people: mostly railway workers, cafe workers, Police, DOC staff and roading contractors. 

The sign at Arthur's Pass Railway Station

The town only exists because it is one of  the crossing points over the Southern Alps.  Both SH73 and the Trans Alpine rail link between Christchurch and the West Coast of the South Island pass through the township. It is also the nexus for Arthur's Pass National Park.

Map: Arthur's Pass township

Because the town is so small it has very little infrastructure: there are a number of accommodation providers, two cafes, a DOC visitor centre and a railway station. That's it really....because of this one of the cafes also acts as the general store for the area.

Arthurs Pass township: view west towards the Pass and the West Coast of the South Island

Arthur's Pass township: view east towards the DOC centre and Canterbury

 

The Arthur's Pass Cafe Store

The Arthurs Pass Cafe Store is located right in the centre of the Arthur's Pass township...it is easily the most prominent and easy to spot building in the village. The main part of the building is seating for the cafe section of the store. The store is also the home of the only petrol bower in the village.

The Arthurs Pass Cafe Store...on the main drag, Arthur's Pass village

The Arthur's Pass store carries a small but comprehensive grocery selection to supply both visitors and the locals who live and work in the area. It is located at the rear of the store, back beyond the cafe section of the building and consists of a number of shelves and a couple of coolers with chilled and frozen goods in them.

Arthur's Pass Store: inside the store and cafe: note the menu board

There is a very limited selection of chilled meat, cheese and milk in a cooler next to the food shelves. 

Arthur's Pass Store:grocery section at the front of the cafe

Arthur's Pass Store:grocery section at the front of the cafe

Arthur's Pass Store:grocery section at the front of the cafe

I've taken some close up shots of the grocery shelves so you can see exactly what they have in the shop. I was mentally building a multi day menu in my mind as I took these shots...you could easily buy enough food to see you through to either Hanmer Springs (4-7 days) or Tekapo (5-7 days) from the goods they have on offer.

 

Arthur's Pass Store:grocery section at the front of the cafe

In fact you could resupply to see you through to St Arnaud, you just wouldn't be able to carry all that weight...

Arthur's Pass Store:grocery section at the front of the cafe

Arthur's Pass Store:grocery section at the front of the cafe

Arthur's Pass Store:grocery section at the front of the cafe

Arthur's Pass Store:chilled section at the front of the cafe

The General Store is primarily a cafe and tearooms so they have both menu and cabinet items for sale. There is a wide selection of sandwiches, pies, cookies and cakes as well as fruit and various beverages. You can see the menu on the blackboard in the photo below, the range is limited but they sell cooked breakfasts as well as a number of burgers, hot chips and toasted sandwiches.

Arthur's Pass Cafe Store: the food cabinets

There is also a selection of snack items arranged around the main counter so make sure you have a look at what they have available including jerky, chocolate, meal bars and candies.

Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: jerky products

Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: sweets and chocolate supplies

The store has a limited supply of clothing items including socks, merino tops, t-shirts and fleece and merino hats, scarves and gloves. They also sell lightweight rain jackets and baseball caps.

There is a small off license at the Arthur's Pass store, they sell a limited selection of beers, ciders, wine and large spirit bottles. The prices were comparable to what you would pay in Christchurch so $50-$60 for a large bottle of spirits and $12-$25 for a bottle of wine.

Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: Spirits and wine selection in their off license

As always you must be 18 years of age or older to buy these products and I would imagine they WILL ask for ID to prove this. Apart from the bars at the Wobbly Kea and the Bealey Hotel (10 kms away) this is the only place to buy alcohol in the township.

  

Arthur's Pass DOC Visitor Centre:

NB: the DOC center is currently being redeveloped so a temporary DOC center can be found next to the Wobbly Kea Cafe in the main part of the village. It is due to return to the site shown below in late 2020-early 2021, they are in the process of finalising a building design.

The temporary DOC Visitor Centre in Arthur's Pass Village

The other place which sells a very limited array of resupply items is the Department of Conservation visitor centre in Arthur's Pass. They mainly have a selection of Backcountry Freeze dried meals but also have jerky products, gas canisters and Em's Snack Bars.

Arthur's Pass DOC Centre: the small selection of resupply items

The store has some clothing items including socks, merino tops, t-shirts and fleece and merino hats, scarves and gloves. They also sell hut tickets, trekking poles, lightweight rain jackets and baseball caps. 

Arthur's Pass DOC Centre: the small selection of resupply items

As you are going to visit the centre to check the weather for the next leg of the trail you might as well stop and stock up on a few items. Note that the DOC Visitor centre is the only place selling gas canisters in the township, otherwise you are going to Hokitika or Christchurch as they are the next closest towns that sell these items. 

Eating at the Wobbly Kea

The other place to eat in Arthurs Pass is at the Wobbly Kea Cafe and Bar. It is located directly across the road from the Cafe Store in the centre of Arthur's Pass Township.

The Wobbly Kea cafe and bar, Arthur's Pass Village, Arthur's Pass National Park

The cafe is also a bar so if you are looking for a drink this is where you will need to go, hours are 9 am to 5pm over the winter, 8-8pm during the summer season. The Cafe serves cooked breakfasts, and lunch/dinner items in the style of bar food so pizza's, burgers, fries, dressed pies and toasted sandwiches. 

Wobbly Kea Cafe and Bar: the inside of the cafe

They do a decent coffee here and I have had one of their pizzas and they are very tasty. 

Camping in Arthur's Pass village:

There is only one legal camping site around Arthur's Pass Village and that is the Avalanche Peak campsite. If you try to camp anywhere else you can be fined up to $20 000 under the new freedom camping regulations. 

Mountain House, the YHA in Arthur's Pass

There are several accommodation providers in the village including a YHA, Arthurs Pass Alpine Motel and the Bealey Motel approximately five kilometers east of the Village.

Avalanche Creek, camp-site and day shelter.

The main camp-site and the one closest to Arthur's Pass township is the Avalanche Creek shelter and camp-site. There is space here for about 10 small tents as well as lots of space for camper vans to park. The shelter is large and can easily hold a sizable number of people. 

Note: you may not sleep inside the shelter and this is regularly policed by the local DOC Rangers.

Avalanche Creek Shelter and camp-site, Arthur's Pass National Park

Located across road from the old Arthur's Pass DOC visitor centre

NO Advance Bookings - first in, first served!

Camper vans permitted (no powered sites)

Cost $8 pp / night. Payable at site, or DOC Visitor Centre next to Wobbly Kea Cafe.

Facilities: Water, toilets, day-use shelter with tables, rubbish disposal.

No pets permitted under any circumstances.

No open fires permitted!

Warning: Do not leave your tent unattended as the Kea will dismantle it for you!

Map: Avalanche Creek Campsite

The shelter is a substantial affair, you could easily get 40 people inside at one time as it has numerous tables and benches. Camping sites are on the lawn to the front, side and rear of the shelter. 

Avalanche Creek Shelter and camp-site, Arthur's Pass National Park

Plenty of space for camper vans at the Avalanche Creek Shelter, Arthur's Pass National Park

Avalanche Creek Shelter, Arthur's Pass National Park

Interior of the Avalanche Creek Shelter, Arthur's Pass National Park

Interior of the Avalanche Creek Shelter, Arthur's Pass National Park

Interior of the Avalanche Creek Shelter, Arthur's Pass National Park

Useful information board in the Avalanche Creek Shelter, Arthur's Pass National Park

 The Avalanche Peak Track starts close to this shelter, it is located right next to the DOC visitor center on the opposite side of SH73.

Te Araroa Information about Arthur's Pass

There is a very comprehensive page covering information for Te Araroa trekkers on the Arthurs Pass .com website. You should have a look at it!

Good information for TA trekkers at ArthursPass.com

I hope this information is useful to some of you...