Nice thread. I'm going to bookmark this one.
Most of my camping trips here in Canada are close to fresh water (be it lakes and streams in Ontario and Quebec or glacial lakes and mountain springs in BC). As such, I pack lots of dehydrated food, and leave the cans behind. I usually end up hauling 50% of my food back out of the bush, since it's meant to be a back-up in case the fish aren't biting (which they usually are!).
For breakfast, you can't go wrong with Quaker oatmeal packets and Musli. Add hot water to the oatmeal, top with Musli, and for an added treat, throw in a few dates or dried apricots. It's a hearty breakfast - good fuel for a day hike that doesn't involve a lunch break.
I'll second nephildevil on the bread and sausage. I sometimes pack some aged cheddar as well. The temperature us usually low enough at night where I camp that the cheese and meat won't go bad over the course of a week or so.
Other meals consist of dehydrated veggies with noodles or rice.
For fish seasoning, I pack a 'mini-kit' with little containers of salt, lemon pepper, and pepper, along with some whole cloves of garlic (it keeps well), and a little bottle of olive oil. For my money, you can't get better than fresh-caught Kokanee fillets (scaled, but skin still on), pan-seared with some diced garlic, salt, and oil.
Finally, while I usually try to keep my pack light, I consider good coffee to be almost as high on the priority scale as a flashlight or camp knife. I pack a collapsible anodized steel French press (Bodum) with some nice dark roast. I could be lost in the bush for a week and only call it an 'emergency' once the java ran out.
All the best,
- Mike
