This Tassie company are aiming for the gourmet hut
market. Requires some actual preparation but the effort is
rewarded by the taste.CHEESE TORTELLINI PUTTANESCA
D: It looks the business, the see-through pack really whets
the appetite. It tastes the most like real food so far.
Ta : Yeah, like a proper home-cooked meal.
D: I love biting into the tortellini with the cheese inside.
P: Mm, yeah that one is good. The sauce is a bit stocky but
definitely improves as it cools down and the sauce thickens.
Th: A nice tomato f lavour without being too strong, and the
paste isn’t gluggy or soft. It maintains its form. The hint of
spice adds f lavour but not heat. The peas are a bit hard still;
could do with longer for those, but I’d have that as a meal
anytime.EDDIE’S THAI CHICKEN NOODLES (GF)
P: This packet didn’t have any tear corners. I needed a knife to
open it. Then I had to remove the noodles and add them later
to the pot. Then the noodles were stuck to the powder. I had to
separate them. The stated water amount wasn’t enough and
the noodles still weren’t done after 15 minutes. Fuel
consumption would be huge.
D: You’ve really got it in for this one.
Ta : Mm-mm dee-licious. I really like this even though it was a
pain to cook.
Th: This is a winner — great f lavour and texture, and the
noodles are perfectly cooked. Rice noodles can fall apart. It’s
got a nice heat to it, spicy but not too much, though it’s a little
bit grainy.
Th: It would be very satisfying after a long hike.
G: No, I don’t like this. I like the noodles but there’s something
sweet in the sauce. I don’t like sweet f lavours in my main dish.3 CAPES GEAR & GOURMET, $9.95–12.95
ALPS & AMICI, $16.50
Currently only available from the deli in Launceston where
it is made, this freeze-dried deliciousness is perfect to pick
up on your way to the Overland Track.
BUTTER CHICKEN:
Ta : Wow, it looks way better than the other butter chicken,
and tastes really good, too. It could have been made
professionally in a restaurant.
Th: Too much water in the recipe; it’s swimming. Maybe it
will soak it up if we let it sit for a bit...now it’s much better! It
would go well with rice or mashed potato. Sometimes butter
chicken is too creamy. This is healthier.
MUSHROOM RISOTTO:
Th: I love a good risotto. This doesn’t look appetizing but
you’re not necessarily in it for the look. A great combo of
mushroom and cheese.
P: It’s nice but a little salty, and a bit gluggy. Maybe needs a
fraction more water. This is the best of the freeze-dried ones
so far.
D: I like it, definitely very mushroomy. The consistency is
good as well, I think it has the perfect amount of water.
G: Mm, very nice. The big chunks of mushroom are lovely.
Outdoor \ 107