This weekend we will be heading to Tutuwai Hut for Gourmet. What is Gourmet? It's when we leave behind the plain, boring tramping food and get a little bit fancy with the meal. We even pack dessert!

The trip is an easy 3-4 hour walk to the hut from Waiohine road end (about an hours drive from Wellington), with an emphasis on fine dining and top-of-the-range cask wine.  We will meet 8:30am Saturday at the Hunter Carpark and be back in Wellington on Sunday afternoon. Gourmet meals in the past have included pizza, roast chicken, pavlova for dessert (complete with berries and whipped cream), and an assortment of cocktails and cask wine. It's a great social tramp, with the emphasis on having a good time and a good meal.

It's an awesome trip not to be missed, so come along to the meeting tomorrow to find out more and to sign up!

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President 2012

I usually go for the easy and quick. When tramping, my recipes are the same, mince and mashed potatoes, sausage and mashed potatoes, steak and mashed potatoes.

Mashed potatoes come in instant packs and it's quick to make. Add butter, hot water and milk power... voila... the dinner is ready.

However, for a gourmet recipe, we don't need a lot but creativity.

Think about everything you can use to make an easy recipe... Couscous, rice, seasonings of all types, sauces.
Now think what you can do easily and quickly.
Couscous with some spices, tuna with a nice sauce.
Or maybe, we could try a non-oven version of shepards pie.
Sausage cassarole, so we can use those pre cooked sausage and short the cooking time.

Vegetarian?!? Heaps SE Asia dishes... Have a look at the nepali recipes or indian recipes.

The gourmet trip is more than a tramping trip, it's a group exercise...
Start a discussion with your group about what the group can prepare.
Be creative. Believe me, it's a lot of fun. :)