A five-and-a-half-hour drive from Boston brings you to Acadia National Park in northern Maine, a place where the Atlantic meets rugged mountains. We love it up there — the combination of coastal views and peaks makes each hike memorable. This trip was a short vacation week, and we spent most days hiking long trails, eating simply, and enjoying an almost complete break from daily routines. We packed the car and brought what we needed to cook and eat well on the road.
Because we were driving rather than flying, we had the freedom to bring some extra kitchen items and comforts. That meant homemade snacks, proper cookware, and a few gadgets to make trail meals better. Our cottage was basic, which made bringing familiar tools all the more useful. Below are the practical tips and a favorite recipe we used on the trails.
(if you can — and want — to cook)
- Plan a short list of meals before you shop. A simple plan saves time and reduces waste.
- Bring homemade treats. Cookies or a sturdy cake travel well — we packed langues de chat and a dark chocolate amaranth cake that were perfect for trails and evenings.
- Pack a thermos for hot tea at the summit. A small teapot can be handy if you enjoy particular blends.
- Bring your preferred chef’s knife. Rental kitchens often lack quality tools.
- Carry ground spices in small containers. Cumin and coriander were great for marinated lamb skewers we cooked one night.
- Store fresh herbs in zip-top bags; they keep well and brighten simple meals like asparagus pesto.
- A good vegetable grater and peeler are invaluable for quick trail snacks like grated carrots or sautéed zucchini.
- If you want to prepare pesto or chop large quantities of herbs, a small travel food processor is very useful.
- We even packed a juicer because fresh carrot and apple juice in the morning was a treat — an indulgence worth the space for those who enjoy it.
- Bring a reliable non-stick frying pan for dishes like Spanish potato tortilla so you don’t struggle with poor cookware. The tortilla is great warm or cold on the trail.
These essentials make cooking enjoyable while hiking, and help keep meals satisfying without too much fuss.
My latest hiking purchase: foldable cups and plates that pack flat and set up in seconds. Lightweight tableware makes eating on the trail neat and comfortable.
These lightweight sets are affordable and practical for camping or cottage stays, even if packaging translations are a little imperfect.
We made time to relax by the pool and enjoy slow evenings, and although I didn’t photograph many meals, we enjoyed Maine staples: lobster and blueberries that confirmed we were truly in the state.
À bientôt!
Ingredients:
- 1 large Yukon potato
- 4 large eggs
- 3 to 4 scallions
- Dash of ground cumin
- Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Steps:
- Peel and dice the potato. Rinse and pat dry.
- Heat 2–3 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the potato and cook over medium heat until tender, about 8–10 minutes depending on size. Remove from the pan.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and add a dash of cumin, chopped scallions, coriander, and the cooked potato.
- Heat 1–2 tablespoons olive oil in the pan, add the egg-potato mixture, and cook a few minutes before covering.
- When the top is almost set, slide the tortilla onto a plate and flip it back into the pan to cook the other side until fully set. Serve warm or wrap in plastic to eat cold on the trail.
Ingrédients :
- 1 grosse pomme de terre type Yukon
- 4 gros œufs
- 3 à 4 oignons tiges
- Une pincée de cumin en poudre
- Coriandre fraîche, hachée
- Sel et poivre
- Huile d’olive
Étapes :
- Pelez et coupez la pomme de terre en dés. Rincez et séchez.
- Chauffez 2–3 càs d’huile d’olive dans une poêle antiadhésive. Faites cuire les dés de pomme de terre à feu moyen jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient tendres (8–10 min). Retirez.
- Battez les œufs, assaisonnez, ajoutez le cumin, les oignons tiges, la coriandre et les pommes de terre cuites.
- Chauffez 1–2 càs d’huile, versez le mélange et laissez cuire quelques minutes avant de couvrir.
- Quand le dessus est presque pris, glissez la tortilla sur une assiette, retournez-la dans la poêle pour cuire l’autre face jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit bien prise. Servez chaude ou froide pour la randonnée.
Technorati Tags: Food Styling, La Tartine Gourmande, Food Photography, Spanish Tortilla, Acadia National Park, Maine, Hiking Food