Last May, four cool guys embarked on a journey around the coast of Lake Superior in order to bring awareness to the health of the Great Lakes. Read their story here. This month, I was able to connect with the guys and get some answers on my favorite topic: food.
Question One: What’s a day of meals like for the crew?
Breakfast: Oatmeal mixed with dehydrated fruits, berries, and coconut; pancakes, eggs, hash browns, coffee and tea.
Lunch: Trail mixes, prepared prior to the trip, granola bars, PB&J, crackers, cheeses, deli meats, summer sausage, and of course there are even leftovers on the voyage.
Dinner: Pan-fried or smoked fresh trout, mashed potatoes,various pastas and noodles.
Question Two: What’s the biggest obstacle to meals on the water?
There are a variety of obstacles when it comes to cooking every day. When the weather doesn’t cooperate and it rains, we set up tarps to cook under or to block the wind. When there are fire pits we prefer to cook over a fire instead of white gas, to save fuel for the bad days. All of our meals are dehydrated, so cooking them is easy and quick. We spoil ourselves with fresh produce on occasion, so keeping the food cold or away from the heat can cause trouble when space is limited in our kayaks.
Question Three: What have been some of your favorite meals of the journey?
– Smoked pike mashed potatoes
– Quesadillas with cheddar, avocado and summer sausage
– Pan seared Trout with Alfredo pasta
– Fish tacos
Question Four: What’s your connection to Superior Culture Kombucha?
Alex, the kombucha master, has been a friend of ours for a while, we all share similar interests when it comes to the outdoors and recreational activities. Karol and Alex worked together at The Marq for a little while and became closer and more creative when it comes to mixing and matching ingredients together. Alex shares the same passion for the water as we do, he is also a farm to table brewer which is incredible. We have been big supporters of small businesses, especially those who are started by our close friend and huge supporter. Cheers to Alex for creating an amazing Four the Water kombucha which also helps the watershed! (Learn more about Superior Culture’s special brew for Four the Water here)
Question Five: Final thoughts on your food 
preparation & meal experience?
All of the hard work preparing for this expedition paid off, especially when it comes to food. It took many, many trips to stores to purchase our goods and even more hours portioning 100 days worth of meals. We have the luxury of eating fresh fish when they are caught and splurge at grocery stores on the way; cheese, butter, summer sausage and any sweets that you can think of. There are many days we sit around a fire, eating our dinner, laughing, knowing we are in a super remote area eating like kings. 58 days in and the food is only starting to taste better. The keys to success you may ask? Proper preparation prevents poor performance.
Thanks for the update guys! Looking forward to seeing you all soon. To stay updated on the Journey of Drew, Ryan, Karol, and Jared by following them on Facebook.
Alex Palzewicz is UP Local Food Coordinator for Taste the Local Difference. Contact her at [email protected]