Properly executed backcountry vegan biscuits and gravy for two in the GSI Bugaboo.
I've had my aluminum Bugaboo mess kit for more than a decade. After I bought it, I used it for a bunch of years, and then it sat idle after I bought a titanium cookset. I set it aside in favor of a 5" SnowPeak 900 (30 fl. oz. at 6.2 oz.), which was perfectly suited for a lonely man of the mountains.
This cookset was also set aside in time because it was too small once I started backpacking frequently with a partner. Nancy and I initially carried the 5.75" SnowPeak 1400 cookset (47 fl. oz. at 7.4 oz.; MSRP $55.99), which is sized just right for two (don't forget the additional 14 fl. oz. in the lid/pan!), but we found it limiting—namely, it wasn't good for baking. And baking in the backcountry is something that we came to embrace with zeal.
This cookset was also set aside in time because it was too small once I started backpacking frequently with a partner. Nancy and I initially carried the 5.75" SnowPeak 1400 cookset (47 fl. oz. at 7.4 oz.; MSRP $55.99), which is sized just right for two (don't forget the additional 14 fl. oz. in the lid/pan!), but we found it limiting—namely, it wasn't good for baking. And baking in the backcountry is something that we came to embrace with zeal.
| Re-enter the Bugaboo. This cookset (36 fl. oz. + top pan with an additional 20 fl. oz., weighs in at 14 oz.; MSRP $29.99) has less actual capacity, but the two 7" diameter pans seal the deal for baking. The widths of the pans and their capability to nest and be used interchangeably (both pieces can be on the top or on the bottom as lid or skillet) make preparing, handling, and enjoying baked treats easy. Consider a wonderific backcountry meal like vegan biscuits and gravy: The biscuit is baked first using the top and bottom fitted together, which allows the baking of one side and a quick flip to bake the other. When the biscuit is done, we can set it aside in the lid while we prepare the rest of the meal. The gravy mix, which has been soaking in a Ziploc, goes into the skillet. When the gravy is ready, it's divided in half into the two pans, as is the biscuit. Each of these two takes up about 20 fl. oz. each, and they divide up nicely into the top, then the bottom, of the cookset. I think titanium is much cooler than aluminum. I also appreciate titanium's inherent nonstick surfaces. But not only have I been unable to locate a titanium cookset with qualities similar to those of the Bugaboo, but the prices of those that come close are pretty high. Like $100 high. A titanium pan set similar to the Bugaboo would probably weigh about 9 oz., which is a far cry from the aluminum Bugaboo's 14 oz., but I think that the $70 difference for 5 oz. would be better spent elsewhere (on $70 worth of Diaya, for example). I am unfamiliar with any titanium cookset that comes close to what I am looking for. If you see one out there, let us know in the comments! Until then, I'll have to work on designing one for Ardeth. | CategoriesAll |
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