As I have mentioned,  we Americans need to adjust to simple.  Simple is good.  In regards to bread, you can’t get much simpler than hardtack as mentioned in the previous post.   Another type of bread, a little more tasty with much less longevity is called Bannock.  Bannock has been a staple food of wilderness explorers, prospectors, soldiers, and trappers for centuries. Names for bannock include bushbread, trail bread, grease bread and galette.

Portable, nutritious, tasty and easy to make while surviving in primitive conditions, bannock’s legendary reputation continues as one of the best survival foods you can bring into the wilderness, use during emergencny situations or incorporate into your diet on a routine basis.

Bannock is a bread that you can cook using little more than fire and a stick though it can also be baked or fried.

The most simple bannock recipe consists of just flour (of nearly any kind) and water. Kneaded into a dough and wrapped around a green stick, this most basic bannock cooks into a fine tasting bread that can be eaten alone or used as a basis for a full course meal.

And Yeshua said unto them, I am the bread of life:
he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
 John 6:35

Bannock is a fulfilling meal that can be used to supplement natural foods foraged from your surroundings or added to your current diet as well.

Try out various combinations of bannock mixed with fruits, nuts and seeds, cheeses, meats, fish and a variety of spices.

The following recipe provides enough bannock for one day. Bannock won’t last nearly as long as hardtack. But with the ingredients stored in a waterproof bag, it’s easy to carry a week or ten day supply, more nutritious and very tasty.

1-cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk powder

Mix all the ingredients well, making sure the butter is evenly distributed throughout. Sometimes I will melt the butter before adding it to the mixture. Then slowly add water while mixing until a dough ball is formed Make the bannock dough into a cigar shape and wrap it around a green stick. Try to keep the thickness of the dough about ½ inch. Slowly roast the bannock over a hot fire, rotating occasionally until it turns a golden brown. You will hear the butter sizzling and your stomach rumble as the bannock cooks. You could also cook or fry it over your wood stove in a variety of methods. Be creative and use your imagination.

Bannock is easy to make & cook so try adding this “old” food favorite to your diet today!

I’ll see you out in the field,
Parson Rayphe