Pilgrim Cooking Kit
A hot meal is a soul-enriching reward after a long day’s pilgrimage.
Cooking safely and well is an important pilgrim skill. Although it is tempting to have pubs and cafes do this work for you, this can soon become prohibitively expensive, and not as nutritionally valuable as you might require.
This page is about what kit you might need to cook for yourself on the path. I describe Food for pilgrims on another page.
Twig Stove
There is a recent trend in USA ‘thru-hiking’ for cold food, as this saves the weight of carrying a stove. I do not recommend this. A hot meal is good for you in many ways. Also, being able to make a hot drink when you rest helps pilgrims to feel self-sufficient.
Cooking on an open fire is an option, but fire is dangerous, visible, and inappropriate in a number of situations.
A far safer and easier way to cook is to carry a dedicated stove. For me, this is either a gas stove or a twig stove. The latter is an effective and safe way to enjoy the blessings of fire without the danger of ground-scarring. A twig stove encloses the fire in a metal box, and often includes ‘gasifying’ air vents to promote secondary combustion of the wood gases, reducing smoke and increasing heat. These clever little devices can be found in a number of forms, from flatpack slot-together, to fold-out, to stack-up. They are made from steel or titanium. The latter is light and strong, but thin and is prone to warping. And expensive. Steel is cheap and durable, but heavier.
Twig stoves have the advantage of not requiring any shop-bought or factory made fuel sources. It can feel rather odd carrying fossil fuels into the woods. Wood is carbon neutral, and burning a few twigs is not going to cause harm, especially in an enclosed box. And you can usually find dead twigs almost everywhere.
However, twig stoves still need careful placement, and to be treated with care. These stoves get very hot, and can scorch the ground below. So place them carefully, clear the sourroundings and/or cut away turf, and do not use an item like this somewhere with peaty soil.
If you are walking in a group, you may share the burden of cooking. That means one bigger stove - though heavy - may be enough for all of you. The great advantage of a bigger twig stove is that you can safely use it as a fire for warmth, as well as for cooking. The fire box is high off the ground, which helps ensure your warmth will not cause damage.
It can be useful to have a fire blower for your twig stove. An Elder branch can also work.
Gas Stoves
Another option for a pilgrim stove is Gas. This is the quickest and easiest way to heat water or cook a basic meal. The problem is that you will need to replenish your Gas reserves regularly. In environments like South England, with regular camping shops, this will not be a problem. But in wilder landscapes this can be tricky.
As well as twig stoves, there are also alcohol/meths stoves available. These have the advantage of being silent in operation.
Gas is probably the quickest and easiest way to heat water or cook basic meals on the hoof. An advantage of these stoves is that they are controlled, do not scar the ground, and are low risk. Also, nobody will ever come looking, as they are pretty much invisible. You can use a gas stove to cook supper in the vestibule of your tent, or under your tarp.
The Jetboil style of gas burner comes recommended, which includes a built in pan with neoprene insulation. This is convenient, but less flexible and more expensive and heavy. Plus the pans are all Aluminium, which may have Alzheimers risks…
Cookpots
What you need depends on the size of your group, and your cooking style. If you intend to heat water for showers on the path, you’ll need a large-ish titanium pot. Avoid aluminium pans, which have been linked to Alzheimers. The best materials are steel and titanium. Steel has greater heat dissipation, meaning fewer hot spots (less burnt food). The MSR Stowaway is a classic, allowing the easy stashing of leftovers for the morning. Titanium, on the other hand, can burn water. But it’s super lightweight and strong.
Be sure to include a stand with your gas stove setup - stability is vital when a large pan of boiling water is top-heavy balanced. You don’t want to mess with boiling water!
Plate/Bowl
You probably will not want to eat out your cookpot - though it remains an option. But sharing becomes trickier, and it can be a grubby way to eat if the pot’s base is soot-blackened. Having a plate or bowl makes sense. A lipped plate will hold the sauce of your stew or the gloop of your porridge. If needs be, a metal plate can also double as a frying pan - though you’ll need something with which to grip it.
If you prefer a more natural and less clangy dining solution, a bamboo bowl is a lightweight option.
KFS - Knife/Fork/Spoon
You may already have a blade for cutting, but a knife for eating with is useful too. And a spoon is vital for cooking, as well as stirring tea. You could bring these from home, if they are light enough, or you could get hold of a special set of pilgrim cutlery.
Avoid sporks imo.
Mug/Cup
There are many options available for this most important of morning drink holders. What matters is a handle - for propriety - and sufficient size - for ample refreshment.
I recommend a double insulted metal cup for comfort and keeping your drink warm. A single layer of metal is too hot to hold, and then suddenly your drink is cold.
Titainum makes sense for this vessel. You may prefer to drink from wood, for natural insulation. These need more cleaning, to not soak up smells.
Thermos
An insulated flask will keep multiple cups of hot water at high temperatures for many hours. Modern vacuum flasks work incredibly well. And come with an attached mug.
The best option by far is the Thermos Ultimate. The only choice is how much liquid do you want it to hold?
One good way to use a thermos is to fill it with hot water at the beginning of the day, and then forage wild herbs to make yourself a Pilgrim Herbal Tea. Just be sure to regularly clean out your thermos, or everything will taste of the last drink you left in there…
Chopping Board
It is possible to chop food on your plate or bowl, but then you need to clean them before eating. Far easier is to use a dedicated chopping board.
