Nowadays, people are finding love in all kinds of places. From run clubs to online dating, love is in the air. Tom found his on a recent team trip for work. That might sound like an HR nightmare, but fortunately it’s not what you’d expect.
Deb, Debs, Debbie, Irish pudding, fluffy, trail veggies, Continental Deb Instant Mashed Potato 350g, or whatever else you might call it, is my newest hiking companion. For anyone questioning the ‘trail veggies’ name above, look no further than the supermarket placement. Deb can be found in the canned veggies section of all supermarkets currently being investigated for price gouging.
There she is, looking lovely in a bowl (though rudely stripped of her packaging!) | @jessleenehme
It’s my unqualified opinion that Deb is the ultimate hiking carb source, and no, fancy ‘nutrition stats’ won’t change my mind. Sure, when you’re on a multi-day hike, getting the right nutrition is super important, but for most people hiking is something they do for fun, so enjoying what you’re eating is important.
Read more: A Guide To Healthy Hiking Food
But before I even get into taste, I need to explain the process of making it. Yes, it’s instant, but it’s also fascinating. Anyone who’s tried to follow Nagi’s Paris Mash recipe knows the process to make perfectly smooth mashed potatoes, and yet Deb does it not only INSTANTLY, but with only two ingredients: dandruff-looking crumbs (hopefully of potato) and boiling water.
It’s magical to watch.
The only thing I can compare it to is being a child and watching those grow-in-water toys that expand over a few hours or days.
Did I mention Deb is instant? Instant!
Inferior Trail Carbs
If you’re still not sold, let’s consider the trail carb options that haven’t won my heart.
Pasta
Pros: It’s yum.
Cons: It’s not as yummy as Deb, has a long cooking time, is bulky, easy to crush, and uses tonnes of water.
It’s basically an inconvenient sponge compared to Deb | @thecampstovechef
Rice
Pros: It’s yum.
Cons: It’s not as yum as Deb, is expensive (if freeze dried), and has a long cooking time (if fresh).
This meal would have been ten times quicker with Deb… just saying | Shot by Amelia Gillies
CousCous
Pros: Short cooking time.
Cons: It’s takes longer to cook than Deb, and is super flavourless unless you hike with butter.
Have you seen the corners on a couscous box? They’re an unyielding nightmare compared to the sweet malleability of Deb
As we all know Deb is delicious, lightweight, has a fast cooking time, and is flavourful solo. The only con is that you’ll have to stop yourself from downing the entire packet on night one.
So if you’ve been on the look out for a hiking companion and can’t seem to find the perfect one, or you just want to add some child-like wonder, I highly recommend you try Deb.
People have been loving Deb for decades | Source: Pacific Islands Monthly November 1963 via National Library of Australia via @bycroftboy on Flickr | License
Deb Serving Suggestions
- Pairs beautifully with an On Track Meals steak. As a bonus, it can be cooked in the same water you heated up the steak in (thank me later for that stroke of genius)
- Perfect as a side to any meal that hasn’t quite satisfied you
- Works well as a thickener any time you add too much water to a dehydrated meal. I genuinely recommend adding this to all dehydrated meals. The addition of the salty flavour along with the removal of any excess water makes any meal feel less like rehydrated slop
- Lightweight hack to have either on its own when you realise you didn’t bring enough food, or to bulk up meals you did bring that are too darn small
Instant gratification is all around us these days, and while I hike to get away from that, we all need luxuries. For me that’s Deb’s Instant Mashed Potato.
While I will forever now be labelled the crazy Deb guy, once you try it I think you’ll agree there are worse things to be labelled.
She even goes with dessert! I rest my case. | @jessleenehme
There’s More Food Out There Than Deb Instant Mashed Potato (Sorry Tom)
- Campers Pantry Freeze-Dried Hiking Food Range Reviewed & Tested
- Offgrid Provisions Range Reviewed & Tested
- Radix Nutrition Breakfast and Protein Powder – Reviewed & Tested
- Hiking Meals Comparison: Pre-Cooked, Dehydrated & Freeze Dried
