Gotta love Gorp

As we begin packing for our trip to Machu Picchu, one of the things we are supposed to bring on the trail is our own selection of snacks. And snacks on the trail means Gorp to us!

(The unofficial etymology of Gorp is "Good Old Raisins and Peanuts," but the OED says it probably comes from an English word meaning to eat greedily. Beware! Reading further my increase your appetite!)

We make up a separate bag of gorp for each day on the trail, more or less. And each one is a little different, so that we get lots of variety as we hike, even on a week-long trip.

The mix for each day always starts with M&Ms. Gotta have that chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your pack. And the dark chocolate ones, please. Milk chocolate is chocolate lite--not for real people.

Then we add an equal amount of nuts. Sometime walnuts, sometimes almond, cashews, or pecans. Each day is different.

Then we add an equal amount of dried fruit. Here again, variation is the rule. We love craisins, and use raisins, as well. We also have been know to chop up apricots, apples, bananas, and even ginger to add a little spice.

Shake the bag, seal it up, and move on to the next day. Let's see...this time with craisins, pecans, and ginger...ummmmm!