Packit Gourmet: Austintacious Tortilla Soup
I'm not a big soup eater on the trail, so I was blown away when I tried a Packit Gourmet's Tortilla Soup last week (2.7 oz) on a long backpacking trip. I made this meal on one of those nights when I was too tired to invest much energy in making an elaborate dinner. So instead, I just boiled a small pot of water on my alcohol stove, poured in the dry ingredients with a pack of savory choice chicken broth concentrate and let them sit with the lid on for about 10 minutes until the dried black beans were soft.
When I tested the result, I couldn't believe how rich the soup tasted. The chicken, corn, bell peppers, and tomatoes complemented each other perfectly. I added the crushed tortilla chips and cheese that also come in the package and wolfed the soup down. Yum. I can see why this dish won an Editor's Choice Award in 2009 from Backpacker Magazine. I don't agree with BM on most things but they got this right.
I just discovered Packit Gourmet a few weeks ago, but I recommend you check out their selection of dehydrated backpacking meals. They can be cooked in the bag or in the pot, are reasonably priced, and contain wholesome ingredients. This soup will be coming in my winter backpacking food bag this year. That's a definite.
