A few years ago I spent a month in a remote camp, in the early summer, sans refrigeration. I brought along some hard cheddar cheese and several smallish summer sausages.

I opened a new sausage only when I used up the previous one. Once opened, each sausage would easily keep for two or three days in the hot weather.

The cheese was kept wrapped in cheesecloth which had been soaked in cider vinegar. This is an old trick; aside from adding a nice aged taste to the cheese, it keeps the mold away.

-=[ Grant ]=-

Here, we call it chedderwurst, but I've never seen them outside of New England and upper New York. Depending on who made it, it's either like a bratwurst or kielbasa with something halfway between velveeta and cheddar in it.

Hickory farms makes something like that they call it "Cheddarbrats". Pretty darned good eatin.

I never heard of the cider vinegar idea for cheddar before. I reckon I might have to give that a try sometime.

I've always heard that hard cheeses last well. Things like parmesan (block, not shredded). Not the typical cheddar or American, but I happen to love the flavor.

just buy the ones that aren't in the cold section.

I have found that regular American chedder cheese in 1 lb blocks will last several days without refrigeration. Sumer sausage from Wisconsin also lasts well.

I just bought some Le Marechal hard cheese. Excellent. A bit pricey but excellent. Nicely smooth and a little smokey. Definitely a good backpacking cheese.

Pick the cheese you like, cut into single-serving-sized pieces, and wax the chunks yourself (see http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/WAXING_CHEESE.HTM )

But I've never heard of waxing sausages... sorry.

Sue

Susan,

Excellent link. Thank you!

And thanks to everyone else too. I'm looking forward to trying the different cheeses and sausages y'all have suggested.

So much for my diet!

-Blast

Don't think of it as breaking your diet; think of doing it as research against a worst case scenario. And just tell yourself you aren't enjoying it at all.