Here’s a menu suggestion to go along with a hike up Kineo. For hiking details check out Act Out With Aislinn: 1 Minute Hike – Mt. Kineo
The Menu: Fresh Vegetable and Spicy Noodle Salad with Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
[single_recipe slug='fresh-vegetable-and-spicy-noodle-salad-with-grilled-teriyaki-chicken']
Ahhhhh…Moosehead. I cherish every chance I get to head up to Rockwood and sit on the deck, gaze out at Kineo and the surrounding mountains, listen to the loons and watch the eagles. If you never have, take a boat to the backside of Kineo and jump off into the deep clear water under the looming rock that rises out of lake, it is worth the drive…everything about the Moosehead region is worth the drive.
Greenville is a major player in my picnic pedigree. My mother packed a lunch for the six of us to take to the lodge at Squaw Mountain every ski weekend for more than a dozen years and, I really didn’t think too much about it until I did it myself some twenty years later with my own kids; my mom got a few smiles when I’d moan about how much work it was to get out the door.
Even though leaving the house is a bit simpler now, I am still faced with this picnic yin and yang: I want to have food prepared so when I get to Moosehead I don’t have to shop and cook but I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen at home either, prepping away time that could be spent outside.
Simplicity and a little planning is the answer.
You will have many of the ingredients on hand to make this cold noodle dish that pairs well with any meat you grilled up the night before. The other evening we were having ribs so I marinated a few chicken breasts in soy vay teriyaki (the best) and added those to the grill and hid them in the fridge to for this packable hearty lunch salad. This salad is perfect for a hike up Kineo, to put in the cooler for lunch on the lake, or to have ready when you open up the deck chair and make a gin and tonic.
For any of you long time visitors to Kineo you will remember the days of the old fire tower, which became impassable, the “new” fire tower is great but those types of steps can still be a little visually challenging at times so if you are packing a cold brew or icy white for the picnic lunch (Rockwood general store or Jamieson’s in Greenville), stop at the vista on the way down the trail for your backpack lunch.
No sweets on this menu but leave room in the cooler and pick up some fudge at the Corner gift store in Greenville or a whoopie pie at the Rockwood general store.
Packing Tips:
- Put the noodle salad and sliced grilled meat in separate zip lock bags
- Slice up a few lemons and limes – good on the salad and not bad if you are packing a summer ale either!
- Put the ice packs directly on the chicken – use two if it is a hot day!
- Make sure your cooler is packed full, you don’t want to be chilling space
- Put any containers or cups in a plastic bag and tie it to the outside of the pack.
- Wrap chilled beverages in newspaper before applying the cold packs.
Please see my other Foodie on Foot blog posts for details on packing and more recipes!
