Welcome back fellow campers! We are excited to announce two new favorites from GSI Outdoors! We have been field testing the GSI Outdoors Gourmet Griddle and the ESCAPE 2L Collapsible Pot and are excited to share our findings and gear opinion with you.
Gourmet Griddle
Weighing in at only 2lbs, the Gourmet Griddle is your lightweight answer to the age old question, if I make pancakes in the woods, will the kids eat them? The answer is an emphatic YES! Not only will you be able to whip up a batch of evenly cooked pancakes in the shape of all woodland creatures, they won’t stick to the Teflon coating.
The Teflon coating protects the stainless steel and aluminum construction of the griddle. Handles on the sides allow you to easy transport the griddle or attach it to your gear for shorter backpack trips.
Unlike the griddle surface on the home cooktop, the Gourmet Griddle has raised sides to keep the food and all their delicious juices in the pan. This has proven to be a lifesaver when we make a big griddle full of our camping scramble. Eggs and cheese stay with the food instead of dripping into the fuel source.
The Gourmet Griddle is easy to clean with a drop of soap and a nonabrasive sponge. It is large enough to cover two burners and can handle any meal you throw on it. Not included is the inappropriate apron suggesting everyone kiss you for your culinary skills. However, after those personalized pancakes, you probably deserve those kisses.
Check out this recipe from the GSI Outdoors website for pancakes:
PROTEIN BANANA PANCAKES
Packed with protein and potassium, banana pancakes are the perfect pre-adventure meal without weighing you down. No longer just a Jack Johnson song, although we do recommend a little jam session while the cakes cook.
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp protein powder
Mash the bananas until creamy, then add eggs and protein powder and whisk. Grease a pan or griddle on low heat. Pour desired amount of batter in the pan and cook until brown on both sizes. Drizzle syrup over pancakes or add fruit if desired. For more protein, top with peanut butter or nuts. Serves 2.
The Gourmet Griddle retails for $54.95 and can be found on the GSI Outdoors website.
ESCAPE 2 Liter Collapsible Pot
New to the GSI Outdoors line up, the ESCAPE 2L Collapsible Pot joins the line of ESCAPE products. We trialed the 2L pot on our last adventure out.
The ESCAPE 2 Liter Collapsible Pot is my favorite size. Big enough to boil water for your favorite dehydrated meal or you can easily make a one pot meal for the family.
The basic structure of the ESCAPE 2 Liter Collapsible Pot is a high grade silicone that gets hot when you are cooking. I was worried about the silicone melting or breaking down during extended use. The ESCAPE Pot incorporates a conductive heatsink that speeds up boil times and reduces fuel consumption up to an unprecedented 30%* while protecting the silicone from compromise by exposure to stove flames.
The handles on the sides allow you to remove the ESCAPE 2 Liter Collapsible Pot from any heat source and onto the table. A strainer combo lid comes with so you can easily make noodles for a hearty spaghetti or soul fixing Mac and Cheese.
Everyone in my camping party loves the collapsible aspect of the pot. It provides a source of entertainment for the little ones as you are setting up camp. If the ESCAPE 2L Collapsible Pot can handle the abuse of my two sons, it will last you a lifetime.
The silicone is just as easy to clean up as the above mentioned griddle. A little earth friendly soap goes a long way. The silicone does not harbor any smells from previous meals or storage as well.
The ESCAPE line has two pots (3L, 2L), bowls with or without a lid and cups. The color ways are fun and bright. I love the GSI Outdoors color ways on their products, it always makes my food look more appetizing! ESCAPE pieces range in price from $9.95 to $59.95. A small investment for cooking gear that will provide years of use.
Safe Travels!