[Yana]

I made a really tasty curry for dinner the other night and upon further reflection, I think it would be a great backpacking meal to dehydrate. My concern is that it contains cream cheese, which gets added right at the end and doesn't really cook. I know that dehydrating raw dairy is not always the smartest of choices. Thoughts?

[Allison]

Dried milk and dried sour cream are both available commercially, so I'd try making the "real" dish and finishing some of it (no need to possibly ruin a whole batch) with real whole milk and real sour cream. If either of these are OK subs, then you can figure out how to incorporate the dried into your dehydrated meal. My guess is the sour cream will work, and you will either add a little of the dried or reconstituted to your dish at the end.

[Quark]

How about just getting those little packets of cream cheese?

[Allison]

Or even just wrap up a nugget of it in plastic wrap of foil.

[Quark]

That would require purchase of 2 ingredients and dealing with cutting the cheese, and don't you hate it when someone cuts the cheese - but those packets of cream cheese can be easily lifted from some espresso shop with one quick motion, eliminating the need to cut the cheese entirely. JOKING! I do not advocate lifting cream cheese packets.

[sarbar]

Costco sells the foil packets in bulk....but you can also get shelf stable cream cheese via www.minimus.biz - I found it years ago sold in the bakery at Albertson's so check there as well.

[Allison]

[sarbar]

Kraft started selling cream cheese in single serving cubes that come in 4 packs, you rip one off and go when you need to take one along. In both plain, sweet and savory. Find them in the dairy aisle, up high, with the cream cheese.

[Luc]

lift them. Packeted condiments are one of the last free things on earth.

[Navy salad]

Or, if you really want something dehydrated that'll last a few days, maybe substitute feta or paneer cheese (which do dehydrate)

[Dalekz]

Did a search and found that you can buy something called cream cheese powder that is spray dried. It seems they say it can be used the same as the regular cream cheese see here http://www.americanspice.com/catalog/21217/Cream_Cheese_Powder.html or http://www.cherubimfood.com/en/cream-cheese-powder-2-5-lbs.html or http://www.cheesepowder.com/420/asp-jsfiles/productpage2.asp?ID=2037&SearchWords=

[sarbar]

American Spice is usually a good company....will have to check out that powder. Thanks for finding it!

[Yana]

Thanks, all. I might also just try making it without. I have powdered cheese and powdered sour cream, and judging by their flavors, it just isn't the same. They're not bad, they're just not that cheese or sour cream flavored. The idea of just bringing cream cheese in packets is tempting for luxury trips where I'm not lugging a heavy pack full of climbing gear.

[Magellan]

You can freeze the little packets, and then store them deep in the pack, preferably next to something else that is frozen.