A few weeks ago, I learned of the passing of Gary Paulsen. His books have a special place in my heart, so I decided to finish the year with a menu dedicate to his most famous work, HATCHET.
Paulsen’s books first entered my life when I was in college. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be an author, so when I went to college, I majored in English Writing with the intention to work in publishing and hone my writing skills. My junior year, I interned for Paulsen’s literary agent.
Along with reading queries and reviewing manuscripts, a big part of my job was organizing and updating the “Paulsen files.” This was the agency’s collection of his awards, reviews, interviews, etc. I relished the opportunity to take a magnifying glass to the life and works of such a talented writer.
As I learned more about Paulsen, I came to respect him not only as a writer but also a resilient soul. Despite growing up in hardship, he had the courage to be vulnerable in his work, letting his most difficult experiences inform the emotions of his characters. In HATCHET, when the main character, Brian, struggles with hunger, thirst, injury, and danger, the reader can tell Paulsen experienced these things firsthand.
In honor of HATCHET’s rugged setting, this menu will consist of trail recipes, the sort of food you could take hiking or camping. Today’s recipe, raspberry fruit leather, is adapted from THE ALASKA WILD BERRY COOKBOOK. It was the perfect resource–I just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to include a nod to Gary’s love for the Alaskan wilderness! 🙂
My hope is that someone out there will make this snack and take it out into nature, either to enjoy with the scenery or as sustenance on a challenging outdoor excursion. Because the best way to honor Gary Paulsen is to get out there and appreciate the wild places of the world.
A
Raspberry Fruit Leather
“The berries were full and ripe, and he tasted one to find it sweet, and with none of the problems of the berries he had eaten before. Although they did not grow in clusters, there were many of them and they were easy to pick and Brian smiled and started eating. Sweet juice, he thought. He picked and ate and picked and ate and thought that he had never tasted anything this good. “
— Hatchet
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups raspberries
- NOTE: You can use fresh or frozen. If using fresh, crush the berries when you add them to the pot. If using frozen, allow to thaw first.
- 1/4 cup sugar
Makes 6 fruit leather strips (2″x9″ each)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 170°. Coat a 9″x13″ baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add both ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring regularly. When mixture reaches a rolling boil, turn heat down to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 2 or so minutes to prevent sticking.
- Spread the raspberry mix onto the baking sheet in an even layer, making sure there are no holes. Bake for 3-5 hours, opening the oven a bit for 10 minutes every hour. This will allow steam to escape. You will know the fruit leather is done when it’s firm in the center and barely sticky.
- Allow to cool in the pan. Transfer leather to a cutting board and cut into 6 strips, each 2 inches wide.
- Eat while watching the sun set over a woodland lake.
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