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.
