The fleeting fads of fashion are but a given but what about a food identity translating into terms that speak of an entire aesthetic altogether? That’s exactly the kind of spin food can twirl the world around!
What’s however a bit surprising about this not new but still relevant trend spurred along a wide spectrum of existence that amounts to lifestyle in general and wearable fashion in particular is it deriving from a not exactly iconic entity of the gastronomic. Free from the heritage legacy of what any classic dish needs to do justice to as well as unbothered enough with ‘looking a particular way’ for the attention hungry glutton called social media and yet manifesting its might purely on account of its edibleness is this unancient but at least a century old still food that which boasts of bearing quite a quirky zing to its name.
GORP is what we are gorging over but despite its only evident residing within the acronymatic scheme of things, an outright expansion of its name might not be a case in exclusive assuredness. This is to say that notwithstanding the legit sounding reference to GORP being a fun allusion to some good ol’ raisins and peanuts- and that which it indeed is as well- this way in expressing the essence of this food based in quite some amount of genre specificness need not be wholly representative.
GORP is ‘only’ an American jargon though of course the peculiarness of such naming has meant that it did not take long for it to gain global exposure. Consider though the flavors of what essentially constitutes this nibbler in food and the verdict is unanimous as to how it should be. Just the right balance between some sweetness and crunch saltiness and there you are- experiencing just the perfect explosion of how heaven would likely taste like. And indeed some raisins and peanuts is all it takes to achieve that simple yet supreme assertion of foody taste which is perhaps why this description of the moniker sounds so fine.
Go back in time however to unearth the more original meaning of the term and gorp occurs as a word ordinary enough to not be all capped. As a verb that apparently means ‘to eat greedily’, the word has been in existence since much earlier. And yet what shines through this duality in wording is the fact that one cannot indeed help but munch compulsively on handfuls of these partly healthy stuff once they serendipitously stumble upon the classic flavor and texture of what GORP upholds.
Consider GORP in very basic terms and it is a trail mix that is generally carried by hikers to provide their bodies with a boost of energy on exerting treks. Of course there is no way that something as easy to ‘prepare’, carry and eat should only be limited in its enjoyment to those who need to reap all of its health benefits. Which therefore means that way ahead of the curve still hinging on the raisins and peanuts reference on one end and another granola, oat, raisins and peanuts reference on the other exists a whole GORP world altogether that is unlimited as well in the range of its ingredients.
The character of this food that goes by several other names of scroggin and studenterhavre or student oats to name a few tends to be rather distinct though. An essentially high protein and high fat preparation that lends a definite crunch and bite while maintaining its sweet- savoury balance, GORP is as versatile a food as can be. Usually loaded with dried fruits way beyond the raisins- peanuts combination, this is a nutritious something that can be munched on without much guilt. Add to that the ample conveniences of its nature as lightweight, easy to store or non-perishable as well as its easy availability and easier recipes that can be tweaked to make do with whatever’s available and GORP indeed can pass as the diet that can sufficiently sustain the human being as and when the need might be.
Newer, more indulgent editions of this trail mix definitely makes space for pieces of candy and bits of chocolate to further enhance its flavor profile. M&M’s in particular make for one of the most popular additions to this mix of all things indulgent even as the horizon remains ever expansive as to what can even boost the already delicious and fortified nature of the mixture. Maintaining the basics of the vitamin and mineral laden bases of nuts and dried fruits and seeds and cereals or grains and the gourmet nature of GORP seems to be pretty impressive throughout.
With no any one way to nail a GORP serving, this then is one of the more versatile foods that await anyone willing to get all out there and be as creative as possible with the mixing and matching. That said though, it would be a bit too outrageous to claim that one can hardly go wrong with the combinations. Too much elements of sweetness and one might be not very pleased with the dessert they had definitely not craved for. Pour in too much of the salty additives and you know well and sure how that ruins the entire palate. And then there’s the possibility of chocolates going rancid or the fruit pieces getting soggy to destroy that entire jar of lovelies you though had been carefully stacked up.
Identifying one’s own preferences might strike as something glaringly obvious but it can be surprising how often these essentials tend to be overlooked by most of us in favor of the other more extra elements. The key then to prepping a good GORP stash is to match up the flavors of what you are incorporating first. Once that is done it is the texture calling for attention. Roasting or toasting the nuts is usually a good choice since it enhances their flavor while also ensuring that the fruity juice does not quite easily disintegrate their character.
Also, the greater the diversity in this composition, the better it would likely taste due to the non- monotonality. Like we all know, mix and match is the way to ace fashion without being either repetitive or broke, so also is true in this case of the GORP. And specifically for this identity meandering through a different domain altogether of the aesthetics, this ‘in fashion’ attribute is but a given.
