Food for thought.

There were so many memorable things about the trek, but the thing that really stood out was the food. The locals have got this down absolutely. To the left is Suhn cooking what would be my first lunch. The porters carry a stockpile of fruits, vegetables, eggs, rice, noodles, spices, and cookware. Whenever we stopped to eat my guide would cook an immaculate feast while the porters brewed coffee, tea, and cooked rice. When it came to eating, I wasn't roughing it in the slightest. As a matter of fact, the best food I had over the course of my vacation I had on the mountain.

Every dish was different, but each one was loaded with fresh vegetables and there would be some fresh fruit to snack on as well. Hours of walking up steep slopes really rouse the appetite, and the food was as satisfying as can be. I was so pleased when we stopped the first time and the porter offered me coffee. This coffee was like none other I had. Coffee snobs might turn their noses up at this, but living in Korea has changed my standards when it comes to coffee. Every time we stopped I was served a piping hot cup of the stoutest coffee the world has seen. It was thick, bitter, and grainy, with the consistency and look of used motor oil--maybe blacker. It might sound gross, but wow it tasted great after hiking in the cold. I savored every cup, and drank them down to the thick residue at the bottom of the cup.
Breakfast each morning was also a treat. There were egg, tomato, and cheese sandwiches, fried eggs, and my personal favorite banana pancakes. For lunch and dinner I would enjoy vegetable fried rice, rice with veggies in a satay sauce, fried noodles, noodle soup with vegetables, and chicken curry among other things. Not only was the food delicious, but the guide took special care in the presentation. He tediously chopped each vegetable into perfectly uniform sizes and even went to lengths to cut the carrots into stars, as he did the pineapples. Look at this last picture. Imagine hiking for four hours in the rain and sitting down to this meal with a hot, stout cup of coffee. I'd never eaten as well as I did on this trek. It wasn't just our group either. Everyone else I saw were eating in the same fashion. When it comes to camping, the Indonesians are world class in the cooking department.