Scroggin or gorp, just eat it
Scoffed on trails across New Zealand and Australia since ages ago, scroggin might just be the pavlova of the tramping world, with both countries laying claim to it.
The mix of dried fruit, nuts and (if you are lucky) chocolate, is such an integral part of our outdoor culture that Sarah Bennett and Lee Slater’s how-to handbook for New Zealand tramping is prefaced ‘‘don’t forget your scroggin’’.
But the term is widely used across the ditch too. Australia’s MacQuarie Dictionary defines it as ‘‘a mixture of nuts, chocolate and dried fruit for nibbling during a bushwalk’’.
The Collins Dictionary describes scroggin as an ‘‘informal’’ New Zealand term, defining it as ‘‘a tramper’s homemade high-calorie sweetmeat’’ and Wikipedia classifies it as a New Zealand and Australian word.
Wherever the word originated, it describes the same sweet and salty combo enjoyed (or endured) by hikers internationally. Some call it ‘‘trail mix’’. Others ‘‘gorp’’.
Some claim scroggin is an acronym, although accounts of what each letter stands for differ. Some say it stands for ‘‘sultanas, currants, raisins and other goody-goodies, including nuts’’.
Others say that it represents ‘‘sultanas, chocolate, raisins, orange peel, ginger, glucose, imagination, and nuts’’.
The mixed descriptions are actually pretty apt since scroggin doesn’t have a set ingredient list. Companies have come up with infinite versions, but many trampers make their own.
When choosing or making scroggin, the key is to strike the right balance of sweet and salty, and take your tramping conditions into account.
I have a sweet tooth, so my idea of the perfect scroggin would be a big bag of dark chocolate with a few nuts and sultanas thrown in. But, in hot weather, such a mixture would quickly become a big, brown mess.
Essentially, the majority of your scroggin should be made up of highenergy nuts and dried fruit. Peanuts and raisins are two of the most common ingredients, but you are only limited by your budget and the selection in your local store. You could throw in some yoghurt-covered dried fruit if you like. Some even throw in sweets such as jellybeans and M&Ms.
A New Zealand Woman’s Weekly recipe contains popcorn in addition to cashews, walnuts, coconut chips, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dried mango, banana and melon, cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg. The ingredients are drizzled with a mix of caramelised butter and melted syrup before being baked in the oven for 20 minutes.
If you find yourself in Wa¯ naka, you can pop into the Scroggin Cafe and Eatery, whose name was inspired by memories the eponymous snack had for its founder.
‘‘Best shared with friends or in the presence of the wild, a great bag of scroggin is a staple for a life of exploration,’’ its website states.
In addition to a stellar scroggin slice and other cabinet treats, you will find meals sure to sustain even hardcore hikers – with a little help from a box (or ziplock bag) of scroggin, of course.