The Roof of the World Ration
A reconstructed expedition "plate": crackers spread with hard cheese, strips of grilled bacon, squares of dark chocolate, all warmed by a mug of soup. Not a gourmet dish, but the exact fuel that hoisted a man to 8,849 metres.
A reconstructed expedition "plate": crackers spread with hard cheese, strips of grilled bacon, squares of dark chocolate, all warmed by a mug of soup. Not a gourmet dish, but the exact fuel that hoisted a man to 8,849 metres.
You know, up there, eating becomes a job like any other — and not the easiest. At that altitude, your stomach doesn't want to know, so you choose what weighs little and feeds a lot: biscuit, a bit of cheese, chocolate, a slice of bacon. Tenzing and I would melt snow for hours just to get a mug of soup and a good sweet tea. You didn't eat for taste, old chap, you ate to keep climbing.
- •Hard tack (expedition crackers) — a handful (caloric base, carbohydrates)
- •Hard cheese — a wedge (fat and protein, keeps well)
- •Smoked bacon — a few slices (fat, salt, dense energy)
- •Dark chocolate — two squares (quick sugar, morale)
- •Dehydrated soup — one packet (warmth and rehydration)
The Roof of the World Ration
A reconstructed expedition "plate": crackers spread with hard cheese, strips of grilled bacon, squares of dark chocolate, all warmed by a mug of soup. Not a gourmet dish, but the exact fuel that hoisted a man to 8,849 metres.
Why this dish? On 29 May 1953, en route to the summit, Hillary ate what was light to carry and rich in calories: biscuits, cheese, chocolate, smoked bacon, hot soup, and very sweet tea. Above 7,000 m, appetite collapses and every bite had to be forced down.
You know, up there, eating becomes a job like any other — and not the easiest. At that altitude, your stomach doesn't want to know, so you choose what weighs little and feeds a lot: biscuit, a bit of cheese, chocolate, a slice of bacon. Tenzing and I would melt snow for hours just to get a mug of soup and a good sweet tea. You didn't eat for taste, old chap, you ate to keep climbing.
Ingredients (period version)
- Hard tack (expedition crackers) — a handful (caloric base, carbohydrates)
- Hard cheese — a wedge (fat and protein, keeps well)
- Smoked bacon — a few slices (fat, salt, dense energy)
- Dark chocolate — two squares (quick sugar, morale)
- Dehydrated soup — one packet (warmth and rehydration)
Ingredients
- Whole-grain crackers or Swedish crispbread — 6 to 8 (crunchy base)
- Aged cheddar or comté — 80 g (fat and umami)
- Smoked streaky bacon — 4 thin slices (salty grilled)
- 70% dark chocolate — 4 squares (sugar and comfort)
- Packet vegetable or pea soup — 1 bowl (hot savoury drink)
Method
- Grill the bacon in a pan (or on a stove) until crispy.
- Prepare the dehydrated soup with very hot water in a mug.
- Spread or place the cheese on the crackers, top each with a strip of bacon.
- Serve with chocolate squares on the side and the steaming soup.
- Eat slowly: in real conditions, every bite is earned.
How it was made : On the 1953 British expedition, supplies were designed for weight and calories: about 4,000 calories per day were planned, but at altitude men consumed much more fighting the cold. Dehydration was enemy number one: litres of hot liquid were needed, hence the obsession with tea and soup.
The contemporary twist : Serve on a real slate board "summit platter" style, with a small flag and the day's temperature chalked on — like a mountaineer's logbook.
Sources : Edmund Hillary, High Adventure (1955) · John Hunt, The Ascent of Everest (1953)
Edmund Hillary · Charactorium