Recipe: Gorp with Chocolate

by Stephanie Zonis

Gorp with Chocolate

Generous 3/4 pound

"Gorp" is another name for trail mix--traditionally, a combination of dried fruits and nuts that people eat to tide them over between meals on outdoor excursions. In case you didn't know it, chocolate goes wonderfully well with dried fruits and nuts, but I wouldn't recommend bringing this gorp on a warm-weather hike! However, it could be part of a nice presentation on Valentine's Day if your sweetheart likes snacking, or, on a snowy day when small children are stuck inside, let them help you make this, then give them some and send them on an indoor expedition (furniture can make great outdoor terrain!). Even a notorious non-cook would have no trouble with this recipe, and it would be perfect for introducing a child to the magic of combining ingredients.

Your objective here is a mixture of colors, tastes and textures, and don't think you must follow the recipe exactly. Feel free to experiment with your own combinations--use shelled, lightly salted pistachios for the cashews or semisweet chocolate chips for the milk chocolate chips, for example . Make sure the dried fruit you use is soft and moist; I use sulphured dried fruit, because it looks prettier, but you don't have to. Use good-quality chocolate, and make sure your nuts are fresh (most health food stores are good about that). If you're making up your own mix, I'd suggest using no fewer than three ingredients, and no more than about six. One warning about gorp: if it's made too far in advance (more than a few days), the nuts will begin to pick up moisture from the dried fruit, and they'll lose their crispness (pistachios are especially susceptible to picking up moisture).

1/2 cup (3 ounces) dried apricot halves
1/2 cup (3 ounces) dried pitted Bing (sweet) cherries
1/2 cup (3 ounces) good-quality white chocolate chips
1/2 cup (3 ounces) good-quality milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1-3/4 ounces) lightly salted,
roasted cashews (halves and large pieces)

With kitchen shears, snip each dried apricot half into halves or thirds. Place apricot pieces in medium bowl.

Add remaining ingredients. with large spoon, mix thoroughly. Store airtight at room temperature.

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This page created February 2000

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