World's finest navy requires world's most versatile brownies
August 13, 2010 9:40 AM Subscribe
Recommendations for baked goods in care packages that might be in transit for several weeks at a time?
I have a friend in the Navy, and I'm hoping to send him a care package for his birthday. This would ideally include some delicious homemade baked goods. He won't be across the world, but he'll be on a ship, and mail service will be spotty at best. Is there anything I can bake that will remain somewhat fresh after a month or two in a mailbox somewhere? What about packing techniques that will keep things fresh? I don't have a vacuum sealer or anything like that. Ideas?
I have a friend in the Navy, and I'm hoping to send him a care package for his birthday. This would ideally include some delicious homemade baked goods. He won't be across the world, but he'll be on a ship, and mail service will be spotty at best. Is there anything I can bake that will remain somewhat fresh after a month or two in a mailbox somewhere? What about packing techniques that will keep things fresh? I don't have a vacuum sealer or anything like that. Ideas?
When I was in college, my mom would always line the brownie pan with aluminum foil, and lift the whole block out of the pan, wrap it up in that foil plus another layer or two, stick it all in a gallon ziplock, then pack two of those into an appropriately-sized tupperware that I was required to bring back home with me at holidays otherwise I'd never see a care package again. This was in the days before priority mail was as cheap as 1st class, so while it didn't take 3 weeks, it often took 1, and they arrived not at all stale.
posted by aimedwander at 10:14 AM on August 13, 2010
posted by aimedwander at 10:14 AM on August 13, 2010
I suppose this won't be sufficiently homemade for you.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:47 AM on August 13, 2010
posted by jacquilynne at 10:47 AM on August 13, 2010
To keep baked good fresh, pack them with slices of a fresh apple. The idea is that the apple lends moisture to the baked goods. It really works.
posted by Jenna Brown at 12:16 PM on August 13, 2010
posted by Jenna Brown at 12:16 PM on August 13, 2010
It's for these kind of use cases which fruitcake was invented.
Yes, that fruitcake.
Fear not, good fruitcake recipes actually exist.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:50 PM on August 13, 2010
Yes, that fruitcake.
Fear not, good fruitcake recipes actually exist.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:50 PM on August 13, 2010
A bit of quick googling seems to suggest that fruitcake is your best bet. Sources agree that it can be kept out of the fridge for up to a month, while other baked goods seem to only last a few days or weeks. Maybe you could try freezing things, and then packing them in insulated containers with dry ice. Not sure how long that'd help, though.
posted by junques at 4:59 PM on August 13, 2010
posted by junques at 4:59 PM on August 13, 2010
not a baked good, but rice cereal treats fit the bill otherwise.
posted by batmonkey at 9:58 PM on August 13, 2010
posted by batmonkey at 9:58 PM on August 13, 2010
Sailors don't actually eat hardtack and bully beef anymore. Chances are that the baked goods on his ship will be better than your well-traveled ones, no matter how delicious they were when they started out on their journey. Is there anything else that he might appreciate that won't depreciate en-route?
posted by Ideefixe at 5:26 PM on August 14, 2010
posted by Ideefixe at 5:26 PM on August 14, 2010
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posted by two lights above the sea at 9:47 AM on August 13, 2010 [1 favorite]