Members of the 35th Anniversary Everest Assault party say, "When food tastes great above 17,000 feet, you know it's high quality." After three separate Everest expeditions fortified by AlpineAire, they know what they're talking about.

SHELF STABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

Gourmet Reserves has shelf stable food systems designed to meet your needs with food that is nutritionally sound, convenient, and familiar. Our systems are practical and easily incorporated into your daily diet. Our exclusive "No Cooking Required" systems are easy to prepare. Items are eat-as-is or prepared by adding hot or cold water to reconstitute. We have selected the very best quality foods, (freeze-dried, dehydrated, instant) completely free of artificial additives. The systems are assembled to supply both your long-term and short-term needs.

FREEZE-DRYING

Freeze-dried products make up the majority of ingredients used for Gourmet Reserves. For instant or quick rehydration of certain dried foods and for products which retain their shape and texture, freeze-drying is the preferred method. The first step in freeze-drying is to rapidly freeze the food. The water content, now frozen, is turned directly into a gas and withdrawn from the food during the next steps, vacuum and heat, thus avoiding the shrinkage. Many of Gourmet Reserves products are custom freeze-dried to suit our strict quality requirements. Freeze-dried products include: grains, beans, fruits, meats, seafood, pastas, vegetables, and eggs. Using this process, 98% of the moisture is removed.

Key advantages of freeze-dried products:

• Retains the original taste and nutritional value of the food
• Foods are quick and easy to prepare
• No waste
• Ideal method for maintaining flavors of meat, poultry and fish
• Extends the shelf life of the product
• No preservatives are necessary
• Results in a super-lightweight /compact product
• A wide variety of foods are available

DEHYDRATION

The standard method of dehydrating vegetables and spices is to place the items on a conveyor belt and run them through an oven at a high temperature for a relatively short time. Between 90% and 95% of the moisture is removed.

Some vegetables are more suited to this form of drying than others. This means that with the addition of water, the product rehydrates back to its original state more easily. Preferable items include: onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, carrots and mushrooms. Dehydrated items such as peas, corn and green beans do not rehydrate as well as freeze-dried.