ECHO River Trips

Sometimes the Key Ingredient isn't Actually in the Food

— ECHO Staff / Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Here at ECHO, we redefine gourmet. As a company that specializes in family friendly trips, we have customers of all shapes, sizes and tastebuds and oftentimes the smaller the tastebud, the harder to please. Because of this, ECHO gourmet means using flavor filled ingredients to create amazing meals with a pinch of fun!

It’s the combination of awesome flavors and a fun setting that make cooking on the river the perfect environment to introduce kids to meals they may not try at home. Simple salmon steamed over open coals and finished with a squeeze of lemon may typically elicit a response sounding similar to ‘ew,’ but on the river, be prepared for a shocking inclination for your child to try new things. Evidently the same sense of adventure that has them laughing and screaming through a wild rapid transfers readily to the dinner table.

That’s why our menu focuses on flexibility. Kids and adults alike can easily modify each meal we make. Crispy, crunchy taco salad filled with fresh avocado, ripe mango and drizzled with a mix of beans, corn and fresh spices can become a bowl of tortilla chips and a side of salsa. Although it’s rarely turned down, fresh fruit dipped with smooth, creamy chocolate fondue can easily turn into chocolate-covered marshmallows. And of course, there are always more creative substitutes such as a morning pancake turned smiley face with the introduction of fresh blueberries for eyes and a dollop of whipped cream for the nose.

As adults, we often lose ourselves in the idea that good food needs to be fancy. Gourmet easily translates to complicated, intricate and exotic. We at ECHO formally invite you to experience the kid gourmet, where trying something new is all it takes and having fun in the process is the most important part. Try your new philosophy on the following recipes, or better yet, join us on the water, where fun is emphasized even beyond the kitchen.

Chocolate Fondue

For a group of 5 people:
2 bags of chocolate chips (the better the chocolate the better the fondue)
1 can of evaporated milk
Fresh strawberries, cherries, pears or bananas. Common favorites also include shortbread cookies (or better yet homemade shortbread), marshmallows or fingers (after the chocolate has cooled)

Heat chocolate chips and evaporated milk over a double boiler, constantly stirring and being careful not to burn. When completely melted and homogenous, dip away to your hearts content.