White powders: reconstituting and taste testing powdered dairy products

I got a bunch of awesome stuff to play with recently! Some such items are pictured.

As a matter of personal preference, I try to use homemade, organic, ethically produced products and ingredients whenever possible. Dennis and I are preparing to do the JMT next September and fresh ingredients (fresh cheeses, butter, etc.) will be inaccessible for a good chunk of that time. Because I rely so heavily on a daily supplement of fresh cheese for calories and nutrition, I'm experimenting now with shelf-stable, processed ingredients to supplement our diet for the 3 weeks we'll be on the trail. The good thing about powdered dairy products is that they have a very high calorie:weight ratio, they are convenient, provide diverse flavor and texture, and are affordable. Most people are already familiar with powdered milk, but a variety of other dairy products are also available: heavy cream, sour cream, sweet cream buttermilk, cream cheese, butter, and cheese, among others.

First up: Heavy Cream Powder.

Fake Chicken Mole with Brown Rice

About twice a year I go to the trouble to make a huge batch of really good, homemade sauces. Those sauces always include jerk and mole. About a year ago I had some leftover mole in the freezer to use up and it seemed as good an idea as any to simmer it with some fake chicken and dehydrate for a future meal. Throughout the year, I looked at it a few times and considered bringing it along on trips, but always hesitated because I hadn't experimented much with dehydrated fake chicken yet. I was worried it would rehydrate weird, tough or rubbery, and I'd find myself hungry and disappointed at camp after a long day's hike.

So I couldn't keep staring at it in the food bin. I knew I had to open it up and at least find out how it fared over the passage of time.

First glance- nothing awry