Early in the wilderness canoe trip Harry Boyd assumes the mantle of "The Great Rodrigo", a theatrical and temperamental chef who will enrich the trek with wonderful meals.

Even before this, it's obvious that Harry has a flair for cooking. On page 136 he cooks his "signature dish", Cauliflower Soup, to impress a friend. On page 193 he makes Black Forest Cake as a birthday gift.

Harry officially declares himself The Great Rodrigo on the fifth night of the canoe trip, and Trout Bearnaise is listed on page 251 among the dishes cooked by the haughty chef. Bannock, the staple fried bread introduced to the north by Scottish traders centuries ago, is referred to several times during the canoe trip.

Metric conversion on food product packaging, etc., was not in full effect until the early 1980s in Canada. The Great Rodrigo's recipes use imperial measurements.