The Camper Van Cookbook by Martin Dorey
I have to admit that I picked this book up for its cover. Long ago, we owned and repaired a VW camper van, but sold it because we were pregnant with TWINS and there were no safety belts in the vehicle... sometimes we kick ourselves for that move, but it was the right thing to do. Now, with those same twins going off to college soon, maybe it's time to find another one.
This book is more about the lifestyle than cooking. With 280 pages, there are only 80 recipes, and most of those fairly simple. However, this is more than a cookbook, it's about living "Life on 4 Wheels." It's about getting OUT there and enjoying your weekends in your VW camper van... or just GETTING OUT THERE! This book is geared a bit towards the UK in that all of the spots and festivals mentioned in the book are found in the UK. I would love to see one for the West Coast, as the sentiment in this book would be perfect for the Coasts found along California, Oregon and Washington.
The pictures are great and there are numerous tips on how to enjoy life on the weekends. Making sure that your camper van is always stocked and ready to go, having a 'Go' bag so that when you get off of work, you just have to grab your family and your clothes and GO! How to forage, what songs to sing around the camp fire, how to be environmentally friendly are just a few of the many items discussed in this book. As I mentioned earlier, this book makes me want to get a Camper Van and enjoy the weekends!
As mentioned, there are fewer recipes and more tips. The recipes, for the most part, are fairly simple, but some create luxurious dishes on "2 rings" or a campfire. The photos for both the recipes and the general photos are very well done. Though many recipes are not to my tastes (not a big seafood fan), they look well-planned and give this cook some good ideas to try, either in a camper van or at home.
If you are looking for a book to make you wistful for communing with Nature, than this is the one for you. It's fun, light-hearted, and helps you get out there. There are even tips of learning how to surf and what to do if you step on a venomous fish barefoot!
4 Stars
4 Stars
