A round-up of reads that’ll really take you places.
Road Trip Cooking by Arno & Mireille van Elst (Hardie Grant, $33)
Caterers and food stylists Arno and Mireille always take the scenic route and believe you can eat well on it. With this book, the drive to get organised and the odd supermarket stop-off, you can forgo takeaways for days and everything on toast on your next roadie in favour of a much more delicious and nutritious menu that we predict will be a highlight of your trip.
In four key chapters, you’ll find super-simple recipes for morning, afternoon, evening, nibbles and drinks. Give eggs and bacon sizzled in paper bags over your campfire the green light, and bread baked in a tin on the barbecue. Prep some spiced apples, secure them under the hood, then serve them sweet and hot at your next destination, or make a warm tomato and mozzarella caprese dish in the same way. Step on it using couscous as a speedily cooked base for a salad made tastier but no more taxing with a bit of goat’s cheese, cook fresh fish lickety-split in newspaper to impart a smoky flavour, and upgrade your standard s’mores with berries, peanut butter and fudge.
Hacks to make all this as easy as possible while streamlining your luggage include using your wash bag as a sieve and keeping ingredients cool by stashing them on the ground under your sleeping mat. You’re welcome — so where to?
IN BRIEF
Christchurch Architecture by John Walsh (Massey University Press, $20)
Lace up your sensible shoes and go for a wander in Christchurch with this great walking guide. Its six routes will take you to 60 buildings representing a century and a half of architecture, transporting you from Gothic Revival through Brutalism, Modernism and more. This is the second in a series by John and photographer Patrick Reynolds — there’s an Auckland one as well.
The Kinfolk Garden by John Burns (Artisan, $65)
It’s not just about having a good-looking garden anymore, guys — caring for our natural world and encouraging plants to thrive among us are small steps we can take to save the planet and humankind. So, no pressure, but also this chic book will teach you how others are letting more nature into their lives and how you can too, while hugely improving your wellbeing. It’s a win-win-win-win.
Interior Voyages by Matthieu Salvaing (Rizzoli, $180)
Continue your journeying with some armchair travel courtesy of this magnificent tome. Matthieu grew up in France but has spent years exploring the world. Here, he has compiled a selection of amazing international homes, telling their tales almost solely with imagery. Among the incredible dwellings, keep your eyes peeled for the Acapulco pad owned by Frank Sinatra during his romance with Mia Farrow.
Words Philippa Prentice
