Erin Gleeson

This lovely tome is a cookbook with recipes and beautiful photos of food and locations where the author and family stayed, as well as a chronicle of several trips the author has taken with her young family over a year. But Erin cautions, “This is not a guidebook, but rather a cookbook that’s an homage to California and to being on the road.” She includes numerous watercolor illustrations which enhance the content, including a map of the cities and towns they visited throughout the state – from Northern California’s Humboldt County down to San Diego, the southern tip of the state. Beaches and mountains, deserts, cities, farms, and more, make this a wonderful travel journal and inspiration for those wanting to explore.

Erin says, “This cookbook features recipes inspired by farms we visited. The ingredients we saw growing, friends we cooked with and restaurants we ate at while traveling around California.” The recipes were created (and tested) to be used on the road and with young children. I like the concept of cooking on a road trip, but I will probably make many of the recipes at home for my adult family members.

As a California native, I was familiar with almost all of the locations mentioned. So my one complaint is that the cities and towns were not featured in geographical order – locations jumped randomly – for instance from Big Sur, to Palm Desert, to Capitola, to Humboldt County, to Tiburon.

This was my introduction to Erin Gleeson, who has written five other “Forest Feast” vegetarian cookbooks. I look forward to trying those recipes as well as the ones in “Road Trip.”… (altro)

I keep looking through this cookbook because it is so very beautiful. I have never encountered a cookbook quite as enchanting; it is full of photos and charming illustrations for all of the recipes. In addition there are stunning travel photos from the countries that inspired the recipes in the book. Each turn of the page brings a new delight with a delicious looking recipe and a gorgeous photo to inspire you.

There are several recipes I can’t wait to try including this one for green beans. I have so many coming in right now it will be nice to try something new with them. All of the recipes in the book are vegetarian and they all look amazing. There is one for a gnocchi and cauliflower casserole that I can’t wait to try. I just need a full day in the kitchen to make homemade gnocchi again. Although there is an intriguing recipe in this book for ricotta gnocchi.

All of the recipes look to be full of flavor and easy to make. The book is built on “small plates” which is my favorite way of eating. A little of this, a little of that. It’s a marvelous way to have a dinner party. Put out a wide selection of different foods and just let everyone dig in. THIS is the book for that kind of party. Lots of options, lots of flavors.

This is going to end up one of my go/to cookbooks going forward.… (altro)