Ann's Question:
Can you suggest a few backpacking cookbooks?
— Ann WilliamsDorcas' Answer:
Only a few? Here goes. Because I'm a cookbook author, and should arguably be recused from answering this question, I went to an independent arbiter -Amazon.com - for my selections. The following list is compiled from the top-ranked general-purpose outdoor cookbooks listed at www.amazon.com.
I own most of these books, and can vouch for their worth. If you want to add any to your library, shop at Adventurous Traveler Bookstore.
Simple Foods for the Pack, by Claudia Axcell, et al, 256 pages, $9.00. Designed for foodies—people who know the outdoor scene and just want recipes; 180 recipes, emphasis on natural foods.
Lipsmackin' Backpackin': Lightweight Trail-Tested Recipes for Backcountry Trips,, by Tim Conners, 256 pages, $15.95. Features 150+ recipes for lightweight meals, from simple to gourmet; includes contributed recipes.
Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpackers and Paddlers, by Alan Kesselheim, 112 pages, $8.95. A compact guide to drying, preserving, and preparing lightweight backcountry fare; 50+ recipes.
Wilderness Cuisine Cookbook, by Carol Latimer, 240 pages, $12.95. Dozens of backpacking recipes plus sections planning and preparing food.
Hungry Hikers Book of Good Cooking, by Gretchen McHugh, 288 pages, $20.00. More than 135 recipes and information on home drying and menu planning; emphasis on preparing fresh foods ahead and then cooking them outdoors.
Backcountry Cooking: From Pack to Plate in 10 Minutes, by Dorcas Miller, 173 pages, $16.95: Co-published by BACKPACKER magazine, includes 144+ easy, fuel-efficient recipes; contributions and hot tips from veterans; nutritional and meal-planning info; sources for ingredients.
NOLS Cookery, by Claudia Pearson, 160 pages, $12.95. Author is long-time director of the food-packing program at the National Outdoor Leadership School; 150+ recipes with sections on nutrition, meal planning, and equipment.
High Trail Cookery, by Linda Yaffee, 224 pages, $12.95. More than 175 recipes for all-natural, light-weight, home-dried meals.
